Spread the Word to End the Word!
Name:______________________________
Date:___________________
Prior Knowledge
1. Have you said or have you ever heard someone call someone a “retard” or a “tard”?
_____Yes
______No
2. Have you said or have you heard someone call an object or something “retarded”?
_____Yes
______No
3. When and what context (setting) were you in when you heard these phrases?
4. Who was being called the name, and why was he/she being called this?
5. What object was being called this name, and why was it being called this?
6. Do you know someone with Down Syndrome or someone with a severe intellectual disability?
_____Yes
______No
7. If you answered “Yes,” please write who you know and how you know that person:
Article Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meghan-morris/rosas-law_b_2734922.html
Article Questions:
1. What percent of Americans have a disability?________________________
2. How many Americans have a disability?______________________________
3. “As a fierce First Amendment advocate, I do not condone an outright ban on this word or on
any others. Censorship has no place in democracy, but self-examination does.”
Write this sentence in your OWN words. Write what you think the author is trying to say:
4. “We can easily find better, less painful words than "retard" out of the 171,476 words in the
Oxford English Dictionary.”
The author’s purpose of this phrase is to:
A. Inform the reader of how many words are in the Oxford English Dictionary and how many
words could be used to replace the word “retard”
B. Entertain the reader with a witty comment that adds to the reader’s knowledge base
C. Persuade the reader that a less offensive replacement for the word “retard” can be
found without much difficulty
D. Inform the reader that the Oxford English Dictionary is the perfect place to look in
order to find a replacement word for “retard”
5. Name at least 2 ways that communities and schools spread awareness of “Spread the Word
to End the Word” Day:
6. How would President Obama signing “Rosa’s Law” help people with disabilities?
A. It would make it easier for people with disabilities to get health benefits and an education
B. People with disabilities will have an easier to understand term in their federal health papers
C. People with disabilities will have their rights be more protected by the government
D. People with disabilities will have more respect and feel less devalued by society
7. What is the main purpose of “Spread the Word to End the Word”?
A. To replace the r-word with another equally stigmatizing phrase
B. To bring about more inclusion of others who act, move, or speak differently
C. To bring shame upon members of society who use the r-word often in their everyday lives
D. To bring more awareness to the Special Olympics and Best Buddies organizations
8. The author uses the example of the Black Eyed Peas’ song lyrics change in order to:
A. Show how when people use activism and speak out about a topic, changes can occur
B. Show how the St. Cloud State University professors’ research has affected pop culture
C. Inform the reader about how a popular musical group had to change the name of their song
because of the Americans with Disabilities Act
D. Show how “Spread the Word to End the Word” marks the date when the song lyrics changed
9. “…yet the shift in broader attitude and language will not occur solely through website
signatures.”
What is a synonym for “solely”?
a. exclusively
b. inclusively
c. malevolently
d. absurdly
10. On a separate sheet of paper, respond to the following questions in at least 8 sentences:
1. After watching the video and reading the article about “Spread the Word…” Day, what are
you feeling and thinking?
2. Do you intend to “Spread the Word….” and/or sign the petition? Why or why not?
3. If you will, how will you “Spread the Word…”? If you won’t, why did you decide not to?