Dieses Essay beschäftigt sich mit der Problematik der Achievement Gap zwischen weißen und schwarzen Amerikaner*innen, hervorgerufen durch die Bevorzugung von Standard English gegenüber African-American English. Es werden die Probleme, welche damit einhergehen erläutert, der Ursprung des Problems und mögliche Lösungsansätze.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the Integration of African American English
2. The Achievement Gap and Systemic Challenges
3. Educational Strategies and Code-Switching
4. Cultural Awareness and Curricular Evolution
5. Assessment Adaptation and Future Outlook
Objectives and Topics
This work explores the necessity of integrating African American English (AAE) into the educational system to combat systemic biases and address the achievement gap between black and white students. It examines pedagogical approaches that validate student linguistic identity while facilitating proficiency in Standard English.
- The sociolinguistic validity of African American English
- Strategies for teaching code-switching in the classroom
- Addressing the academic achievement gap through culturally responsive pedagogy
- The role of cultural awareness in challenging the "Standard Language Ideology"
- Reforming assessment methods to accommodate linguistic diversity
Excerpt from the Book
How to Integrate African American English into the Classroom
‘We affirm the students’ right to their own patterns and varieties of language-the dialects of their nurture or whatever dialects in which they find their own identity and style.’ (Butler 1974)
In 1974 the National Council of Teachers of English and the Conference on College Composition and Communication published a resolution called ‘Students’ Right to Their Own Language’. The quote above was extracted from the SRTOL. It promises students from every minority that their heritage would be appreciated and diversity would be embraced in the American classroom. (Turner and Ives 2013: 288-289) However, the average grade of African-American children in California is a D+, they account for 64% of those who have to repeat a class and 84% of black teenagers are insufficiently prepared for college (Mordaunt 2011: 81-82). These numbers represent the achievement gap between black and white students and they are the result of a school system that is designed for white Americans. Standardised tests favour those who speak Standard English (SE) and discriminate students who speak African American English (AAE). (Mordaunt 2011: 85). As black children are raised speaking AAE to their relatives and friends, they cannot often express themselves in SE as eloquently as they would in AAE. Consequently, they are perceived as retarded (Mordaunt 2011: 83) and their true potential remains undiscovered (Mordaunt 2011: 81). The core of this problem is systematic racism. To counter discrimination against AAE speakers, there is a need for three major changes in the educational system. Firstly, all students need to learn the skill of code-switching, thus they need to be able to switch to Standard English in situations that require formal language. Secondly, students need to learn about the history and the value of AAE so they can take account of the grammar when seeing it in tests.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to the Integration of African American English: This chapter introduces the historical resolution of the students' right to their own language and highlights the persistent achievement gap for African American students.
2. The Achievement Gap and Systemic Challenges: This section analyzes how systemic racism and the preference for Standard English in testing environments contribute to the marginalization of AAE speakers.
3. Educational Strategies and Code-Switching: This chapter outlines the necessity of teaching code-switching as a linguistic skill to bridge the gap between home vernacular and formal academic requirements.
4. Cultural Awareness and Curricular Evolution: This section discusses the integration of 'culturally responsive pedagogy' and the need to challenge the Standard Language Ideology to create an inclusive environment.
5. Assessment Adaptation and Future Outlook: This chapter suggests that adapting evaluation criteria and fostering cultural awareness is essential for the long-term academic success of AAE-speaking students.
Keywords
African American English, AAE, Standard English, SE, Code-switching, Achievement gap, Culturally responsive pedagogy, Students' Right to Their Own Language, SRTOL, Standard Language Ideology, Linguistic diversity, Educational reform, Dialect, Inclusion, Systematic racism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work focuses on the pedagogical and societal necessity of integrating African American English into the American educational system to support minority students.
What are the central themes discussed?
Central themes include linguistic identity, the impact of the Standard Language Ideology, the academic achievement gap, and practical classroom code-switching strategies.
What is the central research objective?
The objective is to argue for a more inclusive educational approach that respects AAE while helping students achieve fluency in Standard English for formal contexts.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The work employs a sociolinguistic analysis, drawing upon academic literature and policy resolutions to evaluate the current state of classroom language instruction.
What key topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the history of AAE, the failure of current testing systems, specific classroom techniques like contrastive analysis, and the cultural necessity of linguistic acceptance.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include code-switching, achievement gap, AAE, Standard Language Ideology, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
How does the author view the 'Standard Language Ideology'?
The author views it as a harmful construct that validates upper-middle-class speech while unfairly devaluing other dialects, contributing to systemic oppression.
Why is the concept of 'code-switching' considered essential?
It is presented as a vital tool that allows students to navigate diverse social and professional environments without sacrificing their original linguistic identity.
What solution is proposed for the achievement gap in testing?
The text suggests adapting evaluation criteria to be more diversity-embracing and ensuring that student proficiency in AAE is not mistakenly equated with a lack of intellectual capability.
- Citar trabajo
- Joelle Schmidt (Autor), 2022, How to Integrate African American English into the Classroom, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1180223
