All three chapters seem to focus on the need for teachers to change their attitudes about the nonstandard English forms children bring to school from home. Instead of rejecting children's home languages as being incompetent and inferior, teachers need to sincerely respect children's interests and their home languages as valid forms of communication to build a relationship of mutual respect and trust with their students, which could be used as a tool to help students acquire standard English.
I like the home language study project that Judith Baker assigned to her students. I think it was an excellent way to examine and validate children's home English languages. Also, students began to recognize that their home language is only one valid form of communication, and that two other forms of English need to be mastered to acquire the ability to adapt and participate effectively in any social occassion whether formal or informal. The thought had never entered my mind of thinking of the "official" standard English in two different categories: formal/ academic English and professional English (which is also formal since it is language related to one's profession). However, when you think about it, there is language related to professions (such as education) that people who are not in the profession would need explanation in order to understand what is being communicated. Ms. Baker's students certainly seemed motivated to learn formal and professional English, and viewed the ability to code switch as a desireable asset that could transform them into competent communicators in any social setting.
I definitely learned lots of basic linguistic concepts in Michael Stubbs' chapter, and also gained new insight about the various perceptions people have about the relationship between a person's language and his/her intelligence and social class. Though Stubbs' study was done in Great Britain, I imagine there are many people in this country who possess the same feelings of intellectual superiority over people who speak nonstandard English forms. Something that had never crossed my mind is the snobbish British origin of the definition of what is officially and unquestionably standard English: "...standard English is the English spoken by educated people, and that what they speak is standard English" (pg. 72). The British upper class used language as a tool to distinguish what they viewed as the inferior lower class from the superior upper class: "...the higher up the social class scale one goes, the less one encounters regional variaton in speech. This is one reason why British people are so sensitive to the social implications of the kind of language a speaker uses. Thus educated people in the upper middle class all over Britain speak in very much the same way, allowing for minor differences in pronunciation. But farm workers, say, from Devon and Aberdeen might have considerable difficulties in understanding each other" (pg. 72).
Language should unite people, not divide. I can understand people disagreeing and dividing over the ideas expressed in language. Everyone does not share the same world view or beliefs. I think most people recognize that believing one thing instead of another doesn't determine how intelligent a person is; however the person's wisdom might be questioned. On the same note, why must social prestige and intelligence be associated with language in America, especially if the discriminating practice originated from people who used language as a tool to validate their superiority over the so called "inferior lower class"? This is America where we're supposed to believe that all men (and women) are created equal. We need to see beyond language differences, stop negatively assessing a person's intelligence and potential just because he/ she speaks a nonstandard form of English, and understand that "no language form" is "better than another from a linguistic or cognitive standpoint" (pg. 42).
(OOps! I forgot to include my name on the above response to chapters 3, 4, and 5 when I originally typed it on May 28th; and one of the chapters I read, chapter 5, was the wrong chapter. The following is my response to chapter 7.)
In regards to the Ladeson-Billings chapter, I agree that teachers' limited knowledge of what to do to motivate and instruct disengaged children in the classroom othen contributes to many children falling through the cracks of educational neglect in our schools. I'm sure if Shannon's teacher know what to do to motivate Shannon to write, she would have done it. I think teachers need more instructional, classroom management, and behavior modification training to better motivate and meet the needs of challenging students like Shannon.
I was a little disappointed that this chapter didn't offer any specific solutions to help students like Shannon. Most teachers that I know do their best to "demand success from all students". The problem is that not all students respond to the methods the teacher uses to demand the success. This chapter contains lots of criticism about teachers who more than likely want what is best for all of their students, wanting them all to achieve and experience success. It is not easy getting a stubborn child to cooperate and complete his/ her work, especially if the parents have been contacted in the past but don't support the teacher. The author's comment " ...there is not magic in technique, curriculum, or strategy. The 'magic' is in the teaching" doesn't make sense to me. Teaching has to possess some kind of strategy or else it would be haphazard. Teaching students like stubborn Shannon is not easy, and I wish this chapter focused on teaching strategies that could transform students like her into motivated learners.
Vickie Howell
Comments (6)
I completely agree with what you said about mutual respect between the teacher and the student. I believe that if we respect them, they will need to respect us in turn. As we begin to understand that there are many different languages we can teach this to our students. And if we teach it properly, then they will respect the new language as one of equal rights of their own. You summed it up perfectly when you mentioned that language should bring people together and not divide them. People need to understand that just because something is different than the norm, it doesn’t mean that it is wrong. I teach in a very small community and this is one of the hardest things for my students to understand. They think that if someone is different then they are not normal. Why we as a society put so much emphasis on a standard norm I will never know or understand.
Posted by Kristen Billings | May 29, 2007 4:24 PM
Posted on May 29, 2007 16:24
Vicki,
I agree with your statement that we should treat all men and women equally and that language seems to be an area where that does not take place. I consider myself a very fair person and try hard to treat all students and adults fairly. I do have to say that incorrect use of grammar is an area that I have a tendency to make judgements. This book is really changing my opinions on the issue. I never thought people using nonstandard English were stupid, but I always wonder how they can use an incorrect verb tense and not hear that is is incorrect. I would form judgements even though I thought I was not. Reading these chapters puts a new spin on this for me. Does using the correct verb tense make what ever they are telling me more important? It doesn't, but it could hinder their ability to get a job or to pass a writing test. The fact remains, I am not scoring my peers on correct usage of the English language. I am however responsible for teaching my students and as long as they are given the opportunity to share and communcate and are corrected in an appropriate manner, I feel I will have done my job. I think as long as we approach this language issue as a form of communication that is used appropriately in each environment that we choose, we will have better interaction with our peers and students.
Beth Rigsbee
Posted by Beth Rigsbee | May 30, 2007 8:46 AM
Posted on May 30, 2007 08:46
Vickie,
I liked Judith Baker's home language study project, too. I hadn't thought of the "trilingualism" until I read this chapter but she is right. We do have the three forms of English. Professions have their own language, especially teachers. People tell me teachers have so much jargon. At times, I'll find myself talking my professional language around family and friends and they may ask me what I am talking about. For example, I was saying "IEP" the other day and someone asked me what that was. I remember when I first started teaching and I was on the Preschool Interagency Council. After I came out of that meeting, I wondered if I would ever learn the language. I guess that's how our children feel sometimes. Will they learn the language?
I agree with you that teachers need more instructional, classroom management and behavior modification training to motivate and meet needs of students. I have had some of those challenging students in my classroom. I always want what is best for my students. At times, I don't know what to do with the stubborn student. I agree that it would have been helpful if this chapter would've focused on strategies to help students become motivated learners.
Posted by Dawn Thomas | May 30, 2007 8:12 PM
Posted on May 30, 2007 20:12
Vickie,
I identify with your frustrations over HOW to motivate a reluctant learner. I too rebelled at the thought that it was all my "fault" that this obstinant student wouldn't cooperate. Believe me, I have had my share of "obstinate" learners this year..........but I've also come to realize (even before I took this course) that my most reluctant students are often afraid of failure because of past experiences. They refuse to attempt an assignment or they "act out" in defense because of past failures or past experiences which were painful or disappointing. Perhaps this chapter placed the "blame" too squarely on the shoulders of the teacher (me) but the fact is that I, as the teacher,am the adult "in charge"and in control of the decision-making. I can choose to establish a less threatening environment so that my most reluctant learners might feel free to tackle assignments without fear of failure.
Betsy Baldwin
Posted by Betsy Baldwin | May 30, 2007 9:43 PM
Posted on May 30, 2007 21:43
Heather Holland
Hello Vickie,
You made a good point—it would have been great if chapter 7 would have given practical ideas/solutions to help students like Shannon. Most teachers that I know, including myself, try to help every child succeed. Sometimes…we run out of ideas. We cannot create one that works. For example, this year I have had a BIG problem with two of my students’ behavior and attitude. I have tried just about everything that I can think of to help them with motivation, behavior, and attitude. Finally, with four weeks left in the school year, I tried an individual sticker chart, just for her. I evaluate her behavior during every segment of time during the day. If she receives 3 out of 4 possible stickers during the day, she receives a good note home to her guardian. So simple! It worked for her, but it did not work at all for the little boy. Since I was involved in a terrible auto accident and was in rehabilitation for over one year, I was only able to work with these children for six months of the school year. I continue to wish that I had more time to help them succeed. What can we do? I wish there were more resources out there for teachers in this area. Help us, help children!
Heather Holland
Posted by Heather Holland | May 31, 2007 10:30 PM
Posted on May 31, 2007 22:30
Vicki,
This was such a thought-provoking post! My mind started racing when I read "...why must social prestige and intelligence be associated with language in America, especially if the discriminating practice originated from people who used language as a tool to validate their superiority over the so called "inferior lower class"? This is America where we're supposed to believe that all men (and women) are created equal." Wow. This was thought provoking because I totally agree! But when I think of American history and how our country was created (a polite way of saying stolen from the Indian people) and how its success was furthered (through barbaric practices of slavery among Indians and African-Americans) it all comes down to one thing: POWER.
Those who are in power are deemed to be socially correct. In all cases those in power spoke standard English, which has been adopted by our country as our "home" language. Right now this is what is expected in an academic setting. Our students are tested based upon these standards. With this as a given, I will teach these standards in my classroom. If I were in a higher grade level (I teach first grade), I would like to investigate the roots of other forms of English and their progression through the generations (chapter four was WONDERFUL with this idea!). What a great way to lend weight to the importance of all forms of English and see how they relate to one another and standard English.
Great post, Vickie!
Posted by Jeanna McIntyre | June 2, 2007 7:40 PM
Posted on June 2, 2007 19:40