Blog 2

Synthesis of the Two Articles

Key Issues:

△ African American children do not do as well as white and other minority children due to dialectal differences between Standard English of the public school and the children’s home dialect or Ebonics.

△ There is a difference between voluntary and involuntary minorities. Voluntary minorities are positive about learning Standard English because they feel it will give them better opportunities. Involuntary minorities are negative about learning Standard English because they see themselves as a lower social/economic status than middle-class white Americans. They also have a negative impression of their schools and relate their inferior education to discrimination. This in turn leads them to distrust teachers and their curriculum.

△ Involuntary minorities like the African American speech community in Lafayette have collective identities that are in opposition to Standard English and feel they would have to give up their home dialect to learn it.

△ There could be misunderstandings between dialects. Slang English may sound harsh or rude to people who use more of a Standard English and the latter may sound too formal and not the type of language that is used in everyday speech to the former.

△ Some speakers of other dialects think that Standard English is the language of white people and that they grew up learning that language.

△ Students may not be getting support for learning Standard English from their parents and the speech communities they are a part of. And using Standard English in their speech communities might be frowned upon.   

The readings show us that both teachers, parents and students need to be better informed of dialectical differences and how their beliefs have an impact on education. Teachers can build trust with their involuntary minority students by showing them that they believe in them academically. Educators need to be culturally sensitive and realize that involuntary minority students feel learning Standard English is a treat to their collective identity. Teachers can debunk the myth that all white people grow up learning Standard English and explain to students that Standard/Academic English needs to be acquired by all speakers of other dialects. Teachers can also show their students that there is a time and place for both dialects of English. Educators need to understand that involuntary minorities feel both parental/peer pressure in regards to learning Standard English. Teachers can open up communication with parents and try to help them recognize the incompatible beliefs about Standard English. How can we as educators bridge the gap between speakers of different dialects to ensure that involuntary minorities have a better chance at acquiring Standard English and being successful in school?