L&L Language and Disability: Communicating Inclusively with Disabled People

The language we use to talk about disability can often be oppressive and outdated.

What does the phrase 'special needs' convey? Calling disabled people 'special' alienates them from society, since they are seen as different. How about words like 'hearing disorder', 'wheelchair-bound' and 'handicapped'? What are the different connotations of the expression 'disabled people' versus 'people with disabilities'?

The British government has published a guidance document, discouraging certain words. Should we be talking about 'learning disorders', 'learning difficulties' or 'learning differences'? Oppressive language exists in many other languages too. Other languages often describe disabled people as 'invalid' and 'backwards'.

How can we identify oppressive language? How can we avoid it? Join Erk Gunce for an open discussion on the language of disability, where Erk will also share some of his own experiences as a disabled person.

Erk is an Inclusion Coordinator at the South West Leadership Academy. He is a linguist, having studied Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. He has experience conducting linguistic studies to identify oppressive language in everyday discourse.

If we can make any adjustments to enable you to access or participate in this event, please contact Michael Ziki on michael.ziki@nhs.net

Erk GunceErk (pronounced Eric, pronouns he/him) joined the NHS a year ago as a Lived Experience Advisor helping improve the experiences of patients and carers from ethnic minority backgrounds. He is currently the Positive Action Programmes Inclusion Coordinator at the South West Leadership Academy. He was previously working in the Higher Education sector, on diversity, staff engagement, community building and emergency welfare response. He is a Turkish Cypriot trying to adapt to life in the UK as a non-British ethnic minority.

Our Lunch and Learn sessions will offer sociable, collaborative alternative to traditional classroom based learning, The sessions are a great way to foster a culture of learning and knowledge, encouraging growth and strengthening ties across the region which will enable us to build a stronger work culture in the NHS.