A pronoun is a word that refers to either the people talking (I or you) or someone or something that is being talked about (she, it, them, and this). Gender pronouns (she/he/they, etc.) specifically refer to people that are being talked about.
A quick correction validates that you clearly made a verbal misstep, and not some deeper level of invalidating the student’s gender identity.
Ex: I know Tyler, I first met him-I mean, I met her at the park.
Do not apologize if you misgender a student. An apology puts the responsibility on the misgendered student to make you feel better rather than centering the response on the feelings of the person impacted.
This question is important and something that needs to be normalized. It can be as simple as:
Ex: What are your pronouns, and how would you like me to address you?
Ex: Would you mind telling me your pronouns? It’s important to me that I know I’m addressing you by the correct ones.
Quick answer (if it’s known information that they’re LGBTQ+), always.
Make it a habit to be quick. The faster you get at correcting, the less you’ll struggle with the internal complexities of ‘should I, or shouldn't I?’ The answer is always yes.
Student 1: When I need help, he always-
Professor: They always…
Student 1: Thank you, they always help me.
*Note if you know a student's correct pronouns, but they may not have shared them in class and only with you specifically, make sure you ask the student before correcting a speaker in public. You never want to out a student before they are ready to come out to others.