Person First Language

Person First Language
is about
Respect
Dignity
Understanding
Legislative change IDEA
 Changed from handicapped children to
individuals with disabilities.
 Individual is placed before the disability
 Words are powerful ways to
acknowledge and marginalize.
Person-first Language
“No person is a label and no person should
be reduced to a single characteristic
(Lieberman & Arndt, 2004:33)
Emphasizes the person, not the disability by
person first. Child who is blind instead of
blind child.
Person-first Language
Individuals with disabilities are “normal” in many
ways. The term abnormal has a pejorative
implication. All people, laugh, cry, get angry,
feel pain, get excited and want to be accepted
and have fun.
Avoid language that projects struggle, pain,
unfortunate, afflicted, victim of or suffering.
Person-first language describes what the person
has not what the person is.
Change the negative phrase
to a positive phrase
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Handicapped person
Cerebral palsy victim
A Downs
Dumb, mute
Wheelchair bound or confined
Autistic child
Epileptic
Retarded, retard,
Midget
More Changes
 He is a sped student - He receives
special education services
 She is brain damaged - She has a brain
injury.
 She has a problem with - She needs…
 Use typical children
 Use general Physical Education class
Focus on the strengths
 Mention what the child can do, not what
the child cannot do.
He can’t use a regular ball.
She can’t kick a soccer ball
He uses a foam ball
She can kick a stationary ball
Person-first language
Words with dignity
www.Disabilityisnatural.com

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