Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (Summer 2011)

Though I’ve been aware that racial divisions have always existed and the dialect of a language has been one method of distinguishing these differences, I had never considered that stigmas occurred among one’s culture or race if they used standard English. Instead, I thought the stigma was reversed when minorities used their dialect within society. Both Delpit and Dowdy provided insight into this issue with firsthand personal experiences.

It’s funny how an ideal image of what intelligence looks like forms within society. I would have to agree that centuries of American culture have deemed ‘white’ people as more intelligent which ultimately leads to success, leaving those who were anything but white at a disadvantage. It only makes sense that these social outcasts could taste a hint of that success and intelligence if they tried to appear to be like the ‘whites.’ The easiest way to do so would be to act and talk like a white person. After all, is language not a true measure of intelligence? If you can’t look physically look intelligent, then why not try to sound like it?

As I was reading the articles by Delpit and Dowdy, I couldn’t help but think about one of the movies my daughters frequently view during their playtime – “RV” which stars actor Robin Williams. In the movie, Williams’ movie family meet a hillbilly family while vacationing in an RV. While Williams’ family, portrayed as a typical white American family who is regarded with success and intelligence, spends a majority of their vacation time trying to avoid the hillbilly family, they eventually realize that those they thought stupid were actually geniuses. Surprisingly, truth is revealed, and the hillbilly family with the dumb-sounding dialect are found to be highly educated where both parents and children have excelled academically above what others have expected of them. Though race wasn’t an issue in this particular movie, language was. Therefore, it is easy for me to understand that racial minorities may feel that they have more than one obstacle in their way of achieving success and respect from what is always perceived and presented as the standard. Such obstacles are the color of their skin and the cultural language and dialect they speak.

These minorities have discovered that everything is about the audience, meaning that a person can look and sound the part, and language is the means to do this acting. Therefore, successful individuals and leaders like Michelle Obama found that in order to achieve in a ‘white person’s world,” it was necessary to talk ‘white,’ using the King or Queen’s English, in order to get the “A” needed to pass in school and achieve academic success and higher social status. What was divided based on race was able to be bridged through language.

Knowing this makes the role of the educator all the more important. I feel that teachers need to make sure they are not imposing ideas or feelings upon these racial minorities. Though the articles and video referenced more to black Americans, these same issues pertain to any race that is not regarded as ‘white.’ Ignorance shouldn’t be measured on outside appearance and the way words spill from the mouth. As a white teacher, I’m well aware that success is measured often by looks and sound. However, I need to make sure that my students are aware of code-switching. In order to do this, I need to make them feel that their language, interests, and views are just as important as mine. I liked how Delpit mentioned that teachers need to find the interests of their students and let it be the center of the curriculum as it is integrated with all of the content areas. This idea of building an academic program around the interests of the students doesn’t lower the standards of instruction. Instead, it allows students to begin to respect their teachers as their teachers show respect and value them. Showing students that their teachers value everything about them – their home dialect and family – then teachers can incorporate the importance of standard language and teach it as a means to help establish success without imposing that it is the right way and their home language is the opposite. If language is one of the most intimate expressions of identity, then why would teachers not listen to their students in order to know their students better? Instead of making students struggle with the mental conflicts of trying to translate between home language and standard language, why don’t teachers try to create an accepting environment where students can learn the appropriate times to code-switch? Is this not making language a means to an end, allowing students to utilize it to benefit them?

Melissa Riley

Language is powerful. In reading these articles, it was interesting to see the different ways the language affects people. Unfortunately, many people view language as being either: right or wrong, even black or white. These articles made me think of the teaching profession. Everyday teachers are mediators. They work to help children sees our differences as positive attributes. We want students to learn embrace these differences and learn from each other’s cultures. Educators do not want our next generation of leaders get comfortable developing culture biases. As I was reading Delpit’s “No Kinda Sense”, I found Lisa Delpit’s reaction to her daughter’s new language very interesting. I found myself wondering, does anyone truly know why these intense feelings arise, even from the lips of your daughter? What causes this?

After reading Dowdy’s “Ovuh Dyuh” and seeing that language was again a crucial factor. Dowdy’s mastery of the British English language seemed to be much like a double-edged sword. She had done exactly as her family wished but language was hindering her from developing close relationships with her peers. I also see this happening within my school. I have several ESL students who have difficulty with the English language. When these students speak in their native language, I have heard other English speaking students say negative comments like, “Why aren’t you talking in English?”, “You sound weird”, “Can’t you speak English like everybody else?” I know that many students hear these negative comments from their parents and this affects students’ own opinions and biases. I realize that dialect and second languages are different but to me it still relates because they can both demonstrate the power of language.

Michelle Obama’s discussion of how language caused ridicule for her as a child was very similar to Dowdy’s description. When Mrs. Obama stated that other children told her that she “sounded white”, she confessed that she did not know what that meant. I believe that many people today and in the past have had difficulty determining what exactly that means. Language is and has been a touchy subject for many people for a long time. The roots of this subject are deep. Perhaps so deep, that many people are unable to give a clear reason for their feelings of animosity towards differences in language?

Stacy Durham

Everyday we teach our students how to read, write, and speak appropriately in conversation. We correct mispronunciations, teach vocabulary words that will improve writing, and ask students to repeat things they say incorrectly using ‘proper English.’ It is necessary that students meet these demands and learn ‘proper English’ to be taken seriously in society. Sadly, people are often stereo-typed as uneducated or inadequate just because they do not speak the language perfectly. Students must always strive to be the person that society wants them to be, who talks the talk that is expected and accepted. I assume that often times they feel like they can not be the person they are. As an educator, we must encourage all our students to be proud of their heritage, and to share their culture with other students. In order to get our students to do this, we have to be inviting of their culture and interested in it. If we reject their home language, culture, or their differences in general, then the students will feel like we are rejecting them (Delpit, 2002). Students should never feel like they are rejected.

Mastering different languages is a difficult task for everybody, and I can not even imagine how difficult it must be for those students in our class who are ESL learners and come from a very different culture. I have been very fortunate to work at a school where the majority of students are Hispanic, and there is an equal amount of African-American and White students. These students not only have to learn the basics of the English dialect which we use in conversation with friends, but they also have to be able to use proper English in their writing and when they are talking to people of importance. Sometimes I pass by a group of students speaking Spanish, their native language, and I can hear a teacher or somebody tell them, “We speak English. Talk in English.” Yet when these students get home, they are strictly only allowed to speak their native language. What are these students to do? They want to please everybody, so there is nothing else they can do other than assume “the mask of language” (Dowdy, 2002). They are forced to speak proper English at school and Spanish at home.

The language that students speak to their friends, teachers, family, and church are all very different, and they must unconsciously realize which language is appropriate. People have to be able to change, or ‘code switch,’ their language in an instant (Delpit, 2002). Even my language is different at home than it is at work, school, or other places of importance. If one would forget the appropriate language to use with their friends and used the incorrect one, they might be ridiculed and teased by others. In the video, Michelle Obama commented that when she spoke in proper English as a child, the other children teased her and made derogatory comments. This behavior occurs everyday, but it is unacceptable and needs to be stopped. It is a constant struggle to teach students to accept and embrace students for who they are, no matter how different they may be.

If we are interested in learning about students’ culture and language, then I strongly believe they will pay the same respect. It is necessary for students to be able to speak and write using proper English. What can we do to help them be more open to learning? If we expect them to be open to learn the proper English language, then we should be more open to learning their native language. Often times I will ask my Hispanic students to translate a phrase or word for me that I can use in the classroom. I found that the students really enjoy teaching me their language, and they also enjoy laughing at me when I say something incorrectly! In one of the Pre-K classrooms I have worked in this year, we taught the children the days of the week and the months of the year in Spanish and English. This teaches children at an early age to be accepting of one another and to be open-minded about other cultures.

We are a nation of many languages, and this is often true in our schools as well. Students must learn the universal, proper English language, but they (and us) should be open to the many languages around them. It takes a great deal of time and work to learn a new language or about different cultures, but it is well worth the challenge. Once we have learned new information, we must incorporate this new knowledge with what we already know, and use it to make our classrooms, schools, and communities a more accepting environment.

Lisa Beach

American society in general judges a person’s intellect based on the ability to articulate standard English. It’s a shame that the controversy concerning Ebonics made some African Americans wonder if they were adequate compared to the white race. The issue of standard dialect and cognitive ability is not solely a race-related issue, however. This judgment equates intellect with how a person speaks. Take the southern-speaking stereotype for instance. A person with a southern drawl is perceived by some as unintelligent. My brother-in-law has a good friend from West Jefferson, N.C. He majored in Business at Western Carolina University, and received a scholarship for most of his grad work. He was a superior student in graduate school. Upon receiving his MBA, he was offered a six figure salary to work in New York for a prestigious Wall Street firm. After several New Yorkers from the firm spoke with him, it was insisted he see a speech coach to correct his southern drawl and Appalachian dialect. The speech therapy would be fully paid by the hiring company. He was insulted and, as a result, did not accept the position. As Delpit points out, “to reject a person’s language can only feel as if we are rejecting him.”

When a person does not speak standard English, we know this does not automatically mean that they possess limited cognitive ability. I work with ESL students in reading and about one third of our school population is Hispanic and Hmong. When the opportunity presents itself, I point out differences in their first language and English, but not in a corrective manner. For example, we may be focusing on the th sound in words, but my ESL students almost always pronounce mudder for mother. I have pointed out to the Hmong students, who typically leave off suffixes, in English we say word endings and in the Hmong language many word endings are usually not pronounced. If these students were constantly corrected in how they speak, they could become discouraged and hesitant to speak at all. According to Delpit, “the children whose language is considered defective are themselves viewed as defective”. As a child it didn't sound like Michelle Obama was worried about sounding white and she certainly didn't view it as a defect, she was just focused on making good grades. When we read about Ruby Bridges and Harriet Tubman, I always point out that we are all the same under our skin (we all have a heart, etc.) and that skin color does not make anyone better than someone else. I have not thought about adding to the discussion that it does not matter how we speak. I think I should, though.

In contrast to Delpit’s statement, “students rarely get to talk in classrooms”, my students have the opportunity to join in discussions in a friendly, inviting, non-threatening small group setting. When I activate prior knowledge before reading, the students get to share their personal experiences making text-to-self connections. I am pleased that in our bookroom we have a variety of leveled readers in many genres that embrace multicultural backgrounds and experiences. I believe providing a choice in reading material elicits more student dialog, because they are reading what interests them.

It was interesting to read about bringing Luster’s Pink Oil Lotion Moisturizer into the classroom to engage students in different subject areas. Engagement is the key to learning. When students are totally absorbed in learning they don’t even notice if the principal walks in the room. The tricky part for educators is keeping students engaged, especially now-a-days with youth who are constantly stimulated by electronic devices.

Once I got to hear a white principal from a predominantly African American school in the deep South speak to undergrad Education students about his school’s success despite the low-socioeconomic status of students whose parents had not completed high school. This principal talked about how he greeted all of his students every morning with “high fives” and really connected with them. The thing I noticed most was that this white principal sounded African American. He had acquired their language and he sounded cool, like one of the gang. This energetic principal treated his students with respect, and his students accepted and trusted him. Delpit states, “Just as Maya’s new friends made her feel beautiful, brilliant, and ‘part of the club’, teachers have to create similar conditions for their students”. Isn’t this what teachers should be doing in any situation, whether you are making a personal connection or building confidence in academics? If a student struggles with math or any other subject, the teacher should not make the student feel inferior. Instead, offer praise for accomplishments and build from there. All students can learn and every student is good at something. We are all unique and that's what makes us special.

Carol Holt

Language is a powerful tool we use every day. We can build someone up with our language or destroy someone’s self-worth. Teaching in a school where the population is 95% African American these articles reached out to me and made me reflect on my own teaching practices. I find it important to embrace student difference and encourage students to express who they are. Students need to trust you as the teacher before you the teacher begin to tear their self-worth down just for the way they talk. While reading Delpit’s “No Kinda Sense” I began to think how each and every one of my students come to school feeling this same way as Delpits daughter only many of them don’t have the filter to language change just because they are at school. They come to school with the tools modeled at home and that is all they know. Is this truly a race ideal? I don’t believe that it is. Within our own families we have our own dialect and language we use. The only difference is we come to school and the community knowing how to use the two interchangeably.

To build the trust and relationship with our students that we want we must first build it into the curriculum that we teach. If we want students to react and respond a certain way we must relate to the students first and build a common trust they share with the teacher. It is then that you can reach the child and model a language that will become common in the learning community. Students need to feel comfortable in their environment then they can be successful.

When reading Dowdy’s article I immediately thought about my Hispanic students and how they must feel. They too have been brought to the United Stated to succeed and become better. They are thrown into the language that often makes no sense and expected to compete with their fellow classmates. Once again I think this goes back to the teacher and what kind of environment they build within their own classroom. Of course children will always have difficulty with English as it is their second language, but I think it is important to foster an interest in the other students to want to know their language too. The other students shouldn’t look at their language as strange or weird. This is what I have done in my own classroom and my English speaking students love to learn Spanish. They are always asking “how do you say this?” I couldn’t imagine how Dowdy felt being alienated from her own language and expected to speak English. The way we speak is part of our own identity and I think it is important to foster that is children when they are young.

Kara Scott

Reading the two chapters about cultural or home language made me think of the students in my current Title I school. We have a diverse population with many different ethnicities but primarily African-American and Hispanic. While I have always understood the struggles of our Hispanic students who are learning a completely different language than their native tongue, I had not thought about the cultural or native language of our African-American population as described in the chapters by Dowdy and Delpit. When Lisa Delpit described the shock and horror of listening to her daughter’s newly acquired ghetto language after years of formal education in predominantly white schools, it became a more personal issue and a reflection of her own childrearing. Often, the need for children and even adults to identify with their peers, the ones that look most like them, is greater than the need to impress upon others their true intelligence or competency. After years of civil rights awareness and change, our public view of aptitude is moving away from how we look but is very focused with how we sound in the public arena. The lack of Standard English is seen by many as evidence of incompetence and cognitive deficiency to the point that a qualified and skilled consultant could not be utilized in her profession because of her Southern rural language. Both Dowdy and Delpit realize the need for Standard English in professional and public situations, they also understand the need and value of identifying with the home language of the students in our classrooms. By using the curriculum to connect with our students’ cultural lives and interests, we can create more engaged and motivated learners who learn to distinguish between “proper language” that will help them be successful members of society while maintaining their cultural ties with friends and family using home language that provides a sense of belonging and comfort.

These chapters illustrate the value of home language and the importance it plays in our students’ identify and feelings of acceptance. The video about Michelle Obama’s personal experience with language as a youth illustrates the importance of using proper English in schools and the workplace. When she claims to be told how she “sounds like a white girl” as a child, her response of getting the A clearly pointed out that she was proud of her education and success as a respected citizen in our society. In order to overcome negative stereotypes but hold on to cultural and racial identities needed for survival, people must be able to resolve this conflict by understanding the value of both informal and formal language. I think that as educators, we have a responsibility to assure our students are exposed to formal English that is used to assess their competency but value their identity by using their culture in the classroom. I think that language can be viewed like behavior – we act certain ways in different environments and situations, therefore we speak in certain ways in different environments and situations.

Michelle Carlson

While reading both chapters what struck me most was the idea of “code-switching”. It was a phrase I had not heard before, but I see now that it represents what should be a part of our students’ lives. Both Delpit and Dowdy refer to code-switching in some way. In Delpit’s chapter we read about her daughter seamlessly switching between her peers’ African American dialect and the dialect of Standard English. In Dowdy’s chapter, she explains how she was able to eventually speak in both “the Queen’s English” and her native Trinidadian, but only after she had begun to express herself through acting. I appreciate that through code-switching, people can maintain their culture and home language while expressing themselves acceptably in the business and academic world. I think the Obama video showcased a prime example of code-switching when he spoke to the waiter in the restaurant in Chicago. As the president, Obama has the ability to speak eloquently to the American people, but it’s good to see that he has not lost what may have been the local culture in which he was brought up. I feel that this should be a goal for us as educators, to encourage students to become successful in the professional world while not dismissing where they came from.

While reading these chapters I was reminded of the first school I taught at. At this school, the Hispanic population was about 90% and the remainder of the population was mostly African-American. We were lucky enough to have Title I funds to provide ESL support to both students and parents. A lot of time and effort was put into helping these families adjust to the American culture and schools and learn English. However, we were often disheartened at the minimal participation of both parents and students when programs were offered. After reading these chapters, I’ve begun to realize that perhaps we didn’t get much participation because we did not put much effort towards celebrating the cultures from which these students and families came. I know there were other factors (transportation, child care, work) that also did not allow significant family participation, but the families may also have felt inadequate and disrespected because instead of inviting them to share their language and culture in the school, we were simply thrusting our language and culture onto them. Of course the students that came to school every day attended ESL classes and learned the English language, but academic success was low. In the future, I will remember Delpit’s comments that we should integrate our students’ home lives and interests into the curriculum in order to better engage them. I think integrating their personal interests and cultures into the curriculum would have made a large difference for students and families. If we could teach these students in a way that would celebrate their individual histories and cultures, they may have had an easier time learning the English language. As Delpit said, “The less stress and the more fun connected to the process, the more easily it is accomplished.” Just like Delpit planned a unit around a moisturizer brand, we could have planned a unit around soccer (a very popular interest for most of our students).

In terms of Dowdy’s statement about “having the freedom to go back and forth from the home language to the public language without feeling a sense of inferiority,” I believe our country has a long road to travel. With a rising immigrant population and so many corresponding languages, we teachers have our work cut out for us helping these students to learn Standard English. I agree with Delpit that by working with these students’ backgrounds and home languages, we will be able to teach these students without making them feel inferior about where they came from. As educators, we want all students to feel that they are an accepted and appreciated part of our schools.

Andrea Schlobohm

Language has proven to be an obstacle for many students in America. Whether native-born or migrant, students bring a range of dialects and languages to the classroom. As teachers, we can choose to ignore their voices and attempt to force them to learn our language, or we can take a more inviting approach and choose to hear their voices first.

I am sure we all have witnessed the curt correction of incorrect grammar in the classroom. Did this approach prove to be effective or did it cause the child to shutdown? Whether curt or tactful, it may have made the child feel that the content of what he or she had to say was not important if it could not be delivered in the “correct” manner. Perhaps these students fear that they will be “viewed as defective” just as their language is “viewed as defective”. (Delpit) How will they ever become comfortable in our world if we never seek to enter into theirs? By simply listening to them without the goal of correction, we may learn just how much they truly know. After all, words should be a bridge not a barrier.

While I believe that students should be taught standard English, I do feel that they should have opportunities to use their own languages and dialects to share. In order for students to truly learn, they need to feel safe. If they feel respected, they might “be willing to adopt our language form as one to be added to their own”. (Delpit)

In my classroom, I try to stress the importance of being able to use correct grammar. At the same time, I talk about the fact that our language may take on a different form depending upon our audience. For instance, our speech around our friends may be different from that which we use with our parents or teachers. Just as we play various roles, we have alternate ways of expressing ourselves while in those roles. In alignment with this view, Baker states that she begins “by building upon a firm respect for each student’s home language”. In this way, it appears that language diversity is celebrated rather than criticized. Instead of viewing the “white way” as the “right way”, perhaps we should view them as simply different ways. (Dowdy) After all, we all have to admit that using a different dialect may add emphasis when needed.

With all the aforementioned in mind, we must remember that learning a new language takes time. We did not learn to talk in just a few months. It took years to learn the basics of the English language, and for this very reason, we must be patient with all students who enter our classrooms. They will get there with time, patience, and a safe and inviting learning environment.

Holly Lawson

These articles initially reminded me of my friend Erika. She is black and like Lisa Delpit’s daughter, she grew up in a very white neighborhood going to a Catholic school where she was the only African American. She learned to speak “white,” as she explained to me. Then, she went to Northwestern University and joined a black sorority and made friends who she felt entirely comfortable with. Erika is a sincere person who feels at home with people of different races, but she understands the need to shift her language when she’s at work, with her white friends, or with her black friends. I was intrigued when we had this conversation a few years ago but these texts helped me understand what she was feeling and how her success might be partially contributed to her ability to “be in two places at the same time, ovuh dyuh and here too, and not give any indication that her attention is divided” (Dowdy, 11).
In fact, our conversation started when I asked her what “code-switching” was. She had used it to describe someone and I quickly asked her to explain the term. Delpit’s daughter has a point when she states that this skill will aid her in getting a certain job or getting into a college she wants to attend. In the video, it is evident that President Obama has this skill, and while it is useful to be successful, it is important in a different way to those who share his cultural heritage. They want to know that he has not forgotten who he is.
Unfortunately, people do judge based on the words that you speak. This reminds me of a story a friend told me once. She was in a car with her mother and they were waiting for a parking space when a woman cut them off and turned into the space as soon as a car was pulling out. When the woman got out of the car, my friend’s mother angrily confronted her saying that it was rude for her to cut her off when she was obviously waiting for the space. The woman responded by telling how she had followed the lady who left the space to her car. She said, “I axed her for the space.” My friend’s mother repeated haughtily, “You AXED her?” Needless to say, my friend was mortified by her mother’s actions. The woman corrected her language and replied embarrassingly, “I asked her for the space.” I can’t imagine how that woman felt that day. Or what judgments my friend’s mom held. I do believe that people judge others if they do not speak the English Standard form of dialect. Michelle Obama openly tells how her speech has helped her achieve success. She might have been ridiculed as a child, but she wouldn’t have gotten to be where she is if she did not speak the accepted English Standard form of speech. I wonder who encouraged Michelle Obama to learn to speak properly. Joanne Dowdy did it to please her mother. But she learned that once she earned the respect of those around her, she realized that it was then that she could let herself be who she wanted to be. She earned the right to be outspoken and learned to embrace her heritage in a way that would not offend anyone. She could cater to anyone…and in that, she was extremely powerful. Yet I am still curious…is it more important to preserve your ancestry, or is it more important to succeed in the world?
Delpit makes an important point at the conclusion of her article. People will only adopt the English Standard form of language if they feel that they themselves are respected. Therefore, it is essential that a teacher embrace a child’s personal culture and background, while trying to teach them to speak in a way that will allow them to be the most successful in society.
-- Carrie Brown

As I read the Delpit and Dowdy articles I could relate to their sense of struggle in regards to the use of a “home” language versus the use of a “public” language. Growing up in a rural town in western North Carolina I spoke “country”. As I prepared to go to the University of North Carolina, I was somewhat worried. I did not want to sound “too country” because I thought people would think that I was less intelligent than they were. I did not want to be judged by my dialect alone.

Delpit and Dowdy both emphasize the importance of looking past a person’s speech patterns or language form when determining a person’s intellectual competence. We must listen to what a person says, not how they say it.

Unfortunately, this is extremely difficult for most. We have grown up in a society that constantly affirms prejudices and misconceptions. As a result of this, many children and adults alike have become adept at “code switching” as Delpit refers to it. Code switching is the ability to switch dialects based on the situation or audience one is speaking to, and has seemingly become standard practice for many members of society.

I think that the ability to code switch has been viewed as a necessity for many different cultures, but especially for African Americans. As stated in the clip with Michelle Obama, oftentimes African Americans face stereotypes from both white Americans and African Americans. They are afraid of sounding “too white” or “too black” depending on the audience.

I agree with Dowdy when she states that people should be free to go back and forth between their home language and their public language without feeling inferior in some way. This brings me back to my feelings about my own dialect. I never realized that I, too, had become adept at code switching. I speak one way with my friends here in Hickory, but when I go home I often slip back into my “country” language. Otherwise, my friends at home might accuse me of “puttin’ on airs”. While I should feel free and comfortable to speak in either dialect in both settings, I do not because as Delpit points out, there are not many people who can actually “listen beyond” a person’s language form.

I think that as educators it is our responsibility to provide a balance between nurturing our students and encouraging them to use their home language and teaching them Standard English. Students should realize that they are not “less than” because they speak differently than others. However, because of the world we live in, they need to know, and be able to effectively use, Standard English. When trying to teach our students Standard English, we need to consider Krashen’s (1982) theory of an affective filter as referenced by Delpit. We must find a way to identify with the students, implement a curriculum that affirms them and their interests, and make them feel safe and comfortable while doing so. As Delpit points out, in order for our students to acquire this new dialect we are trying to teach them, we must recognize the worth of their home language because as Delpit so accurately points out, when we reject our students’ languages, it seems to the children that we are rejecting them.

Leslie Rothenberger

After reading the two chapters and watching the video clip, the idea that most interested me was the concept of “code-switching” mentioned in the Delpit chapter. When I thought about it, I realized we all do some level of code-switching in our lives. For example, I alter certain aspects of my speech from the way I talk with my friends and family for when I go on interviews or have any type of conversation with another professional. I remember having a undergraduate course on classroom management and the professor wouldn’t let us speak if we said the word “like.” It was actually extremely difficult for a lot of people because that word was so engrained in their speaking habits, but she wanted us to learn how to be able to eliminate that word comfortably on command because the general impression is that people who use the word “like” more often than is necessary are less intelligent, which may not necessarily be true. It was obvious she wasn’t trying to imply that we were all stupid because of one word we tended to overuse in our speech. She was trying to give us the best chance of succeeding in the professional world.

The Dowdy article presented an example almost in reverse. She grew up knowing how to speak the “Queen’s English,” and instead of having troubles being successful academically, she had trouble socially. It was when she eventually learned how to code-switch through her knowledge of acting that she was able to be her true self. The Obama video clip also demonstrates an example of code switching when it discussed President Obama altering his language patterns to speak to different groups of people. He is able to speak Standard English to give the impression of being educated and capable of leading the nation, but also able to switch back to whatever original dialect he grew up with.

It is this balance between being able to hold on to your “mother tongue” as well as being able to acquire new dialects that may improve your chances at success that is important. As both chapters pointed out, we need to be sure to respect the languages and dialects spoken in the homes of our students, so that they will respect us and in turn learn from us what we have to teach them. In an ideal world, no one would be judged on anything but what was on the inside; their true value as a person. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world, and many people do still judge intelligence by the way someone speaks. That is the reality of the situation. So, as teachers we have to do our best to prepare kids for success in the real world that is full of people who prematurely and unfairly evaluate others. As Delpit’s daughter says, “you have to be who you are,” but, as seen through the many examples of people who couldn’t get or lost jobs because of dialect issues, it’s also important to learn how to be successful. The balance of holding on to who you are and doing what it takes to be all that you can be in life is the key, and as teachers, it’s our job to help our students find that balance.

Kim Strzelecki

As I read these two articles and watched the video of Michelle Obama, I was reminded of many of the Hispanic students whom I taught when I was in the Thomasville City Schools. These children were so intent on becoming “Americanized” that they were losing touch with their own cultural heritage and with their own language. We witnessed students who simply refused to speak in Spanish with their parents when they came to school, even when the parents needed for them to translate. These children clearly felt themselves to be different from their classmates, and somehow less worthy than their classmates. They were willing to put aside their native language in order to be more like the other students at school. As we (the teachers) became aware of what was going on, we made a concerted effort to encourage the Hispanic children to share their culture with their classmates, to teach us a bit of Spanish, and to encourage other students to respect the diverse cultures that were represented in our school. I agree with Dowdy – I think that, in order for children to flourish, they have to embrace their heritage, not try to hide it. Additionally, I agree with Delpit when she says “To speak out against the language that children bring to school means that we are speaking out against their mother, that their mother are not good enough to be a part of the school world.”

I do believe, however, that there is a place for using – and expecting our students to use – Standard English. In the public world, the working world, Standard English is the accepted mode of communication, and those who are not comfortable expressing themselves, whether in spoken language or in writing, in that way do not present themselves in the best light. I don’t mean that students should forsake their home language – I simply mean that it is important for students to be able to express themselves in ways that are easily understood in specific situations, in addition to their home language. Even as a white American, I have a Southern dialect which, I have realized, I slip into when I am talking casually with my family and neighbors. I catch myself saying “I am fixing to go to the store,” for example – a phrase I would never use in a professional setting. I think that most people naturally develop the skill of slipping into accepted speech patterns to fit into specific situations. Even the Obamas have developed that skill – both Michelle and Barack acknowledge that they speak differently as they speak with different groups.

We, as educators, must walk a fine line between valuing the home dialect of their students and expecting them to learn how to express themselves in Standard English in school situations.

Marlee Wright

“Our language has always been a part of our very souls…When we are with our own we revel in the rhythms and cadences of our connection” states Delpit. For many of us, this connection is and will always be our home, our mother’s language. For me it is my British northern roots, where I slide easily into a northern language. Delpit discusses the power of this language and how "self affirming and esteem building" it can be as we identify with those people who speak it.

However, as Delpit outlines, we all pay an emotional price for sounding different or for not using Standard English. Many societies, align a person’s intelligence to their mastery of “the queen’s English”.

I experienced this when my family moved from northern England to ‘down south’ in the UK. Like Dowdy, I too was “giggled and sniggered about”. I said words such as “book” with long, deep vowel sounds and not the clipped, softer short vowels used by my peers. It made no difference that I was a year ahead of them and I had already learned most of the curriculum they had just begun. I did not say the letter “h” correctly therefore, I was deemed less intelligent.

Suddenly, sadly the issue becomes “our concern about what others think” (Delpit).
Michelle Obama’s experience went beyond just the comparison to intellect; it was to race, ‘sounding white’ also equaled sounding more intelligent. Of course, grammar should not have anything to do with race. It is both ignorant and arrogant to think that it should. Unfortunately many people do. Those in society with money and power, what Delpit called “the white folks” tend to validate and create ‘rules’ about how they think certain groups of people should speak in order to gain social acceptance. Whilst no one dialect or language is any more grammatically correct than another (According to Dr. Gill!) those with power can make it appear so.

Delpit’s story about the brilliant computer employee and the company’s inability to look past her ‘southern’ language “to appreciate her expertise” reflects how few of us, if we are honest can truly “listen beyond” language form today. I am certainly guilty of commenting on dialects and probably questioned their intellect. The media also reinforces these stereotypical views. In every aspect of our lives we quickly become aware of how our ‘languages’ must occupy separate spaces. So we create the “mask of language” that Dowdy discusses. We must be “in two places at the same time ‘ovuh dyuh’ and here too”.

The solution to try and alter the inequality that we perceive would be to to continue to do what we strive to do as teachers: To integrate and value both our ‘language of intimacy’ and our standard public one. Delpit’s example of using the hair care products as a way to meaningfully engage student’s attentions is the type of experience we also try to ensure our students have so that they find meaning in the classroom instruction and that it is relevant to their lives and their language. Above all, they have a chance to talk about it. My classroom is very rarely silent, and discussion is a large part of our curriculum.

However, I think we will always code switch. Our language at work is far different from our language at play. I code switch to engage my students, to engage them in learning and to listen to what they have to say. I use their language and experiences to make the learning meaningful. Conversely, I incorporate ‘British’ expressions that I use everyday to develop mutual understanding of language differences not inequalities and the children of various ethnicities in my room do the same. With this balance of language we can more meaningfully explore and understand the world around us.

Karen Massey-Cerda

I was moved by the raw truth in the stories from both chapters about children searching for their identity and trying to find a place to belong based on their use of language. Even Michelle Obama struggled with finding her own voice and said she was teased as a child for “talking like a white girl.” Like it or not, right or wrong, we are judged by others based on our choices, outward appearance, and yes even the way we talk.

In Dowdy’s “Ovuh Dyuh,” language was described and used as a tool to be mastered in order to gain personal and public power over the past “memory of slavery.” Dowdy’s passion for protecting her roots and honoring the person she truly felt she was is inspiring. She took a tough stand against her mother and embraced her Trinidad heritage by the way she spoke and chose to wear her hair. Feeling torn between the two worlds of what feels right and what looks right is what ultimately shapes who we are as people. Accepting who you are and allowing others to be themselves too is what will set us all free. In a perfect world and in writing that sounds great but it is tougher task to put into practice. I encourage my students to remember that it doesn’t matter what someone looks like on the outside, but rather what is on the inside and how they treat others that really counts. I guess I often get caught up in everyone getting along, that I could at times do a better job of acknowledging and celebrating their differences too.

Affirming differences and being accepted are key points that I related to in Delpit’s “No Kinda Sense.” Whether using Standard English or Ebonics to express ourselves, it feels good to be accepted and part of a group that we like and likes us. Delpit’s daughter experienced this feeling when she moved schools and learned a “second language form.” Who is to say that there is only one right way to do anything, much less tell someone the way they can and can’t express themselves? Kids know when they are with their friends and/or family there is a certain language used, different from how they talk in public or school. “Code-switching” is the formal name for this. How interesting that children can acquire this ability and knowledge without formal lessons. Instead such authentic learning takes place when it is fun and you don’t even know it is happening. As teachers, who tend to get bogged down by the pressure of tests scores, we can take from this chapter that learning can be made fun again! Let’s not take ourselves or our students too seriously. Instead, get to know them and use that knowledge as a foundation for helping them discover the larger world through language. I think in today’s classrooms there has to be a balance of allowing individual expression as well as traditional/formal instruction.

Ruth Ann Timmons

I couldn't imagine having to double think every aspect of my being just to be accepted, but I guess that is exactly how minority groups feel. To feel like you had to change who your are just to be "adequate". Language is a part of our soul and part of what makes us who we are. I think it is very important for teachers to gain knowledge about the home language of children. The example in the article about the employee that was brillant in computer technology, but her speech pattern was an issue. None of the companies could move past her language to appreciate her expertise. So, do we as a society negatively assess someone's intelligents and potential based on what we can only see and hear? I understand that in the professional world the issue is professionalism, but who sets the standards for what is professional? If I hold an administration position I have to ask myself, do I want the person that will do the best job, or do I want the person that will reflect my standards and what I consider professional? Who says that what I say is professional isn't wrong? If someone can't be themselves and be comfortable being who they are...that's sad. We all have students everyday trying to please us. Do we really want teacher pleasers, or would we rather have students that feel comfortable with who they are and have the freedom to be who they are? This goes back to the article when students' interests are addressed in school, they are more likely to connect with the school, with teachers, and with their work. Is that not what we want for our students? I think we must look at the BIG picture...are they learning what they need to be successful in life and are we creating life-long learners. Language is part of who we are and we must strive to understand the differences...it's a multicultural world and the teachers more so than the students need to understand the differences we have within our own classrooms. With that being said, I do strongly feel that students should be taught proper English and grammar and be encouraged to speak it. BUT, we must embrace who they are and the dialect that is part of their family without doing more harm than good. As teachers we sometimes listen to the way our students speak rather than what they are saying. We need to listen beyond the words and hear what is being said.

Karin Scott

I believe there are times in our lives whether black or white that we are uncomfortable in our own skin or in our learned vernacular and speech. I do realize that black language and speech reflects the culture and upbringing of that race and they along with many other races are perceived as using speech and accent and slang that is unbecoming to the race in power. Historically, yes, the white race and the way of expression and articulation have made up the majority of the upper class echelon in many ways including the educated. With that being said and also understanding the taunts and jokes that surround our social network, I must also say that all races are victims in this respect. I grew up in a small cotton manufacturing community in a primitive Baptist church. All families were poor and had to work very hard in cotton, farming, milling, and tobacco to make a living. I grew up with an extreme southern accent unless I compare it to a friend of mine from Georgia. I was very comfortable with my accent, sayings, drawing out words, using extra vowels in words until I attended Appalachian State University. There I discovered that my way of speaking was held in low esteem as compared to some of the students in other states. This is a perception that may not ever change and not unlike the black vernacular in the eyes of others. After teaching a year in Randleman, NC., I began working for Burlington Industries in management. Although this company was located in a southern county, most of the upper management were from Virginia and northward. They spoke professionally and articulated well. Eventually I was given an opportunity to attend a workshop on, "Conquering Your Southern Accent". I declined this opportunity and was somewhat irritated that they thought my accent was offensive. I realized in their eyes that I sounded stupid and inept. This is the same hurt that blacks feel and have felt over history.
In Michelle Obama's video I don't think she is apologizing for not lapsing into her born and bred vernacular and the same with President Obama. Over time I have realized that we all have several different ways of communicating depending on the circumstance. I can easily lapse into my best southern drawl when I am home and with family. I can choose to use my public speaking voice when I am in a mixed crowd. I have a completely different way of communicating when I write and would not use much of this language as everyday speech. I don't think that any of us can ever overcome what we were born with but we can choose to respect our very diverse nation when addressing them. Michelle Obama did make it clear that she grew up in a middle class working family but she had the motivation to make good grades and excel. Perhaps we should all follow her example to not only try to be more comfortable in our own skin or situation but also be comfortable with everyone's.

Candy Kee

In reflections of the readings and podcast this week I realized the people that I know best in my environment are code switchers! I believe as was outlined in the readings that society does dictate what someone’s language should sounds like. Of course being from the south, when I am carrying on a conversation at home, I sound “country.” When I am at work I use different vocabulary when speaking with parents and colleagues in an effort to be more “professional”. With my students I find it hard to be anything but myself and I suppose that is when I speak a more natural southern dialect and sometimes speak a language I think they can understand. I was not surprised by the readings as I have heard my colleagues speak of talking white or sounding white as something they learned to do. I think Michelle Obama is a classy lady and presents herself very well. She told the truth from her perspective and I respect that. Does she code switch? I would think so, don’t we all? Karen S. Gold