The panel of judges recognised Dr Cushing’s work for the positive impact it has had on education and diversity in schools.
Dr Ian Cushing said: “It’s a real honour to have received the Brenda Eastwood Award and have my work recognised in this way. My work examines language and inequality in schools, with a particular focus on how policies concerned with language are shaped by beliefs about what constitutes the most improper or correct ways of talking. Sadly, it’s typically children of colour from low-income families who get labelled in negative ways, and so it’s these children who have their language policed and get placed into remedial programmes.
“I think it’s important for educators to shift the way they listen rather than asking young people to shift the way they speak. There’s a lot of harm caused by educators and policy makers who fail to recognise the remarkable linguistic capabilities that all children have.”
