Ian Cushing
@iancushing.bsky.social
Reader in Critical Applied Linguistics, Manchester Metropolitan University. Documenting and dismantling linguistic injustice in schools. Editor, Critical Studies in Education.
https://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/profile/dr-ian-cushing
https://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/profile/dr-ian-cushing
Pinned
Ian Cushing
@iancushing.bsky.social
· Sep 19
new article published open access in Reading Research Quarterly 💫
Follow the word gap: the social life of a deficit concept
doi.org/10.1002/rrq....
i trace how deficit ideologies associated with the 'word gap' get reproduced - and rejected - in teacher education and schools.
Follow the word gap: the social life of a deficit concept
doi.org/10.1002/rrq....
i trace how deficit ideologies associated with the 'word gap' get reproduced - and rejected - in teacher education and schools.
the curriculum and assessment review is 197 pages long and does not make a single reference to multilingualism. in England's schools, ~20% of children (~2 million children) are multilingual. this is just another example of how multilingual identities and knowledges get erased in policy and practice.
Proud of the wide support the Curriculum and Assessment Review has attracted from across the educational spectrum.
Labour wants to set up our children for tomorrow. The work of @beckyfrancis.bsky.social and colleagues is an essential step forward in securing standards and opportunity.
Labour wants to set up our children for tomorrow. The work of @beckyfrancis.bsky.social and colleagues is an essential step forward in securing standards and opportunity.
November 11, 2025 at 6:03 AM
the curriculum and assessment review is 197 pages long and does not make a single reference to multilingualism. in England's schools, ~20% of children (~2 million children) are multilingual. this is just another example of how multilingual identities and knowledges get erased in policy and practice.
the DfE have responded enthusiastically to the curriculum and assessment review, stating that oracy is an 'important vehicle for social justice'. so more reproduction of this flawed theory of change which isolates 'better oracy' as a solution to injustice.
doi.org/10.1080/0305...
doi.org/10.1080/0305...
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
the DfE have responded enthusiastically to the curriculum and assessment review, stating that oracy is an 'important vehicle for social justice'. so more reproduction of this flawed theory of change which isolates 'better oracy' as a solution to injustice.
doi.org/10.1080/0305...
doi.org/10.1080/0305...
solidarity with all colleagues and students at Nottingham who are having their jobs and degrees destroyed by management. the relentless annihilation of language provision in UKHE is something that *every* academic should be calling out and pushing back against.
I am hearing that @uniofnottingham.bsky.social is suspending (i.e shutting down) *all modern language courses* in 2026-27. One of the largest departments in the UK. A shocking short sighted move that damages regional and national prospects @britishacademy.bsky.social @hetanshah.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 2:42 PM
solidarity with all colleagues and students at Nottingham who are having their jobs and degrees destroyed by management. the relentless annihilation of language provision in UKHE is something that *every* academic should be calling out and pushing back against.
Reposted by Ian Cushing
I am hearing that @uniofnottingham.bsky.social is suspending (i.e shutting down) *all modern language courses* in 2026-27. One of the largest departments in the UK. A shocking short sighted move that damages regional and national prospects @britishacademy.bsky.social @hetanshah.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I am hearing that @uniofnottingham.bsky.social is suspending (i.e shutting down) *all modern language courses* in 2026-27. One of the largest departments in the UK. A shocking short sighted move that damages regional and national prospects @britishacademy.bsky.social @hetanshah.bsky.social
Reposted by Ian Cushing
"He essentially said, 'I’m not going to hide who I am to make you comfortable.' In doing so Mamdani delivered a raciolinguistic reality check that refuses the idea that politicians of color need to translate themselves into whiteness to be viable."
educationallinguist.wordpress.com/2025/11/05/z...
educationallinguist.wordpress.com/2025/11/05/z...
Zohran Mamdani Just Gave American Politics a Raciolinguistic Reality Check
Zohran Mamdani just won the New York City mayoral race, and it’s a big deal for reasons that will no doubt be dissected for years to come. But what really stands out to me is how this moment shifts…
educationallinguist.wordpress.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:50 PM
"He essentially said, 'I’m not going to hide who I am to make you comfortable.' In doing so Mamdani delivered a raciolinguistic reality check that refuses the idea that politicians of color need to translate themselves into whiteness to be viable."
educationallinguist.wordpress.com/2025/11/05/z...
educationallinguist.wordpress.com/2025/11/05/z...
Reposted by Ian Cushing
A culture of institutional disability discrimination within the Metropolitan police is exposed today by the former head of its disabled staff association.
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/former-detec...
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/former-detec...
Former detective exposes culture of disability discrimination within ‘institutionally disablist’ Met
A culture of institutional disability discrimination within the Metropolitan police is exposed today by the former head of its disabled staff association. Dave Campbell, who retired this year after…
www.disabilitynewsservice.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:30 AM
A culture of institutional disability discrimination within the Metropolitan police is exposed today by the former head of its disabled staff association.
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/former-detec...
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/former-detec...
Reposted by Ian Cushing
This Sunday
Join us for an evening of poetry reading, solidarity and witness. Join us as we word the world with Gaza in this medicinal ritual of making the articulation of pain possible and pronouncable. Free tickets: tickettailor.com/events/sdhepre…
Join us for an evening of poetry reading, solidarity and witness. Join us as we word the world with Gaza in this medicinal ritual of making the articulation of pain possible and pronouncable. Free tickets: tickettailor.com/events/sdhepre…
October 31, 2025 at 9:14 AM
This Sunday
Join us for an evening of poetry reading, solidarity and witness. Join us as we word the world with Gaza in this medicinal ritual of making the articulation of pain possible and pronouncable. Free tickets: tickettailor.com/events/sdhepre…
Join us for an evening of poetry reading, solidarity and witness. Join us as we word the world with Gaza in this medicinal ritual of making the articulation of pain possible and pronouncable. Free tickets: tickettailor.com/events/sdhepre…
the spelling bee is... 'a public ritual of linguistic discipline. It doesn't just reward memorisation; it performs a particular vision of language as precise, codified, and rule-bound, and positions that vision as natural, inevitable, and good' compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
October 30, 2025 at 6:13 AM
the spelling bee is... 'a public ritual of linguistic discipline. It doesn't just reward memorisation; it performs a particular vision of language as precise, codified, and rule-bound, and positions that vision as natural, inevitable, and good' compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Ian Cushing
Congratulations to Ian Cushing who has been awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize from Leverhulme Trust for a new study challenging linguistic injustice in schools.
The three-year study will enable transformative change and influence education policy.
🔗 https://bit.ly/49hB69k
The three-year study will enable transformative change and influence education policy.
🔗 https://bit.ly/49hB69k
Linguistic injustice in schools to be challenged in groundbreaking study
New study will enable transformative change in schools and influence education policy
www.mmu.ac.uk
October 23, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Congratulations to Ian Cushing who has been awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize from Leverhulme Trust for a new study challenging linguistic injustice in schools.
The three-year study will enable transformative change and influence education policy.
🔗 https://bit.ly/49hB69k
The three-year study will enable transformative change and influence education policy.
🔗 https://bit.ly/49hB69k
Reposted by Ian Cushing
ICYMI: Selected from over 350 nominations, this year the Trust offered five Philip Leverhulme Prizes in each of the following subject areas: Archaeology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, Geography, and Languages and Literatures.
www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP @annavignoles.bsky.social
www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP @annavignoles.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 9:59 AM
ICYMI: Selected from over 350 nominations, this year the Trust offered five Philip Leverhulme Prizes in each of the following subject areas: Archaeology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, Geography, and Languages and Literatures.
www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP @annavignoles.bsky.social
www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP @annavignoles.bsky.social
had so so many kind messages about this - it is deeply appreciated. funding apps are never solo efforts. and this grant will be in collaboration with teachers and children who are pushing for transformative change in relation to linguistic justice. can’t wait to get started 🫶🌸
i am still in shock but I have won a Philip Leverhulme Prize. starting in autumn 2026 for 3 years, i’ll be looking at linguistic justice in schools, particularly in how children and teachers engage in radical, grassroots activism for structural change. it's such an honour to receive this funding 🌸🩷
The Trust is thrilled to announce the 2025 Philip Leverhulme Prize Winners. Congratulations to this year’s cohort. Thirty extraordinary researchers from across a range of disciplines: leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP
October 26, 2025 at 10:25 AM
had so so many kind messages about this - it is deeply appreciated. funding apps are never solo efforts. and this grant will be in collaboration with teachers and children who are pushing for transformative change in relation to linguistic justice. can’t wait to get started 🫶🌸
Reposted by Ian Cushing
Pals! Do I know anyone who’d be particularly interested in being a podcast expert on representation of disability in fiction for a rather lovely podcast by and for and about disabled people? U.K. based preferred but not essential!
October 23, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Pals! Do I know anyone who’d be particularly interested in being a podcast expert on representation of disability in fiction for a rather lovely podcast by and for and about disabled people? U.K. based preferred but not essential!
Reposted by Ian Cushing
We're really keen to get the views of English teachers (in England) about the state of English teaching. If you have a few minutes to fill in our survey, we'd be very grateful.
At @engmediacentre.bsky.social
we've been doing a survey of teachers' views on the current state of English teaching. We've had a great response but we'd love more, incl more from out of London. If you're an English teacher please do it. It doesn't take long! www.surveymonkey.com/r/EngTeach2025
we've been doing a survey of teachers' views on the current state of English teaching. We've had a great response but we'd love more, incl more from out of London. If you're an English teacher please do it. It doesn't take long! www.surveymonkey.com/r/EngTeach2025
English Teaching in Your School
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
www.surveymonkey.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:22 AM
We're really keen to get the views of English teachers (in England) about the state of English teaching. If you have a few minutes to fill in our survey, we'd be very grateful.
Reposted by Ian Cushing
And many congratulations to all, with a special shout out to @iancushing.bsky.social @callanjd.bsky.social and @noreenmasud.bsky.social #LanguagesandLiteratures 💫🎉👏🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Trust is thrilled to announce the 2025 Philip Leverhulme Prize Winners. Congratulations to this year’s cohort. Thirty extraordinary researchers from across a range of disciplines: leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP
October 21, 2025 at 11:01 AM
And many congratulations to all, with a special shout out to @iancushing.bsky.social @callanjd.bsky.social and @noreenmasud.bsky.social #LanguagesandLiteratures 💫🎉👏🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Reposted by Ian Cushing
The Trust is thrilled to announce the 2025 Philip Leverhulme Prize Winners. Congratulations to this year’s cohort. Thirty extraordinary researchers from across a range of disciplines: leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP
October 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The Trust is thrilled to announce the 2025 Philip Leverhulme Prize Winners. Congratulations to this year’s cohort. Thirty extraordinary researchers from across a range of disciplines: leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP
Reposted by Ian Cushing
Great stuff! Will be looking forward to seeing how this develops and where it leads.
i am still in shock but I have won a Philip Leverhulme Prize. starting in autumn 2026 for 3 years, i’ll be looking at linguistic justice in schools, particularly in how children and teachers engage in radical, grassroots activism for structural change. it's such an honour to receive this funding 🌸🩷
The Trust is thrilled to announce the 2025 Philip Leverhulme Prize Winners. Congratulations to this year’s cohort. Thirty extraordinary researchers from across a range of disciplines: leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP
October 21, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Great stuff! Will be looking forward to seeing how this develops and where it leads.
Reposted by Ian Cushing
i am still in shock but I have won a Philip Leverhulme Prize. starting in autumn 2026 for 3 years, i’ll be looking at linguistic justice in schools, particularly in how children and teachers engage in radical, grassroots activism for structural change. it's such an honour to receive this funding 🌸🩷
The Trust is thrilled to announce the 2025 Philip Leverhulme Prize Winners. Congratulations to this year’s cohort. Thirty extraordinary researchers from across a range of disciplines: leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025PLP
October 21, 2025 at 8:42 AM
i am still in shock but I have won a Philip Leverhulme Prize. starting in autumn 2026 for 3 years, i’ll be looking at linguistic justice in schools, particularly in how children and teachers engage in radical, grassroots activism for structural change. it's such an honour to receive this funding 🌸🩷
Reposted by Ian Cushing
Last night, I hosted an important discussion in Parliament on the ESN scandal & systemic racism in education, with Leigh Day.
Titled 'Justice for Educationally Subnormal Survivors – Racism in Education: From Coard and Beyond', we examined past & ongoing injustices.
(1/6)
Titled 'Justice for Educationally Subnormal Survivors – Racism in Education: From Coard and Beyond', we examined past & ongoing injustices.
(1/6)
March 12, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Last night, I hosted an important discussion in Parliament on the ESN scandal & systemic racism in education, with Leigh Day.
Titled 'Justice for Educationally Subnormal Survivors – Racism in Education: From Coard and Beyond', we examined past & ongoing injustices.
(1/6)
Titled 'Justice for Educationally Subnormal Survivors – Racism in Education: From Coard and Beyond', we examined past & ongoing injustices.
(1/6)
Reposted by Ian Cushing
This looks really brilliant 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿
Please join me on 12th November at my @universityofleeds.bsky.social professorial inaugural lecture on ‘Language Diversity and Social (In)justice’. More info here, including a link at the bottom to book a ticket (which is free but we need to track numbers): ahc.leeds.ac.uk/english/even...
Professor Julia Snell's Inaugural Lecture: 'Language diversity and social (in)justice'
Drawing on research conducted over 20 years, Prof. Julia Snell interrogates the assumption that modifying children's speech will lead to educational success and social mobility.
ahc.leeds.ac.uk
October 14, 2025 at 9:52 AM
This looks really brilliant 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿
Reposted by Ian Cushing
Please join me on 12th November at my @universityofleeds.bsky.social professorial inaugural lecture on ‘Language Diversity and Social (In)justice’. More info here, including a link at the bottom to book a ticket (which is free but we need to track numbers): ahc.leeds.ac.uk/english/even...
Professor Julia Snell's Inaugural Lecture: 'Language diversity and social (in)justice'
Drawing on research conducted over 20 years, Prof. Julia Snell interrogates the assumption that modifying children's speech will lead to educational success and social mobility.
ahc.leeds.ac.uk
October 14, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Please join me on 12th November at my @universityofleeds.bsky.social professorial inaugural lecture on ‘Language Diversity and Social (In)justice’. More info here, including a link at the bottom to book a ticket (which is free but we need to track numbers): ahc.leeds.ac.uk/english/even...
Reposted by Ian Cushing
Shit
Planet’s first catastrophic climate tipping point reached, report says, with coral reefs facing ‘widespread dieback’ www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Planet’s first catastrophic climate tipping point reached, report says, with coral reefs facing ‘widespread dieback’
Unless global heating is reduced to 1.2C ‘as fast as possible’, warm water coral reefs will not remain ‘at any meaningful scale’, a report by 160 scientists from 23 countries warns
www.theguardian.com
October 13, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Shit
Reposted by Ian Cushing
Please share!
We have a number of fully funded PhD studentships in "Designing Responsible Natural Language Processing". I'm a possible supervisor & I'd be keen to support projects on sociolinguistics-AI, e.g., accent bias in AI, language+gender/sexuality+AI.
www.responsiblenlp.org
We have a number of fully funded PhD studentships in "Designing Responsible Natural Language Processing". I'm a possible supervisor & I'd be keen to support projects on sociolinguistics-AI, e.g., accent bias in AI, language+gender/sexuality+AI.
www.responsiblenlp.org
Our CDT is based in the Edinburgh Futures Institute – the University of Edinburgh’s brand new hub for research, innovation and teaching focused on socially just artificial intelligence and data.
www.responsiblenlp.org
October 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Please share!
We have a number of fully funded PhD studentships in "Designing Responsible Natural Language Processing". I'm a possible supervisor & I'd be keen to support projects on sociolinguistics-AI, e.g., accent bias in AI, language+gender/sexuality+AI.
www.responsiblenlp.org
We have a number of fully funded PhD studentships in "Designing Responsible Natural Language Processing". I'm a possible supervisor & I'd be keen to support projects on sociolinguistics-AI, e.g., accent bias in AI, language+gender/sexuality+AI.
www.responsiblenlp.org
it takes a long time to socialise most undergraduate students out of the idea that there is an ‘academic language’ they must conform to, but once they unlearn this ideology then their writing becomes better and more powerful than it ever was before 🌸
October 10, 2025 at 2:18 PM
it takes a long time to socialise most undergraduate students out of the idea that there is an ‘academic language’ they must conform to, but once they unlearn this ideology then their writing becomes better and more powerful than it ever was before 🌸
Reposted by Ian Cushing
The linked article below from @iancushing.bsky.social provides a linear explanation of the critique through an international lens.
The argument is that the WG is a red herring that distracts from the neoliberal education reforms ushered in during the 1990s.
e-space.mmu.ac.uk/641609/8/Rea...
The argument is that the WG is a red herring that distracts from the neoliberal education reforms ushered in during the 1990s.
e-space.mmu.ac.uk/641609/8/Rea...
October 10, 2025 at 11:05 AM
The linked article below from @iancushing.bsky.social provides a linear explanation of the critique through an international lens.
The argument is that the WG is a red herring that distracts from the neoliberal education reforms ushered in during the 1990s.
e-space.mmu.ac.uk/641609/8/Rea...
The argument is that the WG is a red herring that distracts from the neoliberal education reforms ushered in during the 1990s.
e-space.mmu.ac.uk/641609/8/Rea...