In the article "Acknowledging the Language of African American Students: Instructional Strategies" by Sharroky Hollie he discusses how the American School System must search for a way to teach African American students in a way that will help to make them successful. He discusses six instructional approaches to help these students become proficient at speaking and writing Standard English while allowing them to achieve greater academic success. These six ways are to build the understanding and attitude of the teachers teaching these students, integrate linguistic knowledge of these other languages into learning, using the second language acquisition to support school language, employ a balanced approach that includes phonics, design instruction around strengths of these students, and use their culture to help teach them (54-55). He goes on to explain how these strategies can help teach an AAL speaker to learn Standard English by acknowledging the differences in the two.
It seems that Hollie is trying to say that it is very possible for AAL speakers to be academically successful as long as we acknowledge that they do speak a different language and we find ways to teach them through what they already know. African Americans have been labeled as bad students for years because no one took the time to find out the best way to teach them. Hollie discusses research done by Orlando Taylor in which Taylor compares two groups of African American Students. One group was taught in a traditional setting while the other was taught using what he calls the "non-standard language awareness approach." Over the course of the study the second group of students actually reduced their use of AAL in writing by 59% and the first group surprisingly increased their AAL use by 8.5% (57). With such a huge difference in the result of each group of students it is easy to see that by acknowledging the fact that these students do not use Standard English as a first option will dramatically increase their ability to become better students. It seems that once teachers are able to accept AAL as a rule governed, natural language, they are able to help these students more. By respecting AAL as a language, it gives students the belief that they can handle learning Standard English as well. Hollie ends his arguement well, saying, "It is time that other methods of instruction for this failing system be seriously considered" (59).
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Annotated Bibliography
Balester, Valerie M. "The Problem of Method: Striving to See with Multiple Perspectives." College Composition and Communication 52.1 (2000): 129-32.
Balester talks about how it is difficult for use to see other viewpoints since we have been so narrow minded for so long. She agrees that we need to work at seeing more perspectives but recognizes how difficult that may be. She herself tried to study African American students and work to understand them although it was very difficult to do. By avoiding looking at these students as basic or alien, she was able to take a look through their eyes. Even scholars why speak AAVE find it hard to accept it by saying they use it and instead may refer to it as slang. She goes on to talk about how AAVE can actually help students to become better writers. She discusses how the features are not a barrier but enhance the writing. It is damaging to ignore the greatness AAVE can bring and we should learn to embrace it and accept it.
Hollie, Sharroky. “Acknowledging the Language of African American Students: Instructional Strategies.” The English Journal 90.4 (2000): 54-59.
Hollie says that African American students continue to fail because they are told their home language is bad language that should not be used. In fact, this language can help a student become a better writer. She discusses a set of six instructional approaches to help teach AAVE speakers Standard English. They include teacher’s building knowledge of non standard languages, integrating that knowledge into instruction, utilizing the second language acquisition, employ a balanced approach of both languages, design instruction around strengths, and infusing their culture into learning. By using these approaches and allowing AAVE in the classroom while still teaching students Standard English, they will become successful learners.
Marback, Roger. "Ebonics: Theorizing in Public Our Attitudes toward Literacy." College Composition and Communication 53.1 (2001): 11-32.
Marback initially discusses how the reaction to the Oakland Ebonics Resolution was immediate and hostile. The CCCC issued a statement shortly after that talked about the negative attitudes toward Ebonics and how teachers will unwilling to adapt their teaching practices to fit Ebonics speakers. He says that we should listen to the critics and evaluate what they are trying to tell us. The Ebonics debate was really about how attitudes of language affect attitudes on social relations. These people believe that it is the students who should want to talk themselves out of poverty and know that it is up to them to overcome their attitudes that isolate them from mainstream America. The article says that students should pride themselves on find ways to perform at the highest academic levels.
Palacas, Arthur L. "Liberating American Ebonics from Euro-English." College English 63.3(2001): 326-52.
Palacas initially discusses the different features of Ebonics such as the use of the “be” verb and the double negative. He goes on to discuss how he has and effective teacher of writing to Ebonics speakers and how he has taught all students to respect Ebonics and therefore, respect its speakers. He says the goal is to relieve the pressures of the stereotype that since they are Ebonics speakers that they are intellectually inferior and this pressure is often self held. He says that once students are liberated of this pressure, they are able to become confident and realize that they are not stupid but just capable of speaking two different ways. This is when students think of Standard English as another language and approach the learning of it more positively.
Balester talks about how it is difficult for use to see other viewpoints since we have been so narrow minded for so long. She agrees that we need to work at seeing more perspectives but recognizes how difficult that may be. She herself tried to study African American students and work to understand them although it was very difficult to do. By avoiding looking at these students as basic or alien, she was able to take a look through their eyes. Even scholars why speak AAVE find it hard to accept it by saying they use it and instead may refer to it as slang. She goes on to talk about how AAVE can actually help students to become better writers. She discusses how the features are not a barrier but enhance the writing. It is damaging to ignore the greatness AAVE can bring and we should learn to embrace it and accept it.
Hollie, Sharroky. “Acknowledging the Language of African American Students: Instructional Strategies.” The English Journal 90.4 (2000): 54-59.
Hollie says that African American students continue to fail because they are told their home language is bad language that should not be used. In fact, this language can help a student become a better writer. She discusses a set of six instructional approaches to help teach AAVE speakers Standard English. They include teacher’s building knowledge of non standard languages, integrating that knowledge into instruction, utilizing the second language acquisition, employ a balanced approach of both languages, design instruction around strengths, and infusing their culture into learning. By using these approaches and allowing AAVE in the classroom while still teaching students Standard English, they will become successful learners.
Marback, Roger. "Ebonics: Theorizing in Public Our Attitudes toward Literacy." College Composition and Communication 53.1 (2001): 11-32.
Marback initially discusses how the reaction to the Oakland Ebonics Resolution was immediate and hostile. The CCCC issued a statement shortly after that talked about the negative attitudes toward Ebonics and how teachers will unwilling to adapt their teaching practices to fit Ebonics speakers. He says that we should listen to the critics and evaluate what they are trying to tell us. The Ebonics debate was really about how attitudes of language affect attitudes on social relations. These people believe that it is the students who should want to talk themselves out of poverty and know that it is up to them to overcome their attitudes that isolate them from mainstream America. The article says that students should pride themselves on find ways to perform at the highest academic levels.
Palacas, Arthur L. "Liberating American Ebonics from Euro-English." College English 63.3(2001): 326-52.
Palacas initially discusses the different features of Ebonics such as the use of the “be” verb and the double negative. He goes on to discuss how he has and effective teacher of writing to Ebonics speakers and how he has taught all students to respect Ebonics and therefore, respect its speakers. He says the goal is to relieve the pressures of the stereotype that since they are Ebonics speakers that they are intellectually inferior and this pressure is often self held. He says that once students are liberated of this pressure, they are able to become confident and realize that they are not stupid but just capable of speaking two different ways. This is when students think of Standard English as another language and approach the learning of it more positively.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
DW 3a
In P.A. Ramsey's "Teaching the Teachers to Teach Black-Dialect Writers," he discusses his experience teaching a class of grad students how to teach these black dialect speakers to write well. The class was focused around discussing and analyzing articles written by scholars on the topic and papers written by black dialect speakers. Ramsey and his students quickly realized that there are many theories on how best to teach these black dialect speakers and they varied greatly. The interesting part about this class Ramsey taught was that the discussion always went from "teaching writing to dialect speakers" to "teaching writing." They realized there was a bigger problem than just the dialect speakers. In fact, how do you effectively teach writing to any student. The fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter if your grammar is correct if you cannot realize exactly how you are supposed to organize what you are writing so that it come off as logical and clear. He also goes on to say that the only way to teach a black dialect speaker standard english is if they are willing to do so and want to do so.
I find it very interesting that the problem is actually teaching writing and not teaching writing to black dialect speakers. I think it is a wonderful idea, that if a student who speaks any dialect can learn how to formulate paragraphs and organize a paper, then they can become a great writer. I agree with Ramsey's view when he talks about what is really the important part of a paper. Since Ramsey is seen as a bridge in the dialect gap where he teaches, his collegues often come to him with papers that they claim have dialect problems. However it is not the dialect problems that are the problem, but as he says "Most of the time the paper is indeed poorly written, but the problem is usually that the student simply does not know how to write a paper"(200). There is nothing in this paper by Ramsey that says a black dialect speaker cannot learn to write effectively. Teachers just have to be open to they way they do write and as they become more confident in what they are writing, then the papers will in fact begin to make more sense to the reader.
I think this paper offers a great way to teach not only black dialect speakers but any speakers of any dialect of english, including Standard English. I've always though it isn't how you write but what you write that matters in a paper and Ramsey backs that up. The grammatical stuff isn't the problem if you cannot effectively organize your thoughts. Teachers will always find it difficult to help a student who does not speak their dialect but if they teach what they know the student will catch on and become a better writer. Other dialect speakers do not necessarily need to be taught differently but they, like all writers, need to be shown ways to become confident in their writing. Ramsey had one last thought about teaching writing and it just about sums up the whole idea. He said, "for I learned that one of the worst things that can happen to either students or teachers is for teachers to be too blind or too afraid to teach what they know"(201).
I find it very interesting that the problem is actually teaching writing and not teaching writing to black dialect speakers. I think it is a wonderful idea, that if a student who speaks any dialect can learn how to formulate paragraphs and organize a paper, then they can become a great writer. I agree with Ramsey's view when he talks about what is really the important part of a paper. Since Ramsey is seen as a bridge in the dialect gap where he teaches, his collegues often come to him with papers that they claim have dialect problems. However it is not the dialect problems that are the problem, but as he says "Most of the time the paper is indeed poorly written, but the problem is usually that the student simply does not know how to write a paper"(200). There is nothing in this paper by Ramsey that says a black dialect speaker cannot learn to write effectively. Teachers just have to be open to they way they do write and as they become more confident in what they are writing, then the papers will in fact begin to make more sense to the reader.
I think this paper offers a great way to teach not only black dialect speakers but any speakers of any dialect of english, including Standard English. I've always though it isn't how you write but what you write that matters in a paper and Ramsey backs that up. The grammatical stuff isn't the problem if you cannot effectively organize your thoughts. Teachers will always find it difficult to help a student who does not speak their dialect but if they teach what they know the student will catch on and become a better writer. Other dialect speakers do not necessarily need to be taught differently but they, like all writers, need to be shown ways to become confident in their writing. Ramsey had one last thought about teaching writing and it just about sums up the whole idea. He said, "for I learned that one of the worst things that can happen to either students or teachers is for teachers to be too blind or too afraid to teach what they know"(201).
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