RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2010)

Jennifer,
I completely agree with you. I teach first grade, and I feel like I am constantly trying to correct their grammar. I try to teach them to say "yes" instead of "yeah" and "pardon" instead of "huh". My goal as their teacher is to continue to teach them how to speak correctly because if we do not start them at a young age they will have a harder time learning when they are older. Do you agree?

Natalie

Jennifer,

I agree with you in that there is a time for formal and informal language. Students should know why they can't write papers in school the same way they write text messages. However, I don't think they should just abandon who they are. If a student has a southern accent and says "ya'll," I think this should be accepted because that is a part of them. While I believe students should know the difference between formal and informal language, I don't think they should have to change their dialect just to fit in with society.

Jamie - I don't think a person should change who they are to fit a mold either. What makes folks unique is their ability to express themselves in their own way. They just need to know when they need to switch between formal and informal.

Would it be inappropriate to say :Amen" to your comments Jennifer? I think as teachers we should set the standard for professionalism and be an example to our students. The reality is that the world does not accept Ebonics as proper English and many stereotypes are associated with this form of speech. I love my students, however they talk, but my job is to prepare them for the real world, to give them the tools to be successful in whatever circumstances they find themselves in. If they want to be hairdressers that’s great, but I would also like them to have the option of being a CEO, lawyer or even president, and that necessitates the ability to code switch. -Rebecca

I agree with you about we change the way we speak depending on what we are doing. I do not text the way I would write a paper. I also teach in a low income community, and the students need to know how to communicate in an acceptable way so that if they choose to continue their education somewhere they will have the proper language to do so. I do not believe that they should lose who they are, but they should be taught to speak and write in an appropriate manner when the need arises.

I had never thought of texting as a "dialect" before, but you are right. I teach fifth grade and some of my students have written book reports and summaries in text language. They also write literature responses in text. I also make them redo their work. I do feel that text is a communication application for outside of school. I don't think that I am prohibiting their freedom, but encouraging their use of appropriate language for social communication.
Amy Reep

As a first grade teacher, I have honestly not seen any texting language used in my classroom, but I can see how this would be toublesome. I was talking with a friend the other day about someone's posts on Facebook and how they were all texting shorthand. To be honest, I thought that it did make this person look less intelligent to use that type of communication in a place where it would be just as easy to type out what needed to be said. I didn't think about it at the time, but maybe I was showing a prejudice against a "dialect." Definitely something to think about!
-Elizabeth

Jennifer,
I think you would be doing your students an injustice by not showing them the difference between formal and inform communication. Fortunately, as a First Grade teacher, I haven't had to deal with this problem. I do have to teach them correct grammar because they are just now learning some of the rules. I don't embarrass them when they make grammatical errors, but simply repeat what they said using correct grammar. They usually start applying these rules in their speech shortly after being exposed to the correct way in which to say things.

Jennifer,
I agree the speech patterns of society today ahve become too casual and relaxed. I agree as well there is a time and place for such talk, yet many students are not realizing you have to adapt yourself to the situation you are in. Probably because many parents are not doing that either. Everyone is so busy the speak fast, interupt each other, text, instance message, all forms of shortened, hurried communication. Too much as been allowed to slop by and many bad habits have been formed. Even for me I speed through converstaions, and don't change my talking patterns enough to adjust to the various situations I am in. You are correct by saying we need to be models, we have to hold ourselves to high standards, inorder for our students to follow.
Michael Lemke

Jennifer,
I relate to your response to code-switching in two ways. First as a mother of two teenagers that are “texters” I know that they can pop out some texts that the military might have a hard time decoding. I know for my youngest child there was a point where he wanted to incorporate his text talk into his more formal school reports. I knew that he understood the more acceptable way to write it so I questioned his choice. His response was straight forward, "It's just more fun to write like that." For my son what you are describing was a temporary stage that he moved past.
Which leads to my second thought on code switching, Isn’t it our job to teach children in a way that their learning is linked to real world application? What is more real world than the advancement of language through texting? Perhaps our role as teachers is to acknowledge this code-switching as an important part of modern language and give it relevance by linking it to other areas of learning such as coding that is historically significant.
Candy Mooney

I agree that students need to understand that the way you talk with your friends and the way you should talk when answering questions or giving a report should be very different. I do not think that students understand this or understand how important this will be to them when they are trying to get a job or get into college. First impressions are very important and if you do not communicate effectively then people are going to think you are less intelligent. You can be the best at your job but if you are not able to vocalize this in the appropriate way people are going to doubt your skills. Teachers must be role models for their students but is that enough? If children are not hearing it at home also how much of an impact does the teacher have on her students?
When I read the articles I did not think about texting but I could see how students would want to use this as writing and talking. Texting is quick and easy. I teach younger students so I do not have the issue with texting but I could certainly see older students wanting to write in texts. How do you make them understand that there is a time and place for everything?

Ashley Caldwell

I totally agree Jennifer. We are role models as adults. Our students need to learn the skills they need to become successful adults. I know that it is probably hard for the kids today with all the texting they do to cutoff the habit when they are in school. As an adult that texts a lot I sometimes find myself forgetting and writing in a "texting" form. My students are only second graders, so it hasn't trickled down that far yet, but if I was in your position I would continue encouraging my students to write in the correct format as well. I think we have to remember as adults that times are changing and we have to learn to adapt right along with our students in order to continue to meet their needs.