A Speller’s Guide to Presuming Competence
Presume competence is a common phrase in spelling communities, but what does it mean to us spellers?
To me, it means:
Talk to me like a nineteen year old. Cut the baby talk crap.
Teach me age appropriate concepts. I shouldn’t have to go looking for an education my peers are guaranteed. I learned Spanish through a freaking wall.
Support our learning in meaningful ways. Check your preconceived notions and find me where I am at.
Don’t talk about me in front of me. My voice should be central in these conversations.
Spellers are the true experts. Providers have a ton of expertise, but this is my lived experience.
I could go on for hours on this. Maybe I will make a series. For now, ask yourself—am I really presuming competence? How can I better support non-speakers?
—Luke Verhoeff
