A few words with a big impact: How one sentence can make classrooms more inclusive

A few seconds of personal disclosure can shape how students experience an entire course, according to new research from the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University.

When an instructor briefly mentions their partner or includes a single line about their identity on a syllabus slide, most students hardly notice. Yet those moments can have a measurable effect on classroom climate, particularly for students who have been marginalized in academic spaces.

“We previously had conducted a study where one instructor revealed her LGBTQ identity, and the vast majority of students said that the instructor coming out had a positive impact,” said Carly Busch, the lead author of the new paper and a former ASU student. “We wanted to know if that result would hold across different classrooms.”

To test the pattern, Busch and colleagues recruited nine LGBTQ+ biology instructors at universities across the United States and surveyed their students at the end of the semester. More than 2,000 undergraduates responded.

Across the nine classrooms, 88 percent of students recalled the instructor’s disclosure, even though it often lasted only a few seconds. Nearly 90 percent said it was appropriate for instructors to share LGBTQ+ identities in class, and only about 1 percent reported that it negatively affected their experience. The political or social climate of each state did not predict students’ reactions.

“What’s particularly interesting about this study is not the impact on instructors, but showing that a very brief reveal of something personal can positively affect students,” said Sara Brownell, President’s Professor in ASU’s School of Life Sciences and senior author of the study.

The effects were strongest for LGBTQ+ students, who reported greater feelings of connection to instructors, belonging in class and in science, and comfort seeing LGBTQ+ identities represented in scientific spaces.

“Representation can change how students feel in the classroom and how they feel in science,” Busch said. “It gives them an example of someone who has been successful in their field with an LGBTQ+ identity.”

Women, nonbinary students, racially minoritized students, and those reporting anxiety or depression also showed stronger feelings of inclusion. Brownell believes that sharing a personal detail helps build trust and rapport. “By sharing something that’s vulnerable, instructors show that they trust students with that information,” she said.

The findings may also ease instructors’ fears that such disclosures could backfire. “Many instructors are worried about students thinking it’s inappropriate,” Brownell said. “This shows that across different classrooms and geographic contexts, it’s not. Very few students say it’s actually negative.”

The researchers emphasize that disclosure is a personal choice. “We’re not asking for people to come out if they’re not comfortable,” Brownell said. “We’re asking them to consider the possible benefits for students.”

The study adds to evidence that small, authentic acts of visibility can make classrooms more welcoming. “It could be done in as little as five seconds,” Brownell said. “That’s an important takeaway for instructors who want to build inclusion without changing their whole lecture.”