Student-Centered Language
The language we use can help every student feel included in our classrooms. Here are two practices we recommend.
1) Use Asset-Based Language
Asset-based language focuses on the strengths of the many students, educators, and communities we serve. We suggest:
Avoiding labeling students (explicitly or implicitly) as "at risk."
Capitalizing Black, Hispanic, and other identity markers.
Replacing potentially problematic language:
Alternatives to Mastery
As with every element of our instructional model, we encourage educators to adopt language that best meets their and their students’ needs. For teachers who would prefer not to use the word “mastery,” we suggest the following alternatives:
Competency
Expertise
Growth
Lesson/progress
Proficiency
Specifications (or "specs")
Standards
Ultimately, we encourage you to use the terminology that best meets your students’ needs.