Follow Their Lead: A Conversation About Person-First and Identity-First Language in Early Childhood Settings

Abstract

221 Vol. 25, No. 4, December 2022 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN https://doi.org/10.1177/10962506221130745 DOI: 10.1177/10962506221130745 journals.sagepub.com/home/yec Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions © 2022 Division for Early Childhood We, my son, and family members, have experienced different ways of referring to my son, who has cerebral palsy, autism, and epilepsy. We are Korean immigrants and are familiar with the Korean language in which there is only one way to refer a child with disabilities, “장애아동,” which translates to “a disabled child.” Korean grammar does not allow for other ways in which the person comes first before the disability label. Interestingly, I learned from my Latino friends that descriptive words commonly follow nouns in Spanish, unlike in Korean. For example, “person with autism” is “persona con autismo,” while “Autistic person” becomes “persona autística.” In both cases, autism/ Autistic follows the person. Many individuals with disabilities and other marginalized identities, and their families, encounter experiences similar to those that Kyunghwa shares in this column. The use of person-first and identity-first language has become increasingly important as we as a field have moved to respect individuality, including honoring how children and their families want to be identified by others. The importance of individuals’ identities (e.g., disability, race, class, language, gender identity) have come to the forefront. At times, this may leave 1130745 YECXXX10.1177/10962506221130745YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Vol. X, No. X, Month XXXXShort Title / Morgan et al. other2022