guidelines for x:talk classes

1) Teaching to a variety of people from a variety of language backgrounds, x:talk uses the method of full-immersion, i.e. our teachers will only use English in class. However, given the multi-level nature of our classes, we encourage the participation of assistants with second or third language knowledge to assist specific students if and when needed (and to the jurisdiction of the teacher).

2) Our teachers are invited to loosely follow the 12 weeks x:talk curriculum, and also encouraged to contribute their own material and lesson plans. Most importantly, however, they are expected to be receptive of the students needs.

3) In the first two or three classes (or when new students are present), teachers should avoid asking direct questions like ‘where do you work’. Teachers should first of all make clear that students are not required to give ‘real’ details about themselves, even if asked for a pedagogic purpose. If and when this is too difficult to communicate, it is advisable that teachers make use of role-play and fictional characters to be assigned interchangeably to different students.

4) In order to maintain x:talk as a space of knowledge-sharing between equals, it is important that the teachers are, or have been sex workers, and that they constantly position themselves as such while teaching—rather than only as ‘the teacher’ by profession.

5) x:talk wants to share knowledge and create a space for sex workers to organise and socialise, and it does not aim to preach or pass on judgements on the different choices within sex work. Hence, teachers are invited to always brainstorm with students when teaching language related to sex work (e.g. how to say which services we do not offer, and why)

6) In their teaching material teachers should avoid, as much as possible, a normative use of language, i.e. a language which would reproduce hierarchies or oppressions. We are aware of the impossibility of neutrality, and we do not have the magic formula to wholly avoid oppressive language. However, we have learnt from our politics and experience where to locate certain hierarchies and oppressions in language, and the following guidelines provide a framework in which our project seeks to encompass.

Racist language
examples or images in the teaching material must not include:  
-racist insults or stereotypes 
-prejudices against certain nationalities (e.g. girls from X-land are driving down prices in the industry)
– exoticise certain nationalities (e.g. girls from X-land are more beautiful than from Y-land)
-negative judgements on specific physical appearances (e.g. weight, hair type etc.)

Sexist language
examples or images in the teaching material must not include:  
-sexist insults or stereotypes 
-gender stereotypes  (e.g. all female sex workers like shopping)

Anti-migrant language
examples or images in the teaching material must not include:
-implicit or explicit alignments with the racist and criminalising migration policies of the state (e.g. you have to do what the government tells you to)

Homophobic or transphobic language
examples or images in the teaching material must not include:
-homophobic or transphobic insults
-judgements on more valuable relationships than others (e.g. only using straight examples)
-negative judgements on genderqueer or trans person (e.g. she is a man)

Category: praxis

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