Annotated Bibliography

School systems should teach Standard English, but there should be a tolerance for different dialects. Teaching the Standard helps students learn that there is nothing wrong with cultural differences, and that all dialects are in some way tied to the Standard.

Hazen, Kirk. "Teaching about Dialects. ERIC Digest." Teaching about Dialects. ERIC Digest. (2009): 1-4. ERIC. ERIC Publications. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. .

This digest not only explores the difficulties in teaching a dialect, but it also looks at the best way to teach about a dialect. The Author, Kirk Hazen, makes the point clear that there is not a superior dialect. In my research paper I want to stress the fact that no one should be forced to get rid of their dialect. It is something that makes you different and its part of you cultural history. One should be proud of a dialect and not shameful. The Digest’s main point is to help teachers better educate their students about their certain dialects. Teaching these students that they are not wrong in the way they speak will also encourage them in their other school work. Also, students that do speak the Standard would not be prejudice towards the children with other dialects. Some of the teaching methods Hazen suggest teachers use consist of asking the students a number of true and false questions, and having them say different words aloud. These help the students see that there is nothing wrong with speaking different because everyone sounds different. I like this article because it not only tells you what can be difficult in teaching dialects, but it offers you solutions.

Christian, Donna. "CAL: Digests: Vernacular Dialects in U.S. Schools." Center for Applied Linguistics. May 1997. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .

This article makes the point that the Standard should be taught because it can help students in the future, but also supports the idea that we should be more excepting of other dialects. Teaching the Standard will help students when they go out into the real world. Everyone has two way of speaking: the way you speak to your friends and family, and the way you talk to the people you work with or you boss. However, we should not tell people they are wrong when no dialect is better than the other. The author, Donna Christian, explores the fact that Standard and Vernacular have similarities, and people need to stop viewing them in a social matter. In my paper I want to discuss the reason for having a different dialect. This reason is due to the fact that everyone has a different cultural and community background. Also when children are little we should not discourage them in school by telling them that what they know now is wrong. Christian says, “Students will not do as well as a result of negative expectations.” This is why teachers need to have a positive view of different dialects. It will help the students become more confident in themselves and their school work.