Sociocultural Precept: Language Marc Cody

1. Sociocultural Precept: Language Marc Cody

2. While the categorization of groups based on characteristics such as race or gender is a familiar concept, language is an often overlooked criterion by which people are marginalized in America and the American education system

3. African American Vernacular English, or “Black English” as it is sometimes called, is a dialect whose use can reflect negatively on its speakers and cause problems in schools Linguistic Discrimination in School African American English

4. BILLINGS (2005) CONDUCTED A STUDY IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS “DETERMINED HOW STANDARD AMERICAN ENGLISH AND BLACK ENGLISH WERE PERCEIVED ON 20 CREDIBILITY MEASURES” (P. 68).WHEN BLACK ENGLISH WAS USED, RATINGS DROPPED IN THE AREAS OF • Intelligence • Articulation • Aggression • Education • Qualification

5. ELL (English Language Learners), or ESL (English as a Second Language) students often face difficulty because of their linguistic differences. Verdugo & Flores (2007) note in their analysis of Romo & Falbo (1996) that “nonminority teachers tend to hold low academic expectations for minority and ELL students, which then have powerful effects on their academic performance” (p. 176).

6. This graph perhaps explains some of the “stigma” that Talmy (2009) refers to as he explores the negativity with which high school ESL students are regarded. • He examines comments made by a high school ESL teacher that imply the students are: • “just sitting there” • “not doing work” • “not following instructions” • “behaving disrespectfully” • “acting dumb” • (p. 243)

7. Salazar (2008) writes that a school’s “dehumanizing practices can potentially stifle the academic and social possibilities of learners” (p. 343). She cites Nieto (2002) who “asserts that educators often attribute the achievement gap to cultural differences; however, focusing on cultural differences often negates the dismal conditions of education that perpetuate inequality” (p. 344).

8. Cahnmann & Varghese (2005) look at how bilingual teachers at Miller Elementary faced discrimination in the form of anonymous hatemail that identified them as “spics” (p. 65). A Cuban-American teacher said of the experience, “I really can’t describe what effect it had on me. I went from being angry, to having nothing but pity for the anonymous author, to being truly afraid for the minority children at Miller who could be exposed to this type of message”(p. 65).

9. ESL Classroom and Cultural Sensitivity Considerations for teaching in an ESL classroom without prejudice

10. An overview of language discrimination rights from the ACLU Court cases dealing with language discrimination

11. REFERENCESImages and Websites • Slide 1 - http://swam2day.com/?tag=crestwood • Slide 2 - http://colleges.ksu.edu.sa/Languages/Pages/Research.aspx • Slide 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWIbIA9BltQ • Slide 5 –http://forthefirstime.wordpress.com/2008/11 • Slide 6 –http://pewresearch.org/pubs/499/english-language-learners • Slide 7 – http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects05/be/timeline.html • Slide 8 – http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects05/be/needforbe.html • Slide 9 - http://www.esl-lesson-plan.com/archives/2005/12/esl_textbook_re_1.php • Slide 10 - http://www.aclunc.org/library/publications/asset_upload_file489_3538.pdfhttps://pantherfile.uwm.edu/downing/www/course/350192/discrimination.html

12. ReferencesArticles Billings, A.C. (2005). Beyond the Ebonics debate: Attitudes about black and standard American English. Journal of Black Studies, 36 (1), 68-81. Cahnmann, M. & Varghese, M.M. (2005). Critical advocacy and bilingual education in the United States. Linguistics and Education, 16, 59-73. Talmy, S. (2009). A very important lesson: Respect and the socialization of order(s) in high school ESL. Linguistics and Education, 20, 235-253. Verdugo, R.R. & Flores, B. (2007) English-language learners: Key issues. Education and Urban Society, 39 (2), 167-193.