Language Matters When Embracing Diversity

By Cindy Adair, Cross Campus Assistant Principal, Continued Professional Learning

(Continued Professional Learning) sessions we ran for staff in 2021/22. We intend to continue with these valuable professional learning forums by hosting both Faith and Physical Diversity themed World Cafés in Term 2.

We are at pains to ensure our staff know that the Guide is not about policing every word they say, nor is it

Bangkok Patana is committed to embracing diversity and inclusion and like any modern organisation, this means reckoning with some challenging truths. Taking a honest look at our cultural norms as a community and asking ourselves if there is truly equity for everyone who swipes their Bangkok Patana ID and passes through our turnstiles. We are a rich and diverse melting pot of races, religions, ethnicities and genders. Therefore, as we navigate a post #blacklivesmatter and #metoo world, one of the things our teachers have been asking us for is guidance on the language we collectively use to engage respectfully in brave and honest dialogue. “When it comes to diversity, language can be a bridge for building relationships, or a tool for creating and maintaining divisions across differences” (COPDEI, 2022).

In Term 1, to meet this need we have internally launched the Bangkok Patana Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Language Guide for staff. This guide has five sections: Gender, Race, Faith, Sexuality and Physical Diversity/ Neurodiversity.

The Language Guide offers key definitions; clearly states the words we agree not to use as a community; shares suggested phrases for challenging situations; and offers a historical background on some terms in our vernacular today. It is hoped that this guide will empower staff to respond in line with our Mission “…to ensure that students of different nationalities grow to their full potential as independent learners in a caring British international community” with confidence and kindness. Much of the content in the Guide has originated from discussions had at the Gender, Race and Sexuality themed World Café CPL political correctness “gone mad”. Our advice is: do your best, make mistakes, apologise and keep moving forward. These conversations, although difficult, need to happen and happen best when we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Staff are also able to access guidance from pastoral leaders about how best to navigate challenging conversations based on the age and stage of the child involved, being sure not to offer material that is too mature before it’s appropriate or necessary.

The Guide further unpicks some nuances of our international school context. For example, in our community, students who are half Thai nationality mixed with another nationality, will often refer to themselves (and others like them) as “halfies”. Used between two “halfies” the term is affectionate and often used in jest. However, if a student who is not a “halfie” weighs in, it can take on a more sinister tone. Context is king!

As language is ever-evolving, so too will the Guide. Did you know approximately 650 new words are added annually to the Urban Dictionary, a crowd-sourced, web based dictionary of sorts, which records the evolution of new words being used predominantly by young people. Interestingly, the Urban Dictionary (the grittier and more controversial twin of the actual Dictionary) often includes multi-ethnolect words used by mixed-race or third culture kids, commonly dismissed or not recorded elsewhere.

As our understanding of the impact of well-being on cognitive performance develops, we can no longer prescribe to the old adage of, “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” We now know that words can indeed be damaging and hurtful. Words matter.