Frontline Talk: Teachers’ Linguistic Resources When Talking About Mental Health and Illness

Talk about mental health & mental illness (including suicide) by 8 mental health coordinators (teachers) from a range of New Zealand secondary schools was examined using Potter & Wetherell’s system of discourse analysis. Verbatim transcripts from interviews were analyzed, & 3 mental health & illness linguistic resources were identified. Each resource is examined, & the practical consequences of this language use is discussed in relation to the role of teachers as frontline mental health professionals. (25 refs)