Language Guide

Why does language matter?

Affirming (neuro-affirming) language allows us to discuss pressures and strengths without assigning blame or assuming failure. Using it with a child or young person demonstrates that we see and respect them for who they are and what they value; it shows that we are here to support them in overcoming obstacles that they have identified for themselves as problematic to them achieving their own goals.

An example of affirming language is: It’s important to know what learning strategies work best for yourself.

This guide will discuss how to use affirming language to talk about and consider neurodevelopmental differences and additional support needs.

History of disability and difference language

Before we talk about the language we want to use today, it helps to look at the language people used in the past. This shows us why the words we choose are so important to disabled and neurodivergent people.

There are two main ways people have talked about disability and neurodivergence:

1. The Medical Model

The medical model looks at disability like a problem to be fixed.

It focuses on what doctors can see from the outside and uses words like “illness,” “disorder,” and “deficit.”

This model assumes that there is one “normal” or “correct” way to be, and anyone who is different needs treatment to become more like that idea of “normal.”

2. Person‑First Language (PFL)

In the 1990s, disability rights activists tried to change how people thought about disability.
They encouraged the use of Person‑First Language, such as “person with a disability”, to remind everyone that disabled people are people first, not just their diagnosis.

They hoped this would help doctors and society treat disabled people with more respect and recognise their humanity.

Person-First Language (Disability as Noun/Thing)	Identity-First Language (Disability as Adjective/Characteristic)
Person with disability	Disabled person
Woman who is blind	Blind woman
Child with autism	Autistic child
User of a wheelchair	Wheelchair user

What went wrong

Even though Person‑First Language became common, the original message was often lost.
Instead of helping people see disabled people as whole and equal, it sometimes suggested that someone’s disability was something separate, negative, or something that needed to be removed to see the “real person.”

People using PFL often said things like, “People are not defined by their disability.”
This was meant kindly, but it also reinforced the idea that disability is bad or that it makes someone less valuable. Because of this, PFL sometimes added to the stigma instead of reducing it.

Identity‑First Language and the Social Model

Because Person‑First Language didn’t achieve what people hoped, many disabled and neurodivergent people began using Identity‑First Language (IFL) instead.

What Identity‑First Language means

Identity‑First Language puts the identity first — for example, saying “autistic person” instead of “person with autism.”

It does this because:

• Disability or neurodivergence is a real and important part of who someone is.
• You can’t separate a person from their disability without ignoring part of their life and identity.
• It shows that disability isn’t something wrong or something to hide — it’s simply part of how someone experiences the world.

For many neurodivergent people, IFL feels more honest, respectful, and empowering, which is why it’s preferred by most of the community.

How this links to the Social Model

Identity‑First Language fits closely with the Social Model of Disability.

The Social Model says:

• Disability isn’t a problem inside a person.
• The real barriers come from society — things like inaccessible buildings, confusing language, or unfair expectations.
• A person’s own experiences and needs matter more than what doctors or professionals say from the outside.

This model grew from the frustrations disabled people felt when the old medical model (and its language) made them seem “less than” or “broken.”
They wanted a way of understanding disability that reflects their real lives without treating their needs as “defects” or “disorders.”

Medical Model	Social Model
Clinical	Personal
Pathological	Natural variation
Impairment	Pressure
Deficit	Difference
Disease-state	Identity
Intervention	Support
Diagnoses	Internal experience
Suffers	Experiences
Special Needs	Differing Needs

What are neurodevelopmental differences?

The answer depends on the language model someone is using.

The medical model view

The medical model says that neurodevelopmental differences are disorders that need to be fixed or treated.
Using Person‑First Language (PFL), people might say “people with neurodevelopmental disorders” to try to separate the person from what is different about them.

An affirming‑language view

We prefer to use language that is respectful and positive.
In this view, neurodevelopmental differences are simply natural differences in how people’s brains grow and work.
These differences can affect how someone thinks, learns, or behaves — but all ways of thinking are equally valid.
There is no “better” or “worse,” just different.

What are additional support needs?

The phrase “additional support needs” comes from the medical model.
It suggests that neurodivergent people have “extra” needs beyond what is considered “normal” — as if neurotypical needs are the default for everyone.

Even though the phrase has problems, it is the one used in education and law, especially when schools are responsible for giving a child the support they need to learn.

What the law says

A child or young person has an “additional support need” when:

• they cannot benefit from their education without extra help, for any reason.

The law keeps this definition broad on purpose. It means:

• every child can be supported as an individual
• children may need support for many different reasons
• needs can change over time, and there may be more than one factor involved

Types of support

In real life, support usually falls into three connected areas:

1. How teaching and learning are done
2. Support from people (teachers, assistants, specialists)
3. Resources (materials, adapted tools, accessible environments)

The law also says support doesn’t have to be only in school.
It can come from health services, social work, voluntary organisations, and others — whatever the child needs.

Why someone might need support

There are many reasons a child or young person may need extra support, short‑term or long‑term, such as:

• English as an additional language
• Learning faster than others
• Illness
• Being a young carer
• Being or having been “looked after”
• Neurodevelopmental differences
• Bereavement
• Mental health needs
• Bullying

This is only a small sample — any child can need extra support at any stage.

Should people use only Identity-First Language?

Language changes over time.

What was once considered appropriate (like Person‑First Language) can become less suitable as people’s understanding grows.

Different situations may call for different language models:

When medical model language is used

In medical or clinical settings, medical language is still used because:

• it matches diagnostic criteria
• it is the system currently in place

Even though medical definitions can feel negative or dehumanising, they remain part of clinical practice until the system changes.

Why choice matters

Different people and groups have different preferences.
For example:

• The autistic community prefers Identity‑First Language (e.g., “autistic person”).
• Some individual autistic people prefer Person‑First Language (“person with autism”).

The most important rule

Respect what the person or community prefers.

• When talking to an individual, use the language they want.
• When talking about a community, use the language that community has chosen.

Honouring people’s language preferences shows respect for their identity, feelings, and autonomy.