So, we (class and I) discussed an article in class yesterday on code switching, specifically with African American students. The premise of the article was that teachers should be aware that African American students mispronounce words, but what I found fascinating, was that there is little to no attention paid to code switching or speech when it comes to other races. For instance, Asian American students, Russian American students, and the like code switch too. Are blacks always used as an example...?
Is so; why are African Americans used as an example? I am not certain, but I believe that there are some negative reasons behind it. When we think about how children acquire language, we have to consider their environment as this is where/how they learn. In my opinion, there are general assumptions / blanket statements made about African Americans. While I understand that there is some truth to it, why are we the first point of reference? It is disheartening to say the least. Not every African American is grammatically inept, why make us the portrait of grammatical error.
As I read the article, I could feel the heat rise in me because it suggested that teachers should expect this- in my opinion, it was almost saying, "Don't worry educators, it's normal, this is how "they" speak ... It held me and some of my classmates, African American, Russian, Jewish in deep discussion afterward for a hearty and rather healthy discussion.
What are your thoughts?
