Namecoach
Why use Namecoach?
Namecoach is a tool that is now available in Canvas to help learn and properly pronounce your students’ names. Learning who your students are, including pronouncing their names correctly, helps foster their sense of belonging in class, and in turn promotes an accessible class climate (Wheeler 2016). (Read more about cultivating an inclusive class climate in our Inclusive Pedagogy Toolkit.)
Because “personal names index identities, including socio-cultural identities of ethnicity, nationality, language & religion” and mispronouncing names can negatively impact students feelings of belongingness in class, using the name pronunciation tool Namecoach serves as a useful reference for faculty because the recordings can be reviewed throughout the semester (Pilcher 2016; Pilcher and Deaken-Smith 2022). Pronouncing the names of students correctly allows students to fully participate with the course materials, as students are less likely to be engaged in learning environments in which they feel they do not belong (Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Strayhorn, 2019).
What can I do with Namecoach?
Being able to listen to your students’ name pronunciations whenever you need will help you feel more comfortable communicating with them. You may want to establish a practice at the beginning of the semester to establish a positive relationship with students from the very first day.
You and your students can record your names in your Canvas profile using Namecoach to model using these types of tools, as well as create a Namecoach assignment in Canvas for your students.
How faculty use name pronunciation tools
SCS
In the School of Continuing Studies’ online program, the program designers enabled the Namecoach tool on the Canvas site to build community online.
LDT
In the Learning, Design, & Technology program, faculty encourage students to use Namecoach to ensure both faculty and students know how to pronounce each other’s names.
Get started
CNDLS has created a Tip Sheet for getting started with Namecoach.
Get help
For a consultation on using Namecoach, please contact CNDLS.
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