ACTIVITY 1

Listen to ‘Why Chaucer said ax instead of ask and why some still do’ and answer the following questions:

1.  How long has ‘ax’ been a common pronunciation?

2.  What are some negative stereotypes linked to this pronunciations?

3.  How can you explain to students the ‘story of ax’ while also describing the difference between Classroom English/Playground English pronunciations of this word in a neutral, nonjudgmental manner?

ACTIVITY 2

Watch ‘Talking Black in America’, available on YouTube, and work through the discussion guide made by the producers. The film presents information about African American English from the perspective of linguists, historians, and speakers themselves.