Dialects in the Classroom

While we stress the equal value of all dialects, we all know that within the US some forms of language are more highly valued by society than others (linguists say they have overt prestige).  People usually call this Standard English, but as noted above, here we will call it Classroom English, because school is one of the places where standardization pressures apply. While many people believe that Classroom English means speaking without an accent, it can actually be described as a specific set of linguistic features – a dialect of its own. For example, below identify the example written in Classroom English:

1. I ain’t done nothing today.

2. I haven’t done anything today.

Often teachers, parents, and other authority figures identify what is wrong or bad about (1), instead of sharing with children what is different between (1) and (2). If we want students to say the Classroom English version of this sentence, we must share with them what those features are, rather than what they aren’t. One way to do this is as follows:

With friends or family, you might say “I ain’t done nothing,” but in the classroom we say 

“I haven’t done anything.” 

In this example, the teacher (a) identifies the difference between Playground English and Classroom English, (b) code switches it for the student, providing a model for them to do this, and (c) retains a neutral tone about this difference instead of identifying the child’s native dialect as bad or wrong. 

While this example demonstrates a way that variation can be subject to overt negative judgments, many forms of linguistic variation are viewed less negatively – one way of showing students that variation can and should be celebrated is to share those examples with them, to provide some framing for how common variation is. For example:

What do you call a sweetened, carbonated beverage?

(Throughout the US you might hear pop, soda, or coke; in New Orleans you 

might also hear cold drink. None of these is more or less correct than the other)

How do you pronounce pecan and praline?

(In some parts of the US this might be pronounced as PEE-can and PRAY-leen. 

In New Orleans, it is more likely to be pronounced puh-CAWN and PRAH-leen; 

but you may find that even in your classroom there is variation in these words!)

As a teacher of young children, you have the opportunity to reframe their understanding of variation, and to take pride in their native dialect (and to value the native dialects of other students!) while also understanding the value of Classroom English. You can also learn to recognize when certain errors in your students’ reading and writing derive from their native dialect, and provide them with the support to spot these challenges and overcome them.