You’ve Been Told a Hundred Ways to “Say It Right”...
“Say ‘person with autism.’”
“Actually, identity-first is more respectful.”
“Don’t say ‘special needs’—that’s outdated.”
“That’s not affirming language.”
If you’ve ever felt like you're walking on eggshells with language, you’re not alone.
If you’ve ever wished you could say the right thing without second-guessing yourself—you’re in the right place.
Here’s What Most People Miss:
This isn’t just about terminology.
It’s about the effect your words have—on access, on dignity, on outcomes.
In special education, language doesn’t just describe—it defines:
- whether a student gains access to support—or gets left out
- how teams understand behavior, regulation, and communication
- the tone and direction of every IEP meeting
- how students see and value themselves—and their potential
The Real Problem?
Most of us are using language we inherited—not chose.
No one teaches you how to talk about neurodivergence.
Not clearly. Not respectfully. Not in real life.
So we pick up what’s modeled:
- 📄 Old reports
- 📝 District templates
- 🏛️ Systems built decades ago
And those systems taught us to say things like:
- ❌ “Noncompliant”
- ❌ “Low functioning”
- ❌ “Not appropriate for this setting”
Those words might sound routine. But they carry weight.
✨ Real-Life Language Shifts
❌ He’s nonverbal.
❌ He’s a flight risk.
❌ He’s not cut out for this class.
💛 Say what you mean. And say it in a way that builds people up.
👇 Ready to shift the story?
🧠 Get the Handbook—Speak the Language of Respect
Because when your words shift—everything else starts to.