Clapping replaced with jazz hands over fears noise could trigger anxiety among students
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...d-fears-noise/
2 OCTOBER 2018 • 9:52PM
Clapping has been replaced with “jazz hands” at a student union, amid fears that the noise of applause could trigger anxiety among some students.
Whooping is also discouraged at Manchester University student union events on the basis that the loud noise may be a problem for those with sensory issues.
The use of “jazz hands” - where students wave their hands in the air - is the British Sign Language expression for applause and is deemed a more inclusive gesture.
At the student union’s first union meeting of the year, Manchester’s liberation and access officer Sara Khan argued that the traditional applause was not sufficiently “accessible” to all students.
The student union resolved to swap out audible clapping in favour of “jazz hands”, and to “encourage student groups and societies to do the same”. The ’ union also plans to make “BSL clapping part of inclusion training” for new students.
The motion, which was passed by the student’s senate with little opposition, notes that “loud noises including whooping and traditional applause can pose an issue for students with disabilities such as anxiety or sensory issues”.
It says that BSL clapping should be used and encouraged at student events such as debates, panels and talks as well as at meetings of the student senate.
In addition to this, all student groups and societies should be encouraged to follow suit and encourage their members to employ “jazz hands” instead of applause.
Jazz hands were adopted by the National Union of Students (NUS) in 2015 on the basis that clapping “triggers anxiety”.
Delegates at last year’s NUS conference said that students who whoop, cheer and clap should face “consequences”. Audience members were repeatedly warned that they must cease whooping to express support for a speaker, because it has a “serious impact” on the accessibility of the conference for disabled students.
Critics say such behaviour is typical of the “snowflake generation” of students, who are seen as over-sensitive and quick to take offence.
Last year it emerged that Oxford University's equality and diversity unit issued guidance to students advising them that students who avoid making eye contact with their peers could be guilty of racism.
The University of Glasgow started issuing “trigger warnings” for theology students studying the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, whereby students are told they may see distressing images and are given the opportunity to leave.
Earlier this year, the writer Rudyard Kipling’s “If” poem was scrubbed off a Manchester University building by university students who claim he was a “racist”.
Student leaders at the university declared that Kipling “stands for the opposite of liberation, empowerment, and human rights”.
The poem, which had been painted on the wall of the students’ union building by an artist, was removed by students in a bid to “reclaim” history on behalf of those who have been “oppressed” by “the likes of Kipling”.
An NUS spokesperson said the hand gesture referred to as ‘jazz hands’ is “designed to support those with disabilities and/or sensory conditions to participate in events”.
They added: “Students’ unions strive to make their events welcoming to all of their students; by acknowledging their experiences and responding to their needs.
“We should all aspire to improve our public spaces so that all members of society feel comfortable and able to contribute fully.”
A spokesman for Manchester University said: “We consider this a matter for the Students’ Union”.
A spokesman for the union said: "We hope this decision goes some way towards promoting a better way of doing politics so that more people from all walks of life find it easier to participate in decision making that will affect the way their Students’ Union is run."
University lecturers told DON'T USE CAPS as it frightens students
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/10...tudent-failure
UNIVERSITY lecturers have been told not to use words in capital letters when setting assignments because it might frighten students into failure.
By EUGENE HENDERSON
PUBLISHED: 12:25, Mon, Nov 19, 2018 | UPDATED: 14:57, Mon, Nov 19, 2018
Course leaders say capitalising a word could emphasise "the difficulty or high-stakes nature of the task".
The memo says: "Despite our best attempts to explain assessment tasks, any lack of clarity can generate anxiety and even discourage students from attempting the assessment at all.
Generally, avoid using capital letters for emphasis and "the overuse of 'do', and, especially, 'DON'T'."
The memo also says that staff must be "explicit about any inexplicitness" in their assignment briefs.
And it warns that when students are unsure of an assessment, "they often talk to each other and any misconceptions or misunderstandings quickly spread throughout the group (usually aided and abetted by Facebook).
This can lead to further confusion and students may even then decide that the assessment is too difficult and not attempt it".
One staff member said they use capitals to emphasise the importance of a particular point so students do not miss it.
The lecturer said: "We have some excellent students but it's a constant battle against a system that wants to treat them like little kids. We are not doing our students any favours with this kind of nonsense."
The university said the guidance was sharing "best practice from the latest teaching research", adding: "We take pride in supporting our students to be the very best they can be."
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