“More Parents and Teachers Encouraging Slang Use in the Classroom, Survey Shows”

A recently conducted survey revealed that some parents support the use of slang in educational settings, and they genuinely do not cap on it.

Over 30% of parents with children in K-12 education believe that incorporating slang terms into school curricula would be beneficial, as per the findings of a study by the online language learning platform Preply.

The research, released this month, surveyed more than 1,000 parents of students from kindergarten to 12th grade to explore perspectives on the impact of slang on young students’ learning and writing abilities.

“The outright prohibition of slang could be seen as stifling language development and cultural expression,” noted Sylvia Johnson, Preply’s Language and Intercultural Skills Expert, in the report. “Slang plays a crucial role in the evolution of language and offers students a more dynamic and vibrant engagement with language. Moreover, one could argue that all forms of language, including slang, hold intrinsic value and significance.”

Close to 40% of parents interested in slang courses

The survey also discovered that nearly 40% of parents with children in K-12 education would be keen on enrolling in a course focusing on the study of slang terms. Here are the percentages of parents from popular U.S. states who expressed interest in taking Slang 101:

• New York: 57%
• Florida: 43%
• California: 42%
• Texas: 36%
• Georgia: 31%
• Pennsylvania: 30%

Approximately 40% of teachers oppose slang bans in schools

The use of slang in educational environments divides educators’ opinions, with many witnessing its prevalence in classrooms.

The report revealed that at least 78% of teachers feel they should have the authority to address students’ language use in an educational setting, yet 40% of teachers are against enforcing a ban on slang in classrooms

Nearly 40% of teachers believe that slang can facilitate students’ self-expression and reflect cultural identity, while 36% think it is essential for these purposes.

However, over half of the teachers expressed concerns that slang could lead to misunderstandings or disruptions in the learning process, in addition to the following worries:

• Impair formal writing skills (41%)
• Challenge transitioning to formal job settings (38%)
• Diminish the seriousness of academic content (31%)
• Hinder professional or academic conversations (39%)

Popularly banned classroom slang terms include ‘bruh’ and ‘that’s cap’

Inquiring about common slang terms disapproved by teachers, Preply’s report noted that disciplining students by having them explain their choice of expression through an essay is a common practice.

According to the survey, the following slang terms are the ones that parents mostly disapprove of:

• Bruh
• That’s cap
• Bet!
• Rizz
• Just vibe
• Just vibe twin
• What’s up twin?
• It’s giving
• Mun-yun
• Big dawg

Which slang terms do parents comprehend the most?

Preply previously shared their 2023 survey results on the commonly used slang terms that parents of teenagers can understand.

The research highlighted that “Salty” is the term most recognizable to parents, followed by “bougie” and “sus.” Here are the slang terms parents surveyed were most familiar with:

• Salty (70%)
• Bougie (67%)
• Sus (65%)
• Bet (63%)
• Extra (62%)
• Cap (57%)
• Finna (56%)
• Shook (54%)
• Simp (53%)
• Yeet (52%)

Bussin, finna, and cap top the list of most disliked slang terms

Some slang terms are more acceptable to parents than others. The survey noted the five most loathed terms parents dislike hearing their teenagers use (along with the percentage of parents who dislike them)

• Bussin (21%)
• Finna (16%)
• Cap (14%)
• Yeet (14%)
• Simp (13%)

Refer to the complete Preply “Slang in the classroom” report for more insights.