Enunciated syllables, slow speech and spelling — these are the adjustments some students find themselves making as they introduce themselves to their teachers each school year. For these students, whose names might be misspelled in emails or autocorrected in text messages, this annual ritual carries significance. It often determines what they will be called for the entire school year. “This is a matter children feel strongly about, yet adults aren’t always as attentive to,” said elementary school teacher Jennifer Orr. According to a 2011 study, daily mispronunciations of names are microaggressions that can significantly affect students’ self-perception and sense of belonging.
Names are one of the topics covered in We’re Gonna Keep on Talking, which Orr co-authored with Philadelphia educator Matthew R. Kay. The book guides educators through how to foster meaningful conversations about race with elementary school students. The names unit, which Orr has done about five times over the las..
- Sunday, September 8, 2024