Beyond gender pronouns: teaching inclusive language for all students

In today's increasingly diverse and globalized world, it’s essential for teachers to go beyond simply teaching vocabulary and grammar. 

We must also ensure that our students are equipped with language that fosters inclusivity and respect for all individuals, regardless of gender, identity, or background. 

I invite you to explore what inclusive language means and offer practical strategies for teaching it to both teenage and adult students.

Inclusive language is a way of speaking and writing that avoids bias, stereotypes, and discriminatory terms. 

In the classroom, this can manifest through choices like using "they" as a singular pronoun, opting for gender-neutral terms like "firefighter" instead of "fireman," and encouraging respectful discourse on sensitive topics.

While many discussions about inclusive language focus on gender pronouns, there’s much more to consider, especially when working with students who may be encountering these ideas for the first time. 

Teenagers and adults often come from various cultural or personal backgrounds where such concepts may not be widely understood, making it important to approach the topic thoughtfully.

I highlighted two main aspects that are crucial for me to prioritize inclusive language:

By teaching inclusive language, we help students develop an appreciation for the diverse identities and experiences of their classmates, colleagues, and others they will encounter in the future.

Whether your students are teenagers preparing for higher education or adults looking to advance in their careers, inclusive language is an essential skill. 

In professional settings, being able to communicate with sensitivity and awareness can open doors and build positive relationships.

Nevertheless, I am more than sure that you can name more reasons for incorporating inclusive language into your classes.

Start with awareness, not judgment

For both teenage and adult students, the concept of inclusive language might be new. 

I like to provide examples from media, social conversations, and professional settings to show how common and practical inclusive language has become.

Contextualize language choices

Teaching students why inclusive language matters is just as important as teaching them how to use it.

For teenagers, classroom debates or discussions about popular culture are excellent ways to introduce the subject. 

You can ask questions like, "How do we talk about characters from TV shows or movies when we don’t know their gender?" 

For adults, you might connect inclusive language to professional scenarios: “How do we address an email when we’re unsure of someone’s preferred pronoun?”

Incorporate pronouns naturally

Pronouns are often the entry point to teaching inclusive language. 

For teenage students, who are likely immersed in social media and discussions around gender identity, you can tap into their existing knowledge.

This makes it feel more natural.

For adult students, who may be navigating professional environments, focus on scenarios where pronouns play a key role, such as emails, meetings, or introductions.

Encourage the use of gender-neutral language in business settings, such as addressing groups with "everyone" or "team" rather than “guys.”

Encourage open dialogue

Both teenage and adult learners will have questions, concerns, or even resistance to some concepts of inclusive language.

Encourage respectful discussion, allowing students to learn from each other’s perspectives. 

This not only helps clarify misunderstandings but also promotes empathy and critical thinking.

For example, you might ask them to think of ways to rewrite job descriptions or advertisements to make them more inclusive. 

This promotes collaboration and deepens their understanding of how language shapes the world around them.

When teaching inclusive language in the ESL classroom, using engaging, interactive activities is key to helping students understand and practice these concepts in a real-world context. 

Here are some effective activities that I tried myself, which work well with both teenage and adult learners.

Role-playing scenarios

Role-playing activities allow students to practice inclusive language in a controlled, real-world context. 

You can create situations where students must introduce themselves, engage in small talk, or handle a professional scenario like a job interview or team meeting. 

For example:

Role-play a conversation at a school event or on social media where they meet someone new. 

Distribute the roles, so students can focus on introducing pronouns naturally and using gender-neutral language.

Set up professional scenarios like business meetings, emails, or presentations where students need to address a diverse group. 

This teaches respectful language for workplace interactions.

Pronoun practice through profiles

A fun way to normalize pronoun use is through writing activities where students create profiles for fictional characters or classmates.

Have students create social media bios for fictional characters, including their names, interests, and pronouns , for example, “Alex loves playing soccer. They are also really into video games”. 

This makes pronoun usage a natural part of everyday language.

Have students write short professional bios or LinkedIn profiles. 

Include respectful language for referring to individuals when pronouns are unknown. 

For instance, you might discuss how to refer to a job applicant or a colleague in a resume or letter of recommendation.

Inclusive language bingo

Turn learning into a game with a Bingo activity that focuses on identifying and using inclusive language. 

Create Bingo cards with various inclusive phrases, gender-neutral terms, and respectful alternatives to common biases. 

Students listen for these terms during a listening exercise or group discussion and mark them on their cards.

Use familiar scenarios like school events, social media, or TV shows where inclusive language might come up.

Incorporate workplace and social scenarios, such as emails, networking events, or presentations.

Rewrite biased language

For me, one of the most effective ways to teach inclusive language is by highlighting biased or outdated terms and asking students to rewrite them more inclusively.

Provide sentences or short paragraphs containing biased language (e.g., "The fireman saved the day"). 

Have students rewrite them using inclusive language (e.g., "The firefighter saved the day").

Use professional examples such as job descriptions or company policies. 

Have them rewrite texts to make them more inclusive (e.g., change “he/she” to “they,” or replace “chairman” with “chairperson”).

Incorporating these activities into your ESL teaching practice can help both teenage and adult students develop the skills they need to communicate in a diverse, inclusive, and respectful way. 

By using role-playing, media analysis, discussions, and games, you can engage students while giving them practical tools for navigating real-world social and professional environments.

Teaching inclusive language in the ESL classroom goes beyond grammar rules and vocabulary lists — it’s about preparing students to be thoughtful, respectful communicators in a diverse world. 

By fostering awareness, providing context, and encouraging open dialogue, we can help our students become not just proficient in English, but also capable of navigating the complexities of human identity with respect and empathy.

As educators, we have the opportunity to empower our students with language skills that reflect the inclusive values of the modern world, ensuring that everyone —regardless of gender, background, or identity — feels seen, respected, and valued.