This paper reviews people-first language, its beginnings, its current status, and how we can promote it and the use of competence oriented language. This article provides guidelines to promote the effective use of people-first and competence-oriented language. Our hope is to educate others so they use language that empowers students with disabilities. Competence-oriented based language is aligned to the people-first language movement. Smith, Salend, and Ryan (2001) defined competence-oriented language and interactions as "...positive language that shows acceptance of students with disabilities and provides a classroom environment where they can flourish" (p. 21). Competence-oriented language and interactions promote the use of language that focuses on the abilities and skills of a person instead of his or her disability or deficits.