Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Spread the Word to End the "R" Word


Today, a good friend and local blogger, Laura Stockman, is holding a "Blog Carnival" in an effort to ban the use of the "R" word. This is an innovative idea to use blogs to connect multiple people around a particular topic. I really like when folks find creative uses to connect and network with Web 2.0 tools!

For today's blog post, the "R" word that Laura is referring to is "RETARD or RETARDED."



How often do many of us thoughtlessly use the word? How often have we personally been hurt by words like this? When we use words like this in anger or ignorance, what message are we sending to those that may be developmentally disabled? Or those that we may influence with our choice of words?

I know that personally, with a daughter who is repeating everything her mother and I say right now (she's 2); I want to be very careful about what words she hears, lest she think that words like the "R" word are appropriate. We lead by example, we teach by our actions.

Since this is a blog about educational technology, I thought I would use one of my favorite tools, WORDLE, to show you some other words that you could use instead of the "R" word:


What changes can you make? You can stop using the "R" word. You can tell others that you don't like the word. You can be an advocate for those with development disabilities.

And you can visit these internet resources for more information!

http://stopsayingretard.wordpress.com/
A Poster to Print to Help Spread the Word
http://twentyfivedays.wordpress.com/
http://www.specialolympics.org/stw_resources.aspx


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