The Power of Language

Welcome

Task: how do you like your labels?

Housekeeping• Fire exits• Comfort• Shared responsibility

Ground RulesWhat do you need to participate?

AimTo support KIDS trainers and staff in delivering consistent messages based on

an informed approach to equality

Learning OutcomesBy the end of the session, participants will have:1. Explored the role of KIDS trainers and the impact of your message2. Acquired knowledge of language and disablism and demonstrated this through

debate3. Considered the power of individuality and the impact of language4. Contributed to a debate around legislation and its role within training delivery

and shown ability to clarify use of legislation in a training situation5. Reviewed own understanding of the social model and how this affects training

delivery6. Demonstrate confidence in use of social model language within training

delivery7. Identified ways of implementing learning and monitoring consistency of

approach and shown how they will justify issues within a training framework

Shared Outcomes:

• Hopes and fears:

Language of Respect.

Task: identify the words we use to describe disabled people and the barriers they face.

• Positive • Negative

Stereotypes Impact on learning?

Behaviour

Feeling Action:

Impact on teaching

What we say.What we do.

Finding congruence

What is discrimination?

Discrimination is the active unfair treatment of a person due to a perceived difference whether it be a person’s race, gender, sexuality, class, background, culture or ability.

From mindscapes to landscapes

We would be foolish to assume that it’s easy to achieve a fairer society.

If it was easy we would have cracked it, and we would all live in an equitable world.

• It is not.• We have not.• We do not.

Prejudice and Barriers

Equality:• Equal treatment for all: The availability of the

same rights, position, and status to all people, regardless of gender, sexual preference, age, race, ethnicity, ability or religion.

• All individuals need to have equal choices and opportunities regardless of their ability.

Diversity:• Understanding that each individual is unique, and

demonstrating an acceptance and respect of differences.

• Providing for the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment.

Inclusive practice:

Bradford Play Partnership Inclusion Statement:"Inclusion is a process of identifying and breaking down barriers

which can be environmental, attitudinal and institutional. This process eliminates discrimination thus providing all children and young people with equal access to play.”

(Play Partnership 2007)

“Is an ongoing process of reviewing and developing practice in order to adjust and celebrate diversity. It is the journey not the destination!”

(EQuality Training 2006)

Building Capacity

Minorities are deprived and have needs

Communities have capacity, assets and power

Fixed mindset

Growth mindset

A belief in fixed intelligence, ability as a narrow continuum and measured performance

A belief in age not stage. Praise for effort, investment in development of strengths and skills

Growth and Capacity building

Respectful language Disability... the disadvantage or restriction

of activity caused by contemporary social organisation which takes little or no account of people who have physical impairments and thus excludes them from the mainstream of social activities.

(the Union for of Physically Impaired Segregation1976)

Respectful language

Impairment, disabled people use this term to talk about their medical condition or diagnosis or description of their functioning—if there is nothing more formal.

 Examples of Impairment

QuadriplegiaPolioCerebral palsyBlindnessDeafness

 Examples of

Disability

Buildings without rampsPoor health provisionBullying, name-callingSegregated educationWorkplaces without lifts

Respectful language

• The person—their name.• Impairment = Functioning• Disability = barriers in society

Respectful languageFred Brown (the person) is a man with

cerebral palsy (the impairment). When the barriers and discrimination (the oppression) that restrict Fred have been removed from society, Fred will no longer be disabled, but he will still have cerebral palsy and be called Fred.

What is disability?

The Facts• Visually impaired people are four times more likely to be

verbally and physically abused than sighted people

• People with mental health issues are 11 times more likely to be victimised

• 90% of adults with a learning difficulty report being 'bullied'.

Scope 2008

Compared with non-disabled people, disabled people are:

• more likely to be economically inactive – only one in two disabled people of working age are currently in employment, compared with four out of five non-disabled people;

• more likely to experience problems with hate crime or harassment – a quarter of all disabled people say that they have experienced hate crime or harassment, and this number rises to 47% of people with mental health conditions;

The Medical Model of disability

• Medical approach to the problem. • Defined by non-disabled professionals• Equated to illness in terms of research and

findings. • Care and benefits have been awarded to

compensate for personal tragedy.

Medical Model thinking

Badimage

No qualificat

ions

Expensive

Nothing to bring

Victims

Only know about

disability

Networks

Difficult behaviour

The impairment is

the focusThe person is perceived as faulty

The Social Model of disability

• The problem owned by the whole community.

• It defines disability in terms barriers, attitudinal, structural and systemic.

• Acknowledges the oppression, and need for action.

• It recognises disabled people’s leadership in finding a solution.

Disabled people as active members of the community

Great P.R

expertise

Challenges

tolerance

Diverse skills

Social skills

Does it different

ly

Feelings

Assessment panels

Social Model thinking

Social model thinkingAttitudes, the environment & systems are a

problem

We participate in change

for equality

We have an individual &a collective responsibility

we are allowed to

do what is right for ourselves

we have a positive image and are proud of who we

are

we have expertise

and might wish to

take risks

we are all equal members of the

community

Tackling social oppression

• Racism and sexism • Internalised oppression• Lack of participation• Individualism v individuality• Abuse and violence

Lunch & Networking

Group workTask:Prepare a 7 min presentation on the

importance of putting Social Model ideas into practice through language

Feedback• Positive

• Critical (possible)

• Positive

Positive & Possible

We can:

Closing Circle

Good bye!See you again ….

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.