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Christine Sabina
March 10, 2012
Aspects 3460-001
Final Research Paper
Dialects in the Classroom
In an academic setting such as a classroom teachers are faced with students from different
background with a variety of Dialects. Dialects can represent identity for most and can be very
controversial when stressing the importance of Standard English in certain situations. Teachers
have the task of explaining how situational Standard English is Appropriate but not considered
“better” than any other Dialect. The idea of a better Dialect is a “Social construction” and can be
the downfall of a student‟s self esteem if not careful (McClanahan). This paper will cover the
reasoning behind speech tests, such as UNCP‟s, it will also cover the idea of Dialect and Identity
in the classroom and how teachers should resound.
In order for teachers to respond to the students they must become aware. The importance
of speech is seen all over College Campuses. Some students are required a speech class before
graduating, others like UNCP are participating in a speech test upon entering the institution. At
UNCP, the “Speech evaluation” as referred to by Professors and faculty is given to see if in a
career oriented setting the student can speak Standard English. The students are notified before
answering the questions that they should treat this like a job interview.

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Dr. Virginia K. McClanahan, A professor specializing in Linguistics explains the speech
valuation as neither a “pass” nor “fail” test. If McClanahan feels that the student needs more
assistance on situational Standard English, they will be “flagged” for a voice and Diction course
before graduating. McClanahan reviews all tapes of admission students who enter UNCP. The
students phone in and leave a message answering questions such as, “Please state your name, and
spell your first name and then your last name?”, “Do you know what you want to major in?” All
the questions require more than just a yes or no answer, there is some explanation needed. The
second part of the speech test requires the students to read out several sentences such as “I asked
why there was so much construction machinery in the street.”, “It‟s a fifty dollar fine if you don‟t
file your tax form.” The most common flags for Non Standard English such are the „th‟ sound,
dropping endings, non standard grammar, and subject verb agreement (McClanahan).
Although the test is extremely beneficial, educators must be careful as Huntington Lyman
and Margo A. Figgins state in their article titled, “Democracy, Dialect, and The Power Of Every
Voice,” “Students who came to school with variant dialects were taught a standard form of
English typically framed as „correct‟ and thought of as „pure‟” (Lyman and Figgins 41). Many
students entering college with a unique dialect have more than likely been accused of not
speaking properly. It is important for educators to never make students feel that their Dialect is
wrong. McClanahan states, “There is no such thing as „proper dialect,‟ all Dialects are ruled
governed.”
The speech evaluation is appropriate at UNCP because Language is based on situation.
The idea of language is spoken appropriately in every situation. The Speech Evaluation at
UNCP is situation based, based on a career setting. The students are notified of the setting when

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taking the test, so there is no such idea of trying to trick them, instead just evaluate their speech.
According to the 2011 Vision Statement of the school, “Communicate effectively is stated.”
…will challenge students to embrace difference and adapt to change,
think critically, communicate effectively, and become responsible
citizens. Working from a strong foundation in the liberal arts, we will
increase opportunities to infuse our curriculum with interdisciplinary
innovation while promoting undergraduate and graduate research…
The Speech Evaluation prepares students for the job market. The students are able to understand
that Standard English is used for certain situations and that they should not be afraid of their
dialect but instead understand that it is situational based. Lyman and Figgin‟s state, “Linguists
agree that Standard English is not inherently „better‟ than other dialects” (Lyman, Figgins 41).
The speech test offers those students who might not understand what Standard English is
and when to use code switching. The code switching offers students to switch back in forth in
dialects based on different situations. Code switching can be difficult for some students because
they do not have experience outside of school. Depending on their background and what dialects
they are surrounded by it is hard to gain the experience needed. The classroom is vital place for
code switching to take place. The students must learn when Standard English is appropriate and
when their own dialect if acceptable. Studies have shown that “Large groups of North
Americans from particular class, racial, ethnic, and/or linguistic backgrounds evidence patterns
of educational attainment which are not congruent with those of the larger population.” Writer
Toohey continues with “Linguistic explanations for the educational difficulties of non-English
speaking children have been relatively direct in that it would seem that not controlling the

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language of the school is clearly a disadvantage” (Tooney). Toohey is explaining the
disadvantages to students not speaking one dialect; Disadvantages being the students not
excelling because they lack situational Standard English. Tooney is making a point that English
teachers and Professors have to work harder in making sure the students are aware of their lack
of Standard English and come up with effective ways to teach it.
However there are many advantages to students speaking a variety of dialects, which is
why teachers should still embrace each student‟s dialect. In the career field all students
understanding Standard English is vital and sometimes over looked. The students who have not
been exposed or shown the importances of Standard English are those who suffer the most.
The speech test at UNCP exposes students to the importance of Standard English and if
flagged have the opportunity to receive the extra help they have been missing out on. UNCP
vision statement explains the importance of effective communication and the Speech test is in
compliance with that statement.
After establishing an effective speech test the question of how teachers enforce Standard
English with regards to a Students Dialect and identity is a difficult task. Dialect represents
identify for most and for students dialect can be a very sensitive subject. If a teacher tells a
student‟s they are speaking wrong or improper, their self esteem becomes questioned. In an
article titled “Students‟ Right to their own Language‟:A counter-Argument‟” Jeff Zorn argues
that teachers need to be professionally trained on how to enforce Standard English with regards
to students dialects. Zorn states, “We affirm the students‟ right to their own patterns and
varieties of language—the dialects of their nature of whatever dialects in which they find their
own identity and style.” Dialects represents a since of pride and will not die out, they must be

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embraced. Teachers should portray this to students and make sure they feel comfortable
speaking.
In 1960, Dialect was not always warmly embraced, as described in “An Argument for
Appreciation of Dialect in the classroom,” the Eradication Theory proposed as a result of
Englishman Basil Berstein‟s deficit model. Berstein states (1960), „In cognitive styles of lower
class families, language is used in a convergent or restrictive fashion rather than a divergent,
elaborative fashion‟” (Dean, Fowler 302). During this time period it was thought that anything
other than Standard English was considered a “deficient way of expressing themselves” (Dean,
Flower 302). The teachers often found themselves refusing to understand or accept nonstandard
speech in the classroom. The students usually had two choices, one to learn Standard English or
discontinue their efforts to communicate, at which point the child would simply give up (302).
The controversy behind dialect and identity is many recognize dialect as representing
one‟s background or cultural. There are some dialects specific to certain areas. When you are
dealing with judgmental students it is hard to separate dialect and social class. For years many
people thought of anything other than Standard English to be detrimental. Because dialect is
influenced by a person‟s background their class immediately comes into question. Timothy
Frazer studies sound change in his article titled, “Sound Change and Social Structure in Rural
Community.‟ His article focuses on a specific rural town where he interviews several different
people and collects data on their speech. Some people living only a few miles apart had different
traits when it came to their speech. Frazer separated the people based on the job, income, and
age for example some were farmers in the rural community. Frazer was able to show that each
household, occupation and age made a difference in the way they spoke. (Frazer 313-328).

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Teachers have to deal with these factors and be careful when addressing because dialect is so
closely linked to social class, miscomputations can come up from addressing the issue.
Teachers in today‟s society must be careful not to enforce those stigmatizing choices the
students once had to pick. When a teachers refuses to embrace a student‟s dialect they are
refusing to embrace their heritage and cultural background. Embracing does not mean looking
down on the students because they speak different, it means making them aware of when and
where to use their Dialect. All teachers can do is make students aware in a professional manner
and help them understand why Standard English is valuable when used correctly. A teacher
must stay neutral regarding Dialects. All students must realize that there is no Dialect better than
the next one.
In the today‟s classroom there are so many high stake tests dealing with writing, that use
of Standard English becomes very important. In the writing world Standard English is widely
accepted and praised, sometimes it is not accepted in any other dialect. If a student is not
communicating efficiently in Standard English, their writing can be greatly affected when trying
to write in Standard English. In Michelle Crotteau‟s article, “Honering Dialect and Culture:
Pathways to Student Success on High-Stakes Writing Assessments,” Crotteau works with four
students who failed the writing test. They are enrolled into a strategies course where she can
focus on understanding why the failed their writing test. Right away she asked them to write a
short personal essay about themselves but before she lets them know she is a very important
person, for example the students are writing this to a person in the professional world. One of
the student responses was, “Some things that you can do is ride; it be peaceful; you want be
disturb” (29). Crotteau had to be careful when explaining how his dialect used at home is what

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is causing grammatical issues on his writing test. She explained that she could not tell him that
is dialect is wrong but yet inappropriate for this situation.
Crotteau‟s article shows exactly how a situation where a student‟s Dialect can become an
issue in the classroom. She first helps the student recognize the issue and then she helps solve the
issue. By the end of the class that student understood the idea of, appropriateness.
Appropriateness is another method teachers can use when explaining Dialect in the
classroom. Dean and Fowler talk discuss the idea of Appropriateness, stating,
“There is a criterion, however, for selecting one language or dialect for use
in a given situation; that criterion is „appropriateness‟….Appropriateness
varies with the place and the participants in the conversation….Because
there are situations in which nonstandard is appropriate, it would be
unwise to eradicate it in teaching standing English” (Dean, Fowler 303).
Dialects are extremely unique and can represent ones identity or individuality. Sometimes that is
where the controversy lies, because dialect can be so sensitive, teachers find it too controversial
to bring it or correct students. But by not correcting students or explaining “appropriateness”
they are only hurting the students. Going back to UNCP‟s speech test, one reason why it is
extremely successful but controversial is because of the lack of education on dialects in High
Schools. The students entering UNCP do not understand why a speech test is needed and first
reactions can come off as, stigmatizing, detrimental, and racist.
The 1997, Oakland Ebonics is a prime example. The controversy behind making Ebonics
a separate language in the classroom caused uproar in California. Writer, Zorn quotes Cynthia
Tucker, a columnist speaking on the controversy, “I understand that African Americans have this

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quality to operate in both worlds, Ebonics shouldn‟t be taught in school” (320). This controversy
is something teachers face when tackling Dialect in the classroom. Clara Alexander explains in
her article, titled “Black English dialect and the Classroom Teacher,” Black English evolved the
same way any other dialect of English evolved, as a “result of the culture, the environment, the
needs of the group, and contact with other languages” (571). Alexandar states activities that
teachers can give while trying to teach Standard English and accepting Black English. One
activity is letting the students read a variety of authors in the classroom, some historically black
poems. This activity can help students with the tool of code switching even before they
understand what it is exactly. Alxendar says although we embrace such as in the classroom
dialects, like Black English, they can affect students when it comes to written communication.
The teacher must be well aware of these different dialects and how to approach them in a
classroom setting.
The Oakland Ebonics case can cause teachers to be weary when bringing up Dialect in
the classroom. Especially when trying to explain the significance of Standard English in the
classroom. If the situation is approached in a professional manner, the teachers should have
nothing to fear. Fear from the teachers resolves in students having no idea when code switching
is accepted or when Standard English is needed.
An older study performed in New Castle Jamaica in 1971 had several points that seem to
be reoccurring in today‟s society concerning dialect. In the town of Newcastle the teachers are
trying to bring Literature in the classroom that the students are not use to reading Standard
English. Their Dialect in Jamaica makes it hard for some students to understand Standard
English. There are three points of the article that go along with how teachers should tackle
dialect in the classroom. Some things to let the students to consider are A.) A strong desire to

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succeed. B.) The ability to create and fashion something new and intensely personal out of
situations to which they are exposed. The situation may be literacy, emotional or cultural. C.)
Experience of the „real‟ adult world. The points are important to consider when teaching
students the importance of Standard English and communication itself. The last point can help
students look to the future and what to expect in the career world. The students in this studied
began to realize the importance of communicated in Standard English because of the new
material given to them to read. The article then goes on to state that if the teachers are stimulated
by the information the students can be as well. It is vital for teachers to address the issue of
conflict to avoid hurting the students in the near future (James 73-76). The teachers must put the
uncomfortable feeling addressing dialect can bring, for the best of the student.
Once the teacher has accepted their role in identifying different dialects and teaching
making students aware of Standard English, teachers must then focus on each student as an
individual case, assuming that not every student has the same dialect and their problems in
Standard English vary. One approach teachers can take when explaining Standard English is
“instead of condemning our students language, then, because it violates our rules, we would do
better to respect it (it is very much a part of him)…” the student, “…and to try persuading him
that he should respect it, too” (Dean and Fowler 303). All a teacher can do is give the students
indication that they are not speaking Standard English in certain situations. It is then the
student‟s job to try and respect the benefits of the language.
The speech test at UNCP test for Standard English usage. Professors stress the
importance of referring to the test a not a pass or fail but instead the students will be flagged if
the evaluator does not think that their Standard English is prominent. Mary Dean and Elaine
Fowler state, “…although it is true from a linguistic viewpoint that all dialects are equal, it is

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also true from a social viewpoint that some dialects are considered more valuable than others in
certain contexts” (303). Socially speaking, Standard English is the more desirable language
preferred on the job market. The speech evaluation test at Pembroke allows students who might
have not been previously aware how they are speaking in certain situations. The test does not
single any specific dialect out as bad; instead it focuses on letting the students know that they
need more assistance with Standard English. There is a course offered if a student becomes
flagged. The course focuses on communicating and understanding dialect in specific situations,
such as an interview or a presentation.
At UNCP the speech test is a necessity, especially with entering freshman who do not
realize how dialect is unique but can also be stigmatizing when looking for a job or upon
entering the carrier field. UNCP prepares students for after college and knowing and Speaking
Standard English is just one key component to continue being successful. It is important for high
school teachers to respectfully notify when a student‟s dialect is becoming an issue in the
classroom. If the issue is handled early there will be less controversy at the college level when it
comes to speech test such as UNCP‟s.

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Works Cited
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Crotteau, Michelle. "National Council of Teachers of English." Honoring Dialect and CulturePathways to
Student Success on High-Stakes Writing Assessments:. 95.3 (2007): 27-32. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.
<http://0-www.jstor.org.uncclc.coast.uncwil.edu/stable/30047161>.
Dean, Mary, and Elaine Fowler. "An Argument for Appreciation of Dialect Differences in the
Classroom." Journal of Negro Education. 43.3 (1974): 302-309. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. <http://0-
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Frazor, Timothy. "Sound CHange and Social Structure in Rural Community." Cambridge University. 12.3
(1983): 313-328. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. <http://0-
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McClanahan, Virginia K. Personal Interview. 10 April 2012.
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Ontario Institute for studies in Education/ University of Toronto. 16.2 (1986): 127-145. Web. 22
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(2010): 311-326. ERIC. Web. 11 Apr. 2012.
“2011-2012 catalog.”The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. 30 Sept. 2011. Web 12 April 2012.
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