The importance of language

"They are so rude!"

"African people can be very resourceful."

These are both statements which have come from senior and experienced colleagues recently.

At best these are lazy statements, at worst these show the underlying prejudices of the person making them.

Who are these "they"? All African people are resourceful?

It is vital that teachers address language with their students, that we consider the meaning language and the power it can be imbued with. Lazy language such as that exemplified above can lead to bad habits for learners.

So what should educators do to ensure that their wards don't develop these habits? They must consider their language at all times. They must use precise language which carries as little bias as possible.

It is no longer acceptable (if ever was) for teachers to use lazy and prejudiced  language whilst teaching.

And in case you need an indicator of unacceptable language, it is anything followed by the spurious, "Oh, you know what I meant...". Yes, we know what you mean, that's the problem.