Writing Circle 2

Our second writing circle focused largely on the issue of ebonics (an African American dialect of English) in the classroom. Darcy had written about the subject in her blog and we explored the issue further. The main talking points centered around whether or not ebonics should be used in the classroom, when and if students should be corrected for using ebonics, and most importantly, how to address the use of ebonics without halting learning and without making the student feel inferior.

Ideas about the topic varied. I believed that at the high school level, in my area of history, I am not concerned how the students convey the information to me, as long as I know that they grasp the material. But what if I cannot understand the students when they're talking or what about ebonics in an English class? The consensus was the students at the high school level should be corrected when they use improper language in formal papers. Constant correcting of discussion in the classroom can lead to students withdrawing and not being engaged in the class. However, it is important at all levels of teaching to emphasize that ebonics is a dialect, a second language or sorts, that is not inferior to "proper" English. For example, when correcting a younger student, one might say, "that's really awesome that you know that language. In this class we're going to learn to speak a different way so that you can know two languages." This is a far better way of teaching students proper English than simply correcting while a student is reading. Constant correcting of a student can and does lead to issues of inferiority, and feelings that their dialect, their ethnicity is somehow wrong. When dealing with young students, this kind of inferior feeling can lead to consequences such as disinterest in school and a view that they are somehow separate from "normal". The main idea is that the issue of ebonics must be handled with care. A teacher who thinks that correcting a student's language constantly, out loud, in front of the class will have a positive outcome is misguided. Ebonics is a major issue in any school with African Americans. It is essential to react to the situation properly and with care. It is this type of approach that will allow students who speak ebonics to thrive.

Finally, we concluded with the notion to continue to explore the issue of language in education. Ebonics plays a huge role in this field. Also, we can consider issues that Spanish-speaking students may face. Language can be an obstacle to any teacher and the issue is not one that will go away soon.