Words Matter seminar 1

The Access, Participation and Success team in the Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Students) held its first Words Matter seminar on Thursday 12 October. The aim of the seminar was to bring experiences from across Higher and Further Education to a wide audience on how what we say and write can impact widening participation and student success.

The seminar provoked thought and discussion on the words we say and write, and how they can have a huge impact on our students, especially those already marginalised by society. Questions for consideration at the seminar included:

• do we think enough about the words we choose?
• how do we build belonging through the language we choose?
• how do we make our words engaging for all?
• how do we identify the hurdles and ditches made of words and phrases that lay ahead of our students?
• how do we remove these?
• what is the impact of labelling?
• are we removing or enforcing stereotypes?
• are the words we choose selected to engage or to make us feel clever?
• how do we bring rich colours to our content but avoid painting people into corners?
• do metaphors, colloquialisms, and idioms open or close down content?

The seminar presentations provided insights from research, lessons learned from initiatives, policy changes and the results to share good practice. 

Session recordings and presentations

Doing anti-racism without doing race!

Dr Gurnam Singh, activist researcher, writer, and educator - Assoc Professor of Sociology, University of Warwick 

Dismantling the discourse of degree awarding gaps

Rehana Awan, Lecturer, The Open University

Click to download Dismantling the discourse of degree awarding gaps.pptx

That’s Not What That Word Means…

Fatmata Daramy, co-lead of the Student and Staff Race and Ethnic Equity working group (SsREE), and a part-time research assistant for NERUPI (Network for Evaluating and Researching University Participation Interventions) and Dr Constantino Dumangane Jr, Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor), Education Department, University of York

Click to download That’s Not What That Word Means.pptx

The Importance of Disability Inclusive Language

Dr Melanie Thorley, STAART Manager, Student Wellbeing Services, University of Greenwich

Click to download The Importance of Disability Inclusive Language.pptx

Panel discussion

The event ended with a discussion with the following panel members:

• Farnaz Rais (Chair) – Stakeholder Engagement and Delivery Lead, The Open University
• Dr Frankie Morgan – Aspire to HE Progression Officer, University of Wolverhampton
• Rehana Awan – Lecturer, The Open University
• Rachael O’Connor – Associate Professor in Legal Education and Academic Lead for Personal Tutoring, University of Leeds
• Anna Tudela-Isanta – Lecturer, The Open University

Click here to download presentation abstracts and presenter bios.

For further information please contact the Access, Participation and Success team.