Gormley, Laura
ORCID: 0000-0003-2190-479X, Ramey, Devon
ORCID: 0000-0002-0381-5403, Grennan, Carrie
ORCID: 0009-0004-2940-7215 and Koka, Nathalie
(2025)
Language Preferences of the Autistic Community
and Educators Living in Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland.
The Irish Journal of Education, 49
.
Abstract
The aim of our co-produced, multiple methods study was to explore the language preferences of the autistic community in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as the preferences of educators supporting autistic learners in this region. A total of 111 participants completed the survey, which included both open- and close-ended questions. Ten of the participants were autistic educators, 35 were autistic non-educators, and 66 were non-autistic educators. Overall, autistic people preferred identity-first terms, such as autistic, neurodivergent, and neurodiverse over person-first terms (e.g., person with autism). Non-autistic educators showed no clear preference for any terms but acknowledged the importance of asking autistic people about their preferences. Based on our findings, it is recommended that educators respect the preferences of the individuals they support. When it is not possible to ask about preferences, educators should opt for identity-first and neuro-affirmative terms, while avoiding person-first terms.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article (Published) |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Autism, identity-first language, person-first language, educators, inclusive education, Ireland |
| Subjects: | Social Sciences > Education Social Sciences > Teaching |
| DCU Faculties and Centres: | DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education > School of Inclusive & Special Education DCU Faculties and Schools Research Institutes and Centres Research Institutes and Centres > Centre for Inclusive Pedagogy |
| Publisher: | DCU Educational Research Centre |
| Official URL: | https://www.erc.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/erc_... |
| Copyright Information: | Authors |
| Funders: | SCoTENS Seed Funding 2022 |
| ID Code: | 31890 |
| Deposited On: | 02 Dec 2025 15:19 by Laura Gormley . Last Modified 02 Dec 2025 15:19 |
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