Hi, I'm Ashley McGillis and my blog post is going to be about turning AAE speakers into effective SWE writers.
According to the article, SWE stands for Standard Written English. SWE has been hard to learn by AAE speakers. AAE speakers need to work harder to accomplish SWE because they need to read carefully, write frequently, study different models of writing and collaborate with peers and teachers. Within the article, 5 contrasting approaches to teaching AAE speakers SWE are given. There is the Traditional Approach, the Second Dialect Approach, the Dialect Awareness Approach, the Culturally Appropriate Approach and the Bridge Approach.
The Traditional Approach:
The Traditional Approach uses explicit instruction and immediate feedback. It is said that AAE students benefit from practice and complete immersion in the language. The article notes that it is important that teachers do not point out every grammatical error while the AAE student is writing or speaking. The student is more like to do bad on reading comprehension tests. While the teacher is preoccupied with SWE errors, they often find themselves doing too much correcting and drilling.
The Second Dialect Approach
ESD is known as English as a Second Dialect. Using the ESD approach helps AAE speakers develop the metalinguistic awareness they need to decifer between the use of AAE and SWE. Teachers are encouraged to use error analysis, code-switching practice and contrastive analysis. By using these, teachers are able to give each student the instruction he/she needs based on their specific needs. Although the ESD approach is very useful and beneficial, it can be viewed as time consuming and may send negative messages about AAE and SWE.
The Dialect Awareness Approach
The Dialect Awareness Approach is able to help all students create positive attitudes about all languages. It teaches them positive ideas about diversity, and different cultures. This is a good approach in the sense that it does not focus directly on AAE or SWE. This approach invites all languages and encourages the students' to truly know their language so they can view other languages. This process needs more research to prove if a student's dialect awareness has any influence on them successfully achieving SWE.
The Culturally Appropriate Approach
CAT (Culturally Appropriate Approach) is able to help AAE students to write in SWE. This is done by positioning the students in the African American tradition of literacy. Some of these are known as " Afrocentric" or "African-Centered". The students were able to read African American texts, and also write about them. The teachers are able to infuse the curriculum with an Afrocentric content. The students are centered inside history, culture, science so they don't feel like outsiders in subjects.
The Bridge Approach
The Bridge Approach allows the students to focus on SWE at the end of their composing process. By doing this, the students are able to focus more on the task at hand, rather than if their Standard Writing English is perfected. The student is allowed to compose the paper, and then go back to find SWE mistakes. Teachers often use workshops to help students find errors they missed. If a student is constantly focused on SWE, they will end up not focusing on other important issues such as the formulating a thesis, synthesizing information etc.
The 5 approaches described here offer writing teachers different choices of teaching SWE to AAE writers. From the Traditional Approach replacing AAE with SWE to the Bridge Approach adopts AAE to learn SWE. The Traditional and Second Dialect Approaches rely heavily on grammar drills, and the Dialect Awareness and Bridge Approaches do not. Research suggests there is no "one-size-fits-all" pedagogy for teaching SWE, and teachers should be careful in their choice of methods. "Different strokes will work for different folks". It is important to find the right method for the right student.
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21 comments:
I wasn't aware AAE speakers had such a hard time with SWE writing. I speak in "Southern Illinois Hillbilly" language but I don't write in it. I'm from Texas so I say "Ya'll" but you won't see it written in any of my papers. I speak differently than I write and I just assumed everyone else did too, but this article says otherwise. I'm glad there are 5 different approaches to teaching SWE writing because everyone learns in different ways, so maybe the student will find an approach that works for him/her. I like the Dialect Awareness and Bridge Approaches because they can allow you to show the student the mistake and focus on the work without the drills. A teacher should watch the reactions of the student. As a teacher you don't want to discourage or turn the student off to the subject because he/she may not come to you for help anymore.
It's important that student's are given options so that they figure out the ways that they learn best. Everyone learns differently and this is why I don't understand standardized testing; because not everyone learns the same way. Reading through these writing techniques, I think that The Bridge Approach is the best approach because it allows the writer to free write and fix their mistakes later. However, just because this seems like the approach that is right for me, is doesn't mean that it is the right approach for everyone.
I feel like a big piece that is missing is the fact that teachers will only be monitoring a child's language for a few hours a day. By the time a student has arrived in a teacher's class, their speech patterns have already been established. Standardized testing and all encompassing rubrics are the kind of roadblocks that only make matters worse. It is hard to separate the spoken dialect from the written language, especially with children.
Children learn AAE at an early age and then, when they get to the classroom and are expected to use SWE are placed at a disadvantage. While AAE is a dialect of English, it is very different from SWE. It is so different that it would be almost like having to learn a new language because AAE and SWE rules are very different. Teachers have the responsibility of helping students to learn these rules and help them to understand how to apply those rules to their writing as well as their speech. Each of the five approaches seem to be good strategies in teaching AAE speakers how to speak and write in SWE.
I never knew how are it was to not write in the way you talk. I understand that when first learning to write papers in school it may be difficult. Word choice, grammar,and punctuation, can be difficult for any person to learn. I like that there are several ways to help AAE speakers in their writing skills. I personally feel that some of the ways may not work as well with others. I also think that these approaches can be used with any dialect and in any classroom. It is best that teachers do realize that AAE speakers as well as all students who speak with dialects do not write in their dialect in professional papers. As a future teacher I will that into account these approaches and hopefully find the one that works best for my students.
I never realized it was such a learning curve for AAE speakers to write in SWE. I suppose I just assumed that since they spoke a dialect of English it wasn't difficult to write in SWE. Now that I think about it I can imagine it is hard for some AAE speakers to conform to a way of writing that is so different from their way of speaking.
I thought the "Bridge Approach" would be the most beneficial to AAE speakers. By using this approach they could focus on the assignment and not become to flustered with grammatical errors that were taking place in the process of their assignment.
I never realized how different AAE and SWE are. I feel that although AAE and SWE are very different, students who speak in AAE should realize it does not belong in their writings. However, it takes time for students to realize this. That is where the teachers and the five approaches come in. I feel that the Bridge Approach would be best for teaching students how to write in SWE. I feel that by letting a student express themselves freely and then going back and seeing what he or she did wrong is the best way for a student to learn. It will allow the student to gain a better understanding of his or her writing and of SWE.
I prefer addressing this article through a subjective rather than objective lense. Being that I'm an African American, it saddens me to see that "America" prefers that we speak the "American way." Not only does these "appraches," defame the African American Culture, it also suggests that anything/anyone correlated to Afican American is inappropriate or negative. Referring to the "Dialect Awareness Approach," this section is emphasized to creating positive attitudes and language for AAE students. Whose to say that OUR language is solely negative? But, outside from that perspective (I tend to go on tangents), I accept the overall Approach SWE attempts for AAE students. Techniques such as "culturally appropriate approach" tend to be more beneficial. Students learn best when possessing keen interest within the subject.Quite frankly, restrictions English or the school system have on students, truly hinders our entire SELVES. Can anyone please tell me,"WHAT IS STANDARD ENGLISH?!"
If it were up to me to choose my method of teaching SWE I would choose the traditional approach. My favorite part of this method is the complete emersion. I truly think that is the best way to accomplish anything, and of course, retain the information. Although, the traditional approach is what I would elect to use in my classroom there is nothing wrong with incorporating other ideas in as well. Being a great teacher includes changing styles, and being flexible when the students are not grasping the information. The problem with the traditional approach is that even if you can emerge the student into SWE they go right back to speaking AAE; in return they diminish the progress they made in SWE.
I like the different approaches that can be used to teach AAE speakers how to write in SWE. Many cultures speak using slang and this is okay, but when a student is writing he or she must know how to speak in SWE. This can be hard to do for many AAE speakers if this is not corrected early in their education. I really like the CAT approach because it allows the student to focus on SWE at the end of the composition process. This allows the student to write and express himself without being so concerned about SWE. When I think to hard about making mistakes I usually do. This is the same for students. Allow them to write and then they can go back and make corrections.
I agree with some of the other posts that I've read. I believe it is dependant upon the idividual as to the style and learning typed best used. I also lean toward the bridge approach as my first preference of teaching SWE to anyone, not just AAE writers.
I really don't know which approach would help students the most. I find it difficult to make judgments about this topic because I have never learned SWE as a second dialect/language, and have never helped or taught anyone to do so, either. One thing that I did think about was that, while methods like this "bridge approach" may work in the classroom, and help some students, I don't know if they would allow a student to succeed in (groan) standardized writing tests, or even essay questions in a history or science class. If an AAE speaker needs time to free-write, check for errors, self-correct or collaborate, and then translate if necessary, they may not have time to finish a test.
Although I bring up this point, I do not have a solution.
Also, I do echo...what IS Standard English, really? Many of you write about how to correct speech in the classroom; I think I have a view of our generation as deeply questioning standards of "correctness" and constantly drawing up "sensitivity". Perhaps this is mistaken.
I am confused.
I think that the Bridge Approach is the best one also. I think that it is more important for someone to be able to write and understand what you are teaching him/her than it is for you to grade hard on grammar. Grammar is something that you can go back and correct later on. That's how I write my papers. I start by just writing and concentrate on my content/length. Then I go back through and check for grammar and punctuation. Everyone learns differently and teachers need to be ale to accommodate those different kinds so that they can help all of their students.
I agree about the AAE being similar to ESL. I think everyone in the world has a different variation of speaking and we all learn the correct way as we attend school. As a future educator I hope to teach others who wish to leran and live here to feel comfortable with their speaking. I would try my best tto work with the student at any time and try to have them practice alot with me in order to sort of "memorize" the way things are correctly said.
I think it is especially hard when kids are taught how to write and speak a certain way at school, but when they get home they hear their friends and family speaking in a different way or dialect; which can be confusing being conditioned to speak two different ways.
All the methods for teaching SWE can be effective, but teachers should be flexible- everyone learns in their own way and should not be penalized for doing so.
When AAE speakers are trying to learn SWE, or any person is trying to learn a different language that is not native to them is a difficult task. Normally, AAE speakers will associate with other AAE speaking people. They will then communicate in the form which they are most comfortable with: AAE. However, this is not beneficial to someone who is looking to learn SWE and eradicate the AAE tendencies from their tongue. In order to truly learn a language, or a dialect for that matter, one must practice it in all facets of their lives. Reading and writing, as well as speaking in th e desired language/diction will yield greater results.
It's great that there are so many different ways to help AAE speakers learn to write in SWE. Because of the fact that there are so many different types of learners, there needs to be many different types of learning approaches. All of the five described learning approaches sound different enough from eachother that they would really work for a diverse group of students. I really liked the Bridge Approach because it seems pretty straightfoward and sometimes I think that's the best way to approach teaching SWE. If it gets too broad or general or creative in teaching SWE, it can become confusing. But the Bridge Approach sounds like a great SWE teaching strategy.
As a Secondary English majory, and an AAE speaker, I believe that it all depends on the type of education a student is exposed to on a regular basis. If a student spends more time reading and writing for certain classes, and participates actively, their writing will be fine. There are many people who do not speak proper English, and communicate effectively through their writing. And also,depending on the genre of certain material, proper english isn't always used. So, although it is important for students to learn how to write and speak effectively, it is important for students to maintain their identity.
I’m not sure which method I would use if I were a teacher. I think it would depend on the students. I think that every class is different. Students in one area may learn much differently from the students in another area. I think that a child’s parents play a very big role in this matter. As Anna mentioned earlier, a teacher only spends a few hours with a child every day. It is impossible for a teacher to completely transform the way that a child speaks without the encouragement of his or her parents. In order for students to learn to use proper English, educators must find a way to get the parents actively involved.
I agree that a teacher cannot monitor what a child does all of the time. They only have the him/her for six or seven hours and do not what they are allowed to do at home or what they hear from their family members in their household.
AAE is almost being thought of as a foreign language. AAE speakers don't have rules of writing or speaking, they just speak. This is the same way anyone learns to speak a language. The article seems to suggest that AAE speakers are learning to write in the manner they speak. This is not true. I feel that if a student is taught at an early age to write in SWE then there won't be a problem in their writing later on in life. If you don't teach a child how to write in SWE early, whether he/she speaks AAE, SWE, or any other language, then he/she will more than likely write how he or she speaks. I am a person who speaks AAE when I'm with friends and family, but I also know how to write in SWE. The real problem for AAE speakers trying to write in SWE is that the schools in their respective neighborhoods may not focus on grammar consistently throughout the children's academic careers.
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