In the News

In The News

Should Black English Be Taught, Tolerated or Banned in The Public School?

by

Colleen Finegan and Ronald Helms

An Overview of Ebonics Debate

In December l996, the school board, of Oakland California, voted to recognize a variation of the English Language known as “Ebonics” as a second language, and the primary language of its African-American students The school board declared that this language, also known as “Black English”, "African American Vernacular English" (AAVE), or "Vernacular Black English" is “systematic and rule-governed like all natural speech varieties” (http://www.lsadc.org/ebonics.html).

CNN News reported that many expected the school district to seek state and federal funds for bilingual education. This vote would mean that “teachers will be trained to recognize when students are using Black English, and will translate it into standard English, like they do with Hispanic students or others for whom English is a second language” http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html However, on Dec. 24, CNN News reports that the Education Secretary, Richard Riley, reiterated the government’s view that Black English was not a second language and therefore did not qualify for federal funding. Riley is quoted as saying "Elevating black English to the status of a language is not the way to raise standards of achievement in our schools and for our students," he said. "The administration's policy is that Ebonics is a non-standard form of English and not a foreign language" (http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html).

The policy mandates that effective instructional strategies must be utilized in order to ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve English language proficiency. Language development for African American students, who comprise 53% of the students in the Oakland schools, will be enhanced with the recognition and understanding of the language structures unique to African American students.

The Linguistic Society of America (LSA) supports the existence of Ebonics as a language and states that “…all human linguistic systems--spoken, signed, and written -- are fundamentally regular. The systematic and expressive nature of the grammar and pronunciation patterns of the African American vernacular has been established by numerous scientific studies over the past thirty years. LSA affirms that the characterizations of Ebonics as "slang," "mutant," " lazy," "defective," "ungrammatical," or "broken English" are incorrect and demeaning” (http://www.lsadc.org/ebonics.html)

LSA supports both the use of one’s native language and also the learning of the English language in its Statement of Language Rights (June l996)…“there are individual and group benefits to maintaining vernacular speech varieties and there are scientific and human advantages to linguistic diversity. For those living in the United States there are also benefits in acquiring Standard English and resources should be made available to all who aspire to mastery of Standard English” (http://www.lsadc.org/langrite.html)

To encourage bilingualism by all Americans, LSA urges the United States to protect and promote the linguistic rights of its people. LSA asks that the following linguistic rights be guaranteed to all people:

A. To be allowed to express themselves, publicly or privately, in the language of their choice.

B. To maintain their native language and, should they so desire, to pass it on to their children.

C. When their facility in English is inadequate, to be provided a qualified interpreter in any proceeding in which the government endeavors to deprive them of life, liberty or property. Moreover, where there is a substantial linguistic minority in a community, interpretation ought to be provided by courts and other state agencies in any matter that significantly affects the public.

D. To have their children educated in a manner that affirmatively acknowledges their native language abilities as well as ensures their acquisition of English. Children can learn only when they understand their teachers. As a consequence, some use of children's native language in the classroom is often desirable if they are to be educated successfully.

E. To conduct business in the language of their choice.

F. To use there preferred language for private conversations in the workplace.

G. To have the opportunity to learn to speak, read and write English (http://www.lsadc.org/langrite.html)

History of Black English:

Childress (nag) says that “The premise for Ebonics was that African slaves displaced in America developed a new language. This language had grammatical rules and rhythms that could be traced back to Africa”. In summarizing the main issue in the discussion over Black English, Childress observes that “The debate centered on the need to understand that we as a people were not speaking incorrect English. We were speaking another language” (http://www.afronet.com/WB/040497-3.html)..

Childress points out that the slaves that were brought to this country were from linguistically and culturally different locations and could not talk with each other. The slaves from Africa came from as far north as Morocco and from as far south as Angola and even beyond. The languages they spoke included influences from Arabic, Yoruba, Mandingo, Amanda and Hausa. Childress points out that some of these languages had similar roots, others did not. Slaves from the same location were kept separate by design, so that uprisings could not be planned due to variations in languages. In most cases, slaves were not even allowed to communicate with anyone.

Childress seems opposed to the idea of Black English as a separate language, because she acknowledges that blacks from various parts of the country speak different from one another, just as whites do. She asks the question “Do we as a people speak in such a fashion that is different enough from Standard English to be called a separate language? (http://www.afronet.com/WB/040497-3.html). Childress recognizes that, as a group, African-Americans have developed a very sophisticated code-switching system. Codes are very regional in nature. So as a people, we learn to code-switch as we travel around on live in various parts of the country.

When Depit, (1997) is asked whether she agrees or disagrees with Ebonics- she responds

“My answer must be neither. I can be neither for Ebonics nor against Ebonics any more than I can be for or against air. It exists. It is the language spoken by many of our African-American children. It is the language they heard as their mothers nursed them and changed their diapers and played peek-a-boo with them. It is the language through which they first encountered love, nurturance and joy” (http://www.rethinkingschools.org/Archives/12_01/ebdelpit.htm)

The real issue at hand is not whether Ebonics is a language or not, but what do we do, as teachers, when we have children in the classroom who do not speak standard English, and whose parents might speak even less. Many of the educators in these classrooms agree that Standard English is the key to success in this country, and they want their students to be successful. Delpin (1997) addresses this issue thoroughly

Many teachers feel that they need to spend their time “correcting” the grammatical mistakes made by a child or young adult. Too much, or continual correction makes student more aware of their own mistakes, and often discourages them from speaking altogether. Over correction may affect students' attitudes toward their teachers, and motivate them to remain quiet to avoid mistakes.

Group identity issues may also affect students' oral production of a different dialect. Delpit (1997) quotes research that tends to indicate that, in grades 1-3, the children's English most approximated the standard dialect of their teachers. But by fourth grade, their language moved significantly in alignment with the adults who spoke in their local dialect. Although these fourth graders had sufficient “competence to express themselves in a more standard form, … (they) . chose, consciously or unconsciously, to use the language of those in their local environments” http://www.rethinkingschools.org/Archives/12_01/ebdelpit.htm)

It was concluded that by the fourth grade, the children had become more aware of the importance of their own group membership. By the fourth grade it is also thought that children become aware that the school and the community are often on opposing sides, and that they will identify with their home community.

What should teachers do about helping students acquire a second language, whether it be a ;language “foreign” to the United States or Black English?

1. The teacher must recognize that a child’s language represents his or her own culture. To demean the language is to demean the culture, community, one’s relatives, etc.

2. The teacher must realize that those who speak “the politically popular dialect form” in this country a more likely to succeed in everyday life

Delpit (1997) offers a thorough description of various methods and techniques to help children pursue the learning of Standard English, while still honoring their own family and community.

http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html

REFERENCES:

Childress R. (ndg). Look Who's Talking from The Writer’s Block on Afronet.comEbonics. (Available at: http://www.afronet.com/WB/040497-3.html).

Delpit, L. (1997, fall). Ebonics and Culturally responsible Instruction: What Should Teachers Do? Rethinking Schools: An Urban Educational Journal Vol. 12. #1, 1997

(Available at: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/Archives/12_01/ebdelpit.htm)

Linguistic Society of America. (1996). LSA resolution on the Oakland "ebonics" issue (Available at: http://www.lsadc.org/ebonics.html)

Linguistic Society of America. (1996). LSA Statement On Language Rights. Available at: http://www.lsadc.org/langrite.html)

(1997, fall). The Real Ebonics Debate. Rethinking Schools: An Urban Educational Journal Vol. 12. #1, 1997

(Available at: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/SpecPub/Ebonics/ebintro.htm)

O’Neill, W. (1997, fall). If Ebonics isn’t a Language, then tell me What is? Rethinking Schools: An Urban Educational Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1

(Available at: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/Archives/12_01/eboneil.htm)

Minor, B. (1997, fall). Embracing Ebonics and Teaching Standard English Rethinking Schools: An Urban Educational Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1

(Available at: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/Archives/12_01/ebsecret.htm)

US News Story Page (1996, Dec. 22) Black English proposal draws fire

(Available at: http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html)

US News Story Page. (1996, Dec. 22) Education Secretary: no Federal Funds for “Black English” . (Available at: http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html)

Wolfram, W. (1997) Ebonics and Linguistic Science: Clarifying the Issues.

http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html

WEBLINKS

Why Ebonics is no Joke:

http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html

This site explains the grammatical rules of Ebonics, which therefore classifies it as a language.

American Shibboleth: Ebonics -- Websites

http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html

A collection of links to news coverage and commentaries on the Oakland California decision and subsequent events related to the Oakland decision.

Views of linguists and anthropologists on the Ebonics issue (Part I)

http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html

Views of linguists and anthropologists on the Ebonics issue (Part II)

http://www.csa.com/hottopics/ebonics/websites.html

TEXT REFERENCE

Gage, J. T. (2001). Shape of Reason, The: Argumentative Writing in College, 3/E

Longman ISBN: 0-205-31927-0

Section Three: Issues about Language and Human Community.

Forum on Ebonics.

Courtland Milloy, Accent on Human Potential.

Patricia Williams, The Hidden Meanings of “Black English.”

Carolyn Temple Adger, Dialect Education: Not Only for Oakland.

Gloria Anzaldua, How to Tame a Wild Tongue.

James W. Earl, Feeding the Ancestors.

Description

This brief rhetoric of argument teaches critical reading, informal reasoning, and writing as reasoned inquiry, and now features a mini-anthology of arguments on civic and ethical issues.

Appropriate Courses

Designed for First-Year Composition courses, particularly first or second semester courses stressing argumentative writing. Also appropriate for upper-level courses in argumentative writing.

Gillespie, S. & Singleton, (2002). Longman. Across Cultures: A Reader for Writers, 5/E ISBN: 0-205-32956-X

Description

Designed to offer an appealing anthology where there is an increased general interest in connections between and among cultures, Across Cultures, Fifth Edition strives to promote understanding of diverse cultures among students.

The book advocates acceptance of diversity of voices, while suggesting ways to probe the correspondences, interrelationships, and mutual benefits of that diversity.

Appropriate Courses

First Year Composition.

DISCUSSION FORUM

Should educators who speak Black English or Ebonics, but do not code-switch consistently, be allowed to teach in a first grade class where the majority of the class speaks standard English.