RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2009)

When you embrace the grammar / self esteem issue next year, which way will you side? It is a difficult question, even to me.

It is sad that society bases our intelligence on our dialect; however I'm sure I will continue to do it. I was raised using proper grammar and I want my kids to be raised that way. 7 years ago, my oldest was in 1st grade and came home saying ain't. At that time, we only lived here a couple of years, and I washed his mouth out w/soap. A few months ago, my youngest told me his something was over yonder, and I told him oohh no, we don't use that word.

I know it is wrong and makes me a bad person, but I can't help it. I refuse to use "southern" words and refuse to allow my kids to also.

Now, in my classroom, I am not as outright as I am at home. However, I explain to my students about proper grammar and the way people judge and how you may get turned down for a job, a loan, a whatever if you do not speak "correctly."

So, again which way will you side? What will you teach your students?

I totally agree with all that you are saying, because I have a distinct southern accent, especially when I am around my family. None of them are educators and not that their grammar is that bad, it just isn't a priority either. I never realized or thought about grammar being a self-esteem issue either. I think that is due to the school I teach at, and the majority being African American who speak with the poor grammar. I don't always correct my students improper grammar, because I would be doing it nonstop, and then we would get nothing else accomplished. I do find that my students will correct one another. Therefore, the modeling must be doing some good. It is hard to know how much to correct, when you cross the line to making a student feel inferior. Like or not though, I think it is necessary that we teach and model these grammar skills, because society is not going to change in how they compare language to intelligence. Could you imagine Obama speaking in Ebonics or like a "Redneck," as some people would say, during a speech to all Americans?

Hi Heather,

Your quote, “How does a person's dialect or upbringing determine a person's IQ,” got me thinking. If we were to take this issue to a much larger scale, individual’s upbringing and dialects most definitely affect their IQ scores. However, is it because they are less intelligent or because the IQ tests are designed by middle/upper class individuals to test what used to be the majority of Americans—the middle class? When our vocabularies and prior knowledge are exclusive to our upbringing, we are all limited in the scope of what we can accomplish.

I work in a school that is 60% African-American & Hispanic, 52% free lunch, etc. I frequently try to address the issues of our own perceptions and those people have of us. I think it’s crucial to build relationships with your students before attempting to change their realms of thought. One thing I’ve done—in conjunction with career education—is dress in “non-teacher” clothes and speak to the students in “non-teacher” language. It’s a non-threatening way to show that I code switch all the time. I love being able to teach argumentative writing, as we can talk specifically about how to address differing audiences. We use different registers to speak to different people—regardless of our complexion or profession.

I was bummed by the first two articles, initially, but am already feeling more hopeful after diving into our readings for Thursday. Have you started them yet? I bet they’ll help.

Erica, you are preaching to the choir. I felt convicted as well about how many times I've corrected students in the past who have said "That's mines" or "she don't be going there..." However, my eyebrows raise as well, and I think: Are we just going to keep blurring the lines where there's not even a gray area anymore? I mean, I'm not one of those going "where's the ABSOLUTE?", but I do think we can get a little bogged down in details and trying to make life FAIR for everyone and create a world in which we all live in CareBear Heaven on Rainbow Brite Lane, you know? I mean, I've been dissapointed... a BUNCH. Haven't you? I've had my grammar corrected... a LOT. Haven't you? I've not made every sport I've ever tried out for, my team didn't always win, and everyday's not been a good hair day. I'm not trying to belittle people's concerns or feelings, but sometimes I think we can take this business of justification too far. The older I get, the less I feel the need to justify everything. I just would rather embrace each day, count my blessings and wait til Jesus comes back. But I know that stance doesn't help much in the area of posting blogs and critiques!

I had never thought about how much I corrected my students grammar either. I think it is something that happened to us so much when we were in school that we just automatically assume that we are supposed to do it to our students. I don't know when it became such a bad thing to speak differently either but I do think that when someone does, whether they are from different parts of the county or from different cultures, it makes some people judge their intelligence. It is not right or fair. I as a teacher fell conflicted because you know that english is so important but you do not want to take away your studnets heritage or culture so I think there is a fine line when correcting studnets. In kindergarten I just try to make sure that I am speaking correct standard english and hope that they start to pick up on what is correct and what is not.

Erica,
I am having the same thoughts as you after reading these chapters. But, my school is opposite of yours. We have very few white students. The majority of them being Hispanic with African Americans not far behind. I try to correct my students English when I can not to lower their self-esteem, but to make them speak better English. I have never thought of it as lowering their self-esteem. I am going to be more conscious of that from now on. When I do correct my students I not only tell them the correct thing to say but why. I am a person who needs to know why I am doing something. Someone just telling me to do something or say something is not enough for me.
Living in the south for only a few years I have picked up some southern words/phases. I have never thought someone was stupid for using the words “I reckon” or “over yonder”. If someone is going to judge you (or anyone) by some words you use then they closed-minded and not willing to accept others for the differences.

Melissa Lange

Erica,
I am having the same thoughts as you after reading these chapters. But, my school is opposite of yours. We have very few white students. The majority of them being Hispanic with African Americans not far behind. I try to correct my students English when I can not to lower their self-esteem, but to make them speak better English. I have never thought of it as lowering their self-esteem. I am going to be more conscious of that from now on. When I do correct my students I not only tell them the correct thing to say but why. I am a person who needs to know why I am doing something. Someone just telling me to do something or say something is not enough for me.
Living in the south for only a few years I have picked up some southern words/phases. I have never thought someone was stupid for using the words “I reckon” or “over yonder”. If someone is going to judge you (or anyone) by some words you use then they closed-minded and not willing to accept others for the differences.

Melissa Lange

Society and dialect are closely linked as you stated. This makes perfect sense, but is not something that I have thought about a lot before now. Dialect is often one way that a group is known. Our dialect is part of who we are. And since most of us feel a sense of pride in where we are from, some of who we are is tied up in the way that we talk. When I first met my husband's family I thought that they talked really funny. They are very southern. They said things that I had never heard before and a lot of times their word order was not like I had been taught mine should be. I remember knowing that they were very sweet, kind, intelligent people, but thinking in my own mind that they didn't sound very intelligent talking like that! I remember wondering if they write the way that they talk too! I feel rude saying that now! Years later now I don't even think about those words. While I don't use those phrases myself, when I spend time with them I don't notice the errors any longer. I know and love them,which brings acceptance! I am thankful for the people who poured into my life and required correct correct English from me though!

I completely agree with you. People do judge your intelligence by the way you speak. Everyone does it. I know that when I talk to some of my students’ parents I sometimes wonder as well. It’s not fair to judge someone by their accent, although when I’ve traveled people have judged me for being a Southerner. You can be intelligent no matter where you are from. As for the grammar, I think most teachers correct their students out of habit. I know that I want my students to sound intelligent when they speak. I think we have to correct at some point so that our students know the difference. We may not have to correct every single thing they say but I feel it is important for students to know what is considered proper.