I find these phrases, “You talk like a white girl” and “To curse in white” compelling. I find it interesting that both articles are assuming “white” people speak correct English. I grew up in Indiana where most people that live there do not speak with an accent. When we moved to North Carolina our family got a kick out of making fun of the way we spoke because we not only gained a southern accent, but we also picked up southern slang from our friends. For example, “What’cha ya doin’ over yonder?” and, “I ain’t over yonder”. I remember my dad sitting me down and explaining that people will assume that I am not very intellectual if I speak with such a southern accent. He pointed out that when I went to interview for a teaching position that the principal will want to hire someone that will be a good role model for my students and that would include the way I speak.
I see the point of the author in that African-American’s are being forced by society to code-switch in order to be intellectually accepted, but I think we find these same issues in white people that are not speaking Standard English. We even find this in our students who are English Language Learners. I have an English Language Leaner student who might get placed in the Academically Gifted Program, but he continues to struggle with placing his verbs in the correct place, which has been identified by his peers. I think we are trying to teach our students the “right” way, not the “white” way. Dictionary.com defines Standard English. Check out the web page: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/standard+english . Shouldn’t we want our students to be considered the “educated people” by using the correct form of English. Even more important, shouldn’t we want our students to be understood by the people/community around them. I definitely believe students should be allowed to use their slang language informally, but should be expected to code-switch during class time because that is the reality of our society and I’m not sure that it is such a bad thing.
I definitely understand the relevance of making connections with our students and their interests in order to get their attention in school, but I think this is true when you teach any skill or objective in school. In the article, “No Kinda Sense”, the author makes reference to creating a unit on hair for the African-American girls that are so interested in becoming hairstylists. I definitely understand making connections to the real world while teaching the skills and objectives needed. I think students become more personally invested and remember the material for a longer period of time when they feel connected personally to the material at hand. I liked that Michelle Obama said that she didn’t know what it meant to talk like a white girl, but she was still making A’s in school. Hopefully students will make the connection between speaking and writing well to making something of yourself in life. I’m not sure I completely agree with deciding if a black person acts too white or not. They seem to make this decision on the way they speak. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is research out there that proves that there are just as many whites as there are any other ethnic group that DO NOT speak Standard English. I can think of several “white” adults right now! I think this issue has a wider spectrum of people involved than the articles and broadcast acknowledged. This is an issue occuring in all types of schools that lots of teachers are struggling with each day.
Angie Sigmon
Comments (3)
I really like how you stated that the article assumes white people speak correct English all the time. You followed up with valid points about why you felt this way. When we can’t understand others we communicate with, we get lost during conversation. We are more worried about the way the person is talking instead of what they are trying to say.. I see this in my classroom between all students not just ESL. My white low income students have a smaller vocabulary and struggle communicating with others, not just my ESL or EC students. So is it the white way the right way, or is it the way people should be raised and what they are exposed to determine the way of communication? Teachers have to take what they get and do whatever it takes to get their students to excel, without regard to their upbringing, race or gender.
Posted by Meredith Bromley | June 7, 2010 12:10 PM
Posted on June 7, 2010 12:10
I hadn’t thought about it before, but you are probably right that there are just as many whites who do not speak Standard English. This reminds me of when my brother went to work in Lynchburg, VA. First of all, we are from the Cincinnati area. He told me how the locals would strike up conversations with him. He said he couldn’t understand a word some of them would say. He had to have them repeat themselves. In the Cincinnati area, if you need someone to repeat themselves you say, “Please”. This was probably confusing to the people he was talking to. My brother did judge them based on how they spoke. He said he ended up doing a lot of nodding, because he couldn’t understand their dialect.
Trish Edwards
Posted by Trish Edwards | June 7, 2010 8:39 PM
Posted on June 7, 2010 20:39
Angie, you are correct. In the end it is about the "right" way not the "white" way. I taught at a low socioeconomic school and most of the students spoke inccorectly. Language development depends on the type of exposure in the early years.
Posted by Zandra Hunt | June 9, 2010 12:11 AM
Posted on June 9, 2010 00:11