The Power of Language: How the words that we use influences student outcomes, for better and for worse

Most of us have done it. A pupil who hasn't done their homework gets called lazy, or two children pulled apart in the corridor hear "you again". It's out before you've thought, and the pupil may shrug in front of you. Often they switch off for the rest of the lesson, and some start using the word about themselves.

This course helps you catch those moments and say something more useful. You'll practise criticising the action rather than the person ("this folder is disorganised", not "you're so disorganised"). For conflicts there's a simple listen, react, respond routine, which starts with checking how you're feeling before you speak. "What happened for you?" does far more than "whose fault was it?".

It also looks at staffroom talk, like telling the SENCO "she's one of yours", and at the harsh way many of us talk to ourselves after a hard day.