In addition to using someone’s name, ask them how to pronounce it if you’re unsure. And check on spellings, too. Names are such identifying, personal characteristics that we want to get them right! Why is pronouncing names correctly so important? According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Teaching + Learning Lab…
- A person’s name may be tied to their identity and carry cultural or family significance
- Efforts to learn names create a more welcoming, inclusive environment where students of all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging and safety
- It affirms student identities and builds community
- Having names mispronounced is linked to increased feelings of anxiety, shame and being “othered”
Ways to Focus Positively on Names
So, how can you go about making name pronunciations a focus in positive ways? Consider the following tips…
- When meeting with students, set the tone by first sharing your name’s pronunciation; even consider writing it on a board or giving them your card for those who are more visual learners
- Host a community building activity where participants share the story of their name to help affirm students’ identities and their name’s pronunciation and cultural/familial significance
- If meeting with students in a classroom setting, send them a pre-term survey, asking them to share their name and a phonetic pronunciation
- Ask students to record themselves pronouncing their name using a free tool like https://namedrop.io or https://cloud.name-coach.com/namebadge/
- Use a name pronunciation tool like nameshouts.com
Source: “Learn Student Names and Pronouns,” Teaching + Learning Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Find more retention-based initiatives like this within our BRAND NEW It Takes a Community: Campus-Wide Student Retention Programs resource, filled with ideas for everyone on campus to be part of the retention solution.
