eng 313 research presentation

8/14/2019 ENG 313 Research Presentation

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Linguistic

Variance intheClassroom

A Presentation by Emily Mullins


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Language variety does not correlate with intelligence orcompetence.

Stereotypical associations of certain varieties of Englishwith professional and intellectual competence.

One linguistic myth nearly universally attached to allminorities, rural people, the less well-educated, and even

the well-educated of some regional varieties is that somevarieties of language are not as good as others.

Some varieties of a language are more standard than

others. This is selected through purely social processes.

Language Variety vs. Intelligence andCompetence


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Regional Differences

Each region has its own social stratification.

Every area has a share of both standard and

nonstandard speakers.

Theres a widespread belief that in the USsome regional varieties are more standard than

others and some are far from standard (i.e. the

South and NY)

The evidence of this belief stems from what

real people believe about language.


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o You Speak American?Mean scores of therankings for correct

English of the fiftystates by south-

eastern Michigan

respondents (1=worst

English; 10=best

English)

Apparently

Michiganders think

very highly of

ourselves in terms of

language and definitely


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Dialect Areas

To the right a hand

drawn map of a

Michigan

respondents idea of

the dialect areas of

the US

What is normal then?

Who decides?

Boundaries Labels i.e. Hillbillies

Linguisticdesignations: drawl,

twang, slang, speed


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Linguistic Insecurity

Above: Mean scores of

the rankings for

correct English by

Alabama students

Southerners

suffer from

linguistic security

They do not rate

themselves at

the top of the

heap as

Michiganders do

Associate

correct English

with some official


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Pleasant English

Above: Mean scores of

the rankings for

pleasant English by

Alabama students

Alabamastudents find

theirs the most

pleasant

Less friendly

aspects of

speech as move

North

Both find NYC

the least

pleasant


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Confirming the Myth

Respondents all over the US confirm the myththat some regions speak better English than

others, and the South and NYC are always

implicated as being at the bottom of the pile.

Stereotypes continue to remain embedded in our

culture and in the classroom.

Linguistic insecurity in the classroom

Belief in superiority or inferiority of different

varieties


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Dennis Preston Distinguished Professor of Linguistics

Co-director of the 1990 TESOL Institute

President of American Dialect Society

His work focuses on sociolinguistics, dialectology,and ethnography, and minority language andvariety education

Revitalization of folk linguistics and perceptual

dialectology

Published in multiple books focusing on regionaldifferences


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Preston Interview EM: How do we show students we value their

language, although it may not be as standardas others?

DP: Two principle ways--One: Languages

always change (ex. Axe, ask, axion). Standardlanguage is not logical. Like mathematical

logic, non standard forms still have logic to

them. Two: Show people that nonstandard

languages are structures and if it is

nonstandard, that doesnt mean it is a breaking

of these rules. All language varieties have rules

and they are each systematic. They know what


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Interview Cont.

EM: Do you have advice for teachers (how toapproach dialects, ebonics, AAV, etc)?

DP: You have to know something about them.So do the research and know your targetaudience. Like its a really cool idea that if you

teach math, you should know math. You want

to know their history, the major constructions,

etc. Also, you could always hang out with

linguists. :)


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Interview Cont. EM: Why do we think the belief that some

languages are better than others preoccupies

Americans? How does one speak American?

DP: One, prejudice, sexism, racism, any of the-isms really. I am this and I have this dialect

therefore others are bad, we show that their

language isnt worth much either. Theres a

serious devaluing of people. The language itselfisnt ugly. Nonstandard languages are devalued

because of the people. Two, language is an

ideology. Linguistic prejudices exist because

people believe in the stereotypical connotations


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Thank you Dennis!Dennis wants to remindteachers to remind

students that ourlanguage expresses out

identity and reflects who

we are and who we want

to be. Language is not

something to be ashamed

of but something to

embrace and to be proudof. If you speak a different

dialect, you can know just

as much about the

En lish lan ua e as the


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Code SwitchingPeople who code switch (regularly mixing words

or phrases from more than one language withinsentences) are thought to be unable to speak the

languages very well. (Usually the opposite is

true.)

Is code switching then okay in the classroom, oris it bad practice?

Can you distinguish instances where speakersshift speech styles between AAV and Standard

English?

Why might a speaker employ one style rather


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International Students: Dr.Matsuda

Often stigmatized for being differentAlways should maintain 1st language-directly

associated with learning 2nd language

Identify those with language needs early on. In-classdiagnostic writing. I want to know what your writinglooks like.

Be sensitive to student identity positioning. Is itpatronizing to ask them to write about their home or

first language? Is their home here now?

Use multiple modes of classroom communication

Free writing before speak, wait time, multiple


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Debriefing Questions Should there be a standard for writing in classes vs.

standards for speech?

Is the way the teacher speaks, the way all the students

should speak?

Do minority students feel marginalized by the use of astandard vernacular?

Should you change the way you speak as a teacher to

reinforce the importance of linguistic variation instudents or simply accept other dialects? But is not

accepting other dialects a form of monologic

discourse?

Should we teach writing to include other vernaculars?


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Thank you!

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