Dowdy, Delpit, and News Article
Is you goin’ to read all these passages we was assigned? I am a true southerner by birth; in fact, I am a native North Carolinian. Everyone based on where they are from has a different dialect, and it is accepted differently depending upon where they are and who they are talking to. Historically, people have been treated differently based on their speech/dialect. Until recently, this has been predominately “white folks”. The dialect of those who are thought to hold positions in power are more socially accepted. This is the “listeners’ acceptance.” Based on knowledge and understanding, not all listeners will understand the same things.
In different positions people talk differently. The articles referred to this as “code switching” or being a “channeler of languages”. We all talk differently to our family and friends than when we talk with our co-workers in a professional setting. There are differences in spoken language, written language, and book language. Depending on the setting, I do not feel that it is acceptable for the teacher to give in to the relaxed speech of our students. For example, if I am teaching a lesson about literature, the student should be expected to use the language taught to talk about literature (idiom, simile, metaphor, etc.). This is an academic language that has to be taught, and used for students to become comfortable knowing what they are. Students have to have this book language understanding. Books are not written in the languages that we speak; therefore students have to be able to switch between their “comfortable” dialect and that of “standard English”. Even the President knows when he has to “code switch” and when to talk in this “standard English”.
Standard and nonstandard dialects are accepted differently. These dialects are not “wrong”; however, depending on the social situation determines which should be used in communicating. If your dialect is to read dog as “dawg”; then they will read hog as “hawg”. This does not make this dialect any more inferior, the teacher just has to become more aware and not make those subtle corrections. Not that the teacher has to become “fluent” in this dialect, but just accept it. Asking a teacher to change the way they speak is not a reality.
One article references that worksheets or textbooks are not relevant to students’ “life experiences”; I feel that this is the teacher’s job to make learning relevant to this. Teaching should not become an enabler for students. Not everything can be seen as “fun”; in the “real adult” world you have to learn to deal with things that you “want” to do and things that you are “expected” to do.
I almost feel that these articles are biased to this enabling quality to students. Yes, we want students to be accepted for who they are, but they also have to learn about those other “languages” that we have to use in our everyday communication.
Angela Steele
Comments (3)
Angela,
I agree with you on all your points. Students are taught to speak they way that they are spoken to. I do not think that thier should be "white speach" children learn what they hear. As a teacher it is our job to teach them and reach them where they are, and hopefully grow them! I should not have to change the way that I speak in order to do that. The children should not have to change their dialect in order for me to teach them. I agree that we need to be aware of how our student speak. I do think that children need to use "standard english in a classroom setting during discussion. They need to know the expectations of society and be able to communicate with others in a proper way.
Angie
Posted by Angie Somers | June 6, 2010 3:04 PM
Posted on June 6, 2010 15:04
It is true that books are not written in a language that we speak. In reality, everyone has to switch their dialect (no matter what it is) to book language. Nobody talks like a book. You are right as teachers; we can’t water down how we teach literature and all the elements. If we do, we are not helping our students become successful in the future. One thing that I think helps right now is that Michelle Obama is getting out there and speaking about how she was accused of speaking "white". But, that is how she was able to become successful. She is a great role model for African Americans about how it is O.K. to code-switch.
Trish Edwards
Posted by Trish Edwards | June 6, 2010 3:46 PM
Posted on June 6, 2010 15:46
Dear Angela,
Yes, students do need to understand book language and when to speak properly and when it is not as necessary. I agree with those points you made. I also feel it's important that we as teachers incorporate quality lessons that support the curriculum and tie-into the students' interests. For example the one chapter we read mentioned that most of the students were interested in hair and then gave example lessons that were not only cross-curricular, but also related to the students interests and lives outside of school. ~Reshawna Greene
Posted by Reshawna Greene | June 6, 2010 5:22 PM
Posted on June 6, 2010 17:22