“Pronouncing a student’s name correctly is more than just respect—it’s a powerful way to honor their identity and culture.” – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Education & Training.
MVSKOKE RESERVATION – Back-to-school season is officially underway for many schools across the Muscogee (Creek) Nation this week with many Mvskoke students returning to the classroom. Schools like Broken Arrow and Dewar are set to start Wednesday, Aug. 14, meanwhile schools including Union, Coweta, and Preston will start Thursday, Aug. 15. Regardless of the aforementioned district, they all reside within the MCN Reservation, and all instruct Native American and minority students alike. For some minority students, they may experience educators that have a hard time learning how to properly pronounce their name. The MCN Department of Education and Training recently acknowledged the issue and shared helpful tips on the cultural importance of properly learning names.
Native American names are certainly included within this issue. Based on the traditions of the tribe the person is born into, their name can have meaning symbolized by nature, desirable characteristics or a certain trait. These names can reveal something about the individual, giving their name great cultural and personal significance, especially if their name is spelled in their traditional Native language. When the name is mispronounced, it can be harmful in the message it sends to the individual.
In a post made on the department’s Facebook page, the MCN Department of Education & Training encouraged educators going back to school to make a genuine effort in learning how to pronounce each student’s name. The statement reads,
“Educators, as our students return to school, let’s take a moment to learn to say our students’ and colleague’s names correctly. Pronouncing a student’s name correctly is more than just respect—it’s a powerful way to honor their identity and culture. Let’s make the effort to say every name right and show each student that they belong.”
In the post, it details four tips from Leading ELLs to properly pronounce and learn students’ names correctly. Leading ELLs is an online organization that provides resources on supporting teachers with multicultural students.
The first tip is to be humble, and ask for help when unsure on how to say a name. Do not be shy to ask for help, simply practice and repeat. The second tip is to avoid giving nicknames simply out of convenience. The third tip is to practice privately or as a whole class recording the pronunciation of the name several times. The fourth tip is to understand the importance and value of each student’s name, regardless of how difficult it is to pronounce.
Research on the Issue
The issue of name mispronunciation has been studied in academia. In 2022 the research study, “Say My Name: Understanding the Power of Names, Correct Pronunciation, and Personal Narratives” was published by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Researchers involved in the study assert that mispronouncing a name can be harmful. According to the study’s abstract it hypothesized that, “Names are a reflection of identity. The chronic mispronunciation of names can undermine one’s identity and be experienced as a microaggression.”
The study involved a virtual workshop that consisted of breakout rooms, resources, speeches and videos. When the workshop was over, a survey was given to 78 workshop participants who came from either a diverse racial or ethnic background. The survey data reported that most participants found the workshop helpful in correcting name mispronunciation, supporting the researchers’ hypothesis that the workshop could effectively fill an education gap on the name mispronunciation issue.
To view the AAMC’s published research more in depth, visit their website, medportal.org. The site also contains the name mispronunciation educational resources featured in the AAMC study’s workshop. The main resource, a powerpoint slide, contains useful information for educators and student caretakers on the importance of respecting cultural identity and making sure all students feel included in the classroom.
