Carrie Secret, a fifth grade teacher at Prescott Elementary school in Oakland California, was interviewed about the school's approach to English. They use the Standard English Proficiency program, which is designed to help children learn standard English while acknowledging that Ebonics is its own language. By treating it as a second language, the school isn't making students feel like they're having their home language fixed.
The school doesn't substitute Ebonics for English. They simply teach children that what they're speaking is okay. Standard English is encouraged as much as possible, but children are never put down for the language that they brought to school with them.
The SEP program empasizes not only literacy, but culture and language as well. The teachers want the children to feel like they're achieving something other than mastering a language they're not familiar with. By teaching students that their culture and individual language is important, they feel empowered.
The school emphasizes hearing the language because many times speakers don't realize what they're saying since they're so used to it. They may not realize that they're dropping off letters in certain words and whatnot. So the program puts a strong emphasis on overenunciation, phonics, and dictation. This teacher, Carrie Secret, spends time with critical thinking and content as well.
This mixture of teaching Ebonics and standard English has even allowed some of the students' parents to come in and speak the way they do at home. They no longer feel ashamed. The school board supports the teaching method as well.
There is no doubt that this topic has been one of heated debate for the past few years in the national education system. I believe that the author does a good job of presenting five different approaches to AAE writers writing in SE. I feel that these points are the most important; first, that if a teacher is going to correct AAE, he or she should correct ALL dialects. It’s great if we all have dialects, but there should also be a standard to which we can all perform when necessary. Second, when correcting or guiding a student immediate feedback is detrimental to him or her understanding and learning. Third, the teacher should always speak “proper” English. I’m not sold that blending SE and AAE is a very effective method, but I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteI liked this quote best, “provide clear instructions, definitions, and rules when making explanations to students about the use of grammatical forms they do not generally use at a level of metalinguistic awareness.” Teachers need to always be clear on expectations. The question is then to what expectations are those?
I really enjoyed reading the article because it offers substantial information in how to teach students standard written English to AAE. The article provides information that aspiring teachers may incorporate into their classroom’s curriculum. I also loved that the article explains different approaches to teach SWE, because all students have different learning styles.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the authors interpretation and summary. I agree that no student should be put down for the language they speak. I agree that no teacher should ever put down a student for what they have learned at home. I hope that all teachers agree with me and this article. I like that the school is recognizing AAE; however I hope they are also recognizing other dialects of English and teaching the standard form. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the article.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article. I also think that no child should be put down or punished for how they speak. I have never met anyone who speaks perfect English so i think teaching these students that how they speak is okay is a great teaching method.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this author that every culture and every dialect should be examined and accepted in schools. School should be a place for the expansion of new ideas, not the suppression of old ones. Having grown-up with a speech impediment, I can also relate to the students' feelings of inferiority when their own manner of speech is put down. Also, verbally practicing the language is how I, after many years, overcame my own language issues, so I have faith that this does help speakers adapt to the standard rules for written English. Unfortunately, most writers write how they speak; therefore, modifying speech should assist in modifying their written language. However, there are also standards that the child will have to learn in order to conform to state tests and standards. While embracing the "native" language of these students could lead to a willingness to learn a new language, isn't the act of pushing a new language itself an act of diminishing the one they speak?
ReplyDeleteI really liked this article because it teaches students how to right English to AAE. It is a great way to teach children how to speak English. That can be so embarrassing if you can not speak a language correctly. I know how it feels and it is great that this is provided for the children.
ReplyDeleteI am really excited to hear that someone has come up with a concept such as this one. I feel that it is very important for students to be able to speak in their own language instead of being emerged into the "American Way." Letting them take steps to learning English while helping them learn more in their own is wonderful. I have a friend Daniel who is able to speak Spanish because that is the language they mostly use in their house; however, he took Spanish in high school to become more oriented with his own language. I wish that we were able to help more students like this and in this teaching style. I feel that this is something that puts less stress and pressure on the child to learn the language. However, I do feel that it is important for the student to learn English as well because that is the most common language in the United States. Knowing English will be extremely beneficial to them in the long run as well as knowing their own language better.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article because I am going into teaching. It worries me that children are being judged too much on things such as language rather than their education as a whole. I'm glad it was brought to the attention of the public. I'm glad that with the students are able to speak their own language instead of just having to learn English.
ReplyDeleteI like the way I speak and that was because the ebonics I did speak up until the 3rd grade was removed. I had two speech impediments that I had to receive speech therapy for. While in speech therapy I was never told that the way I spoke was wrong, but I was told that their way was more professional. In turn, I am now a Public Relations major where I give many successful speeches and presentations. I never did go back to the old way I spoke but I do not put it down either.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that there is one English language. Everyone needs to be taught this way. If Ebonics, or any other form of English that is incorrect, is taught in schools; then our language will slowly disappear. I cannot believe a school would teach another form of English where the language is mutilated. If someone wants to use their own slang out of school, then that is on them, but schools need to teach proper grammar.
ReplyDeleteI like the way that this article explains that they are teaching children the proper way but not telling them that the way they talk at home and outside of school is not discouraged.And even though it is wrong and should not be continued to be used but is something no one should be ashamed of and if it is part of who they are it should be something that someone keeps so that way they are not like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of saying translate to English instead of saying fix this or make this right. I would personally say translate to proper or academic English though because Ebonics is English. Ebonics is English slang. I don't like how this topic has been made into a race issue though. It is not a race issue it is a class/status issue. Low socioeconomic status people tend to speak more slang or improper English regardless of race. I really really don't like how the supporters of "Black language", AAE, and African American Vernacular English have made the issue of students speaking improper English in school a black kid's problem. As I said, this problem is not specific to black children it is present in almost all low socioeconomic status students.
ReplyDeleteBeing an English Education major, I truly enjoyed this article. I work with 5th grade right now and it is amazing how many students can't speak well. I understand and agree with the author that it is a cultural thing. However, I am learning it is also a technology thing as well. Students get so used to texting everything and not verbalizing well. Also, they text in short text..i.e. K,idk,lol,etc. I think that it is great that they are teaching the children more so about their culture and making ebonics its "own language". I don't however, like how it is made into more of a race thing. I have to agree with Diana, it is not only the African American children that have this problem. There are several children of all races and also children who have been enveloped by technology as well.
ReplyDeleteI think what this author has examined is a really good idea. It's great that these teachers aren't trying to put these kids down for how they were taught to speak, but teaching them the proper way to speak is also a necessity, having the next generation grow up and not knowing the proper way to speak English is going to be detrimental to the society. I don't think kids should be punished for how they were taught to speak, it's not their fault for learning that way, so I think it's great that the teachers are trying to incorporate their natural dialect with proper English. Not everyone does know how to speak proper English, and that does show that the school systems seem to fail in some part. I think when a person doesn't have any clue HOW to speak proper English, it does make them sound less professional and under-educated.
ReplyDeleteIf Ebonics is the language kids learn in their homes then children should not feel like they are put down by teachers. Language, thoughts, and values that are learned at home should be respected because whatever one learns at home becomes part of one’s culture. An effective way to teach new beliefs to someone is not by negating that his/her belief are wrong but to help understand new ones. I really like and respect the SEP program approach.
ReplyDeleteBecause children are a product of their individual environments it is only natural for them to speak what they hear or imitate a dialect. However, in my opinion school is school and home is home. What the child picks up at home is not a substitute for what should be used at school. I do not agree that the dialect should be accepted in education. What is proper is and what is not should be wrong or what are you learning? I have to wonder if Secret talks about empowerment related to success in academics or if this is simply a race thing once again. It seems the more and more you read about AAE and the dialect the more you hear about racism. This seems to be the only solid common ground the entire argument shares which to me has nothing to do with the English language. There are different ways to reinforce positive behavior and empower children without accepting a dialect that is not recognized legitimately throughout society.
ReplyDeleteThe school should focus more on English because that's the common language but they should also focus on Ebonics because the children need to know about the past even if your black or white.
ReplyDeleteIt was good to see that the school would help the students learn about English, and not putting them down about how they talk at the same time. I think it's a great idea to teach the students to overpronounciate. I think the school should put it's main focus on teaching English, after all, that is the language we speak in America.
ReplyDeleteI think English and Ebonics are both languages that are picked up at home and school. I also think that both languages should be embraced because children are products of there environment and whatever they hear and what they use.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice that teaching facilities are adopting a way of teaching in order to equal the playing field for all students. Seeing that there are many people who use Ebonics, it is about time that it is seen as an alternate language. Teaching students in a way that enifits them is always a good thing.
ReplyDeleteAllow schools to teach students how to speak ebonics as a language is outrageous. Kids speak ebonics, because they have grown up around people that was uneducated and ignorant. I feel that the school shouldn't encourage students using ebonics, because it's as if they're having double standard's, because the teachers are going to teach the students the proper way to talk and then they teach them the opposite. I feel it's a waste of money for the schools to actually take the time out to teach kids how to use incorrect grammar.
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DeleteI don't agree with what the school is teaching. I think that Ebonics is not a real language and should not be approached as one. If any of these students tried to make it in a professional career and talked in Ebonics, they would not get very far. Standard English shouldn't be taught as a secondary language. It is our language.
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DeleteI think it's a great idea to teach the students to overpronounciate. I think the school should put it's main focus on teaching English, after all, that is the language we speak in America.The school should focus more on English because that's the common language but they should also focus on Ebonics because the children need to know about the past even if your black or white.
ReplyDeleteForeign language study