Teachers' union releases new inclusive language guide for Manitoba educators
MTS president hopes guide will give teachers tools to discuss topics like race, gender respectfully
Educators' word choices in the classroom have an impact and set the tone for students, and the union representing Manitoba teachers hopes to make learning environments more inclusive by publishing a new language guide.
Last month, the Manitoba Teachers' Society released updated guidelines on its website, covering topics including the use of pronouns and definitions of terms for referring to Indigenous people.
Teachers had requested the language guide at the union's provincial council meeting in 2020, MTS president James Bedford said.
"This really is an extension of the work that's been going on now for a couple of decades, to make our schools safe places," he said.
"One of the things that teachers are really good at is communicating. And when we communicate, we use language, and the language we use goes a long way to creating that safe space."
The guidelines encourage educators to think of people as individuals first, while being aware that certain words and expressions can make people feel excluded, or convey stereotypes.
Conversations about language
"Language is important when speaking about identity because it creates respect by allowing people to use language that describes their identity," the document says in the section on pronouns.
Language evolves, Bedford said, and the document is meant to help teachers engage in conversations.
"Why is it acceptable to have the singular and the plural pronouns both used for an individual?" Bedford said, as an example.
"We want to equip our members with the tools to engage with the tools to do what we honestly believe is the right thing, respectful thing for our students."
Retired teacher Alphonse Tétrault believes it's an exciting development.
Tétrault, who taught high school for more than four decades, hopes teachers and schools across the province will choose to adopt changes from the language guide.
"I think it's for equality. Give a chance to people to shine in the same way as everybody else," he said.
Tétrault says it's understandable that some teachers might struggle with language at first, like using they as a singular pronoun, but his advice is to keep persisting.
"We have to learn," he said.
"I'm hoping that the people using the language can feel comfortable and excited about using the new system," Tétrault added.
Like Tétrault, Sydney Sasleyhyman, hopes students pick up the changes.
The Grade 11 Balmoral Hall student believes the new language guide will help with addressing stereotypes.
"I think that everyone being treated the exact same way or be treated how they personally want to be treated — not how you think they should be treated," Sasleyhyman said.
She believes more schools should choose to implement the guidelines than not. But even if only a few schools choose to do so, Sasleyhyman believes it's a good step forward for future generations.
"If they're taught one thing, and if they're taught to treat people differently, and identify people by those differences, that's what they're going to do later on in life," she said. "But if schools implement this from an early age, they're not going to think anything different.
"This is going to be the new normal."
The guideline builds on previous work by schools to ensure students feel included, such as distributing "safe space cards" indicating that students can get support from a particular teacher, and anti-bullying initiatives, Bedford said.
Other sections of the guide include information on the varying definitions of words used to refer to First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
In the section on race, it encourages teachers to use the terms preferred by people being referred to.
Regarding people with disabilities, the guideline also advises teachers to focus on the individual and not the disability, by framing conditions as something a person has, rather than what they are.
Bedford expects the document will be updated regularly to reflect changing norms around the use of words and phrases.
"The language changes and it can be a bit challenging to unlearn things, particularly when they were really well taught in the first place and adapt. But part of that is that underlying belief that we must be respectful to people," he said.
With files from Cameron MacLean and Joanne Roberts