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Sample Online Discussion Module from EDCI585 Multicultural Education – Spring 2010

The students’ assignment was to read 2 articles and view a PowerPoint. They then engaged in an online discussion about the materials. Most of the assignments for this course followed this model.

Below are the instructions and grading rubric that were posted for the students, then a randomly selected discussion.

Module 7: Language

(Standards met: Instructional Uses of Technology; Individuals with Special Needs; Diversity; Communication; Educational Research; Community)

Objectives: Students will:

• Effectively communicate using an online discussion board to discuss issues related to racial identity.

• Reflect on and analyze how factors inside and outside the school environment influence educational experiences.

Instructions

View: Language & Communication

Read: The Best of Both Worlds – Carter

Read: Bilingual Education – Zimmerman

Discuss the information from the Language and Communication slide show, the Carter article, and Bilingual Education. Make connections among the materials, and include your own thoughts and experiences.

Some questions to consider:

• Why does it matter how you speak/write English?

• How does language impact student learning?

• Think about Carter’s teaching using black dialect and standard English. What do you think of her reasoning and the activities she used?

• How are her ideas related to the arguments for and against bilingual education?

• Is this something you would try to do in your classroom? If so, how?

• How is language contextualized/decontextualized in your classroom?

General Instructions

Your original post should be a minimum of 400 words (about 4 average-sized paragraphs).

Remember that this is a discussion, so you should have at least two clear responses to other group members totaling at least 100 words. Your responses can be statements or questions which elaborate, express agreement or respectful disagreement, seek clarification and/or seek further information. Respond within your group rather than starting new threads.

The Summarizer will be responsible for coordinating deadlines (if necessary) and summarizing the group’s discussion. The summary should be 1 paragraph long (100-150 words) and posted with the heading: Summary.

Posting Schedule

|Task |Complete task by |

|Language post |Thursday, March 11, 2010 – 8pm |

|Language responses |Sunday, March 14, 2010 – 8pm |

Grading

Online Discussion – 20 pt.

|Points |To receive full points |

|8 |Addressed issues thoroughly and thoughtfully |

|4 |Responded thoughtfully to group members |

|2 |Clearly organized |

|3 |Made clear references and connections to course materials |

|2 |Less than 3 typos, grammar errors, etc. |

|1 |Proper APA style |

• Failure to participate will be considered as an absence.

• Points will be deducted for late posts

This group’s discussion was randomly chosen from Spring 2010, EDCI 585 Multicultural Discussion – online.

Prompt:

Some questions to consider:

• Why does it matter how you speak/write English?

• How does language impact student learning?

• Think about Carter’s teaching using black dialect and standard English. What do you think of her reasoning and the activities she used?

• How are her ideas related to the arguments for and against bilingual education?

• Is this something you would try to do in your classroom? If so, how?

• How is language contextualized/decontextualized in your classroom?

Student 1 - Module VII-Languages

It is vitally important for children who live in America to learn how to speak and write Standard English. They must own the language in order to learn material across the curriculum. The sooner immigrant children, in particular, can do this the more successful they will be in school. In due course, it is essential for them to find their places in society (Zimmerman, 2000; Carter, 2007).

As educators, we understand that if a student lacks English comprehension, appropriate to his grade level, he cannot move on to learn more complex concept material. If an immigrant child or teen-ager is mainstreamed into an academic classroom without adequate English acquisition, he may be overwhelmed and overlooked. He cannot assimilate into the class and society, and his ensuing lack of self-esteem and failure exasperates the situation (Zimmerman, 2000).

Furthermore, if adequate learning doesn’t take place on any grade level, he is stymied in his growth, and with each year that passes, the store of information he hasn’t comprehended merely increases. Eventually, a young adult with a poor grasp of Standard English will not be able to complete an appropriate education, and he will be competing for a limited number of jobs. In the power point that Professor Lynn Zimmerman (2010) prepared for this course, she explains that “the degree to which they become more proficient in Standard American English, the wider the range of options available to them in their lives” (p.5).

Marlene Carter (2007) contends that students who speak Black dialect, in a society that only recognizes Standard English, are also at a disadvantage and struggle with self-identity. These students comprehend Standard English, but they speak and write in an alternative language that will prevent them from being accepted in academia by many, and thus, are relegated to a path that leads them away from fulfilling their highest potential. Like Zimmerman (2000), Carter (2007) speaks of the “culture of power” dictating a majority language that opens doors of opportunity. “We have to accept the fact that Standard English is the language of power in this society. The people who have economic power dictate the language of power in this society. If we want to empower our students to be successful in college, to make positive impressions on job interviews, and to advance in their chosen careers we must help them become proficient in the language which colleges and employers expect to hear read” (p.152).

Speaking from two different situations, Professor Zimmerman (2000) and Marlene Carter (2007) have understood the dilemma that these students are facing. They are unable to make a passage socio-linguistically (Zimmerman, 2000) in a society that requires Standard English. “Sociolinguistics deals with how language actually works in the world, in society, and how language users adapt their uses of language to different social contexts” (p.2). Instead, they are written off by those with whom they communicate in society outside of their home and cultural circles. Zimmerman and Carter suggest solutions which rest on an underlying foundation of sensitivity and caring on the part of the language teacher who has the power to affirm the language or dialect already spoken, while providing Standard English instruction.

Carter’s (2007) teaching strategies and the reasoning behind them resonate with me. Her hope is to carry students on a logical path to greater understanding of the Black dialect they use and how it can be used, as Standard English is used, in appropriate situations. She uses the term “bi-dialectal” (p.146) to refer to the students who can do this. She used her high school literature classes as her research base. In a freshman English class, where the majority used Black dialect, she began her investigation by building trust with her students and allowing them to speak naturally. She permitted her students to make judgments, such as “bad English”, (p.148) when looking at Black dialect used in literature presented in class. They studied the definition of dialect, how Black dialect evolved, and the geographical variances of the dialect. She compared and contrasted slang and dialect, explaining that, unlike slang fads, dialect changes hardly at all and very slowly. She encouraged them to respect their dialect as a viable language in appropriate contexts. Carter included English grammar mini-lessons with her students, especially “problem verbs” (149, 152), which she insists are essential in the process of learning Standard English. This entire model seems very doable for my use in the future.

Maintaining that American society and culture is in transition, Zimmerman (2000) proposes that “a new educational model must be developed” (p.122) for bilingual education. She argues for a more effective program that allows students to learn social and academic vocabulary and language in sheltered classrooms, while being taught academic concepts in their mother tongue. After acquiring an adequate level of Standard English, these students are confident in their use of the language and can be mainstreamed into regular academic content classes.

As an educator, my goal is to make immigrant students comfortable enough in my classroom to speak and write without fear of reproach because they can’t say everything just “right”. They must recognize that I value their culture by valuing the language they already know. I would hope that my mannerisms and facial expressions would express to my language learners that I am positive about them and want to make Standard English acquisition accessible to them in any way possible. I also believe that contextualizing (Slide 9) content for comprehension can be done by using visual representations whenever possible and graphic organizers with illustrations. Finally, I hope that my caring (Zimmerman, 2000) would include being a voice for immigrant students who are learning English as a second language by lobbying for an effective bilingual program, such as Zimmerman (2000) proposes.

References

Carter, M. (2007). The best of both worlds. Beyond heroes and holidays. Washington D.C.: Teaching for Change.

Zimmerman, LW. (2000). Bilingual education as a manifestation of an ethic of caring. Educational Horizons. 2000. 78 (2): 120-124. Retrieved from

Zimmerman, L.W. (2010). [Professor]. (2010). Language and communication. [Powerpoint]. Hammond: Purdue University-Calumet.

Student 2

I agree that once ESL students are mainstreamed into the regular classroom, they should be made comfortable. They should also be prepared to focus on Standard English. About half of the students in my class want to speak Spanish to get thoughts out quickly. They are allowed to do this on occasion. The students that only speak English always chant out "English, English". They already know the importance of the language but they are very proud of the fact that they are bilingual. That is the overall attitude in our classroom. It's wonderful!

| |Student 3 |

| | |

| | |

In my classroom language is often talked about when we talk about speaking to people you work with. We talk about using the correct type of language. I pose the question when my students speak to me in the urban dialect, “Would you speak to your boss that way?” I personally do not like referring to it as a black dialect; I feel it is more of an urban dialect. While my African American students use a slightly different syntax, my white and Hispanic students use a similar sentence structure and dialect. To make my point about speaking to your boss a certain way, I say some of their common phrases using their grammar and syntax and pretend I am posing a question to my boss. We do verbal activities similar to those discussed by Marlene Carter in ‘The Best of Both Worlds”. We also talk about the nonverbal communication when communicating at a job. Because many of my students cannot read well or write well in any dialect due to their disabilities, written activities such as Carter did are more frustrating due to the writing. This frustration precludes them form getting beyond the writing itself, and forget any grammar and syntax I can gleam from it. My students cannot phonetically spell any dialect.

Most of my students speak differently in the classroom context, than they do outside of the classroom. Our classroom discourse is expected to be done as if they were at a place they hope to work for. Carter (131) states that “We have to accept the fact that Standard English is the language of power in our society.” While I agree to a point, my students, due to their disabilities, are not likely to have power heavy jobs. They will likely have entry level positions most of their lives if they can find work at all. I do want them to be able communicate successfully verbally and nonverbally in the workplace. My students need to learn the skills and the nuances of the “language of power”, but it is not the only necessary way for them to communicate. My students will need to be able to access help from the community and people they live with. They need to be able to advocate for themselves in whatever dialect is used by those around them successfully as well. They are in high school and have a mild mental handicap. This makes for many of them the need for self advocacy in their everyday world. Bilingual education should value the original language the same or more, for the same reason, people have to live and survive in their community and many people for whom English is a second language live in communities with people who speak the same language, at least initially. This means, that their native language will be the one they use to access their needs. I also agree with Zimmerman (120) that “Language is a primary characteristic of cultural identity.”

While I feel people should try to learn English, it is not a prerequisite for success. I have very good friends whose native language is Arabic, and in Lebanon where they are from they also learned French and English as part of their education. They didn’t begin to learn additional languages in high school, but in their earliest memories of school. Other languages are not foreign, they are viewed as a part of life!

Carter, M (2010) The Best of Both Worlds, Language/ Beyond Heroes and Holidays pp. 146-152

Zimmerman, L.W. (2000) Bilingual Education as a Manifestation of an Ethic of Caring. Educational Horizons Winter 2000, pp. 120-124

Student 4

When talking to the class about language what about their body language? The manner in which African Americans, Hispanics and Caucasian students communicate with their friends and families differ from one group to another. Body language differs as well which at times leaves me at a disadvantage by my lack of understanding. Since I do not understand sometimes I miss a teaching moment. How do you deal with these moments? I usually laugh them off.

Student 3

Because of the type of classroom I teach in, I take any opportunity possible to have my students explain what they are trying to convey to each other as well as how a perspective boss would read their non verbal communication as well. For example, one of my female students was standing and asking me a question while popping her hip and crossing her arms. I took this opportunity to talk specifically about what people think of how she looks without words. I tend to use laughter to do this. I wait a while and make the same approximate stance and ask my students what they think when they see someone standing like that. They almost always laugh at first, but when we dicuss it, they do get it. My studnet get a kick out of me doing what they see each other doing, but I find, they often do not understand how thier non verbal communication is interpreted by others.

Student 4,

It made me laugh when I read it. It is so true that students do not realize that their body language may imply and how others percieve them. It is a great way to approach this type of behavior while teaching the kids to be aware of their body lanuage. I use a similiar approach about their clothes.

We discuss attire and what inpression they present when they wear tight clothes, low cut pants, blouses etc. We also use humor when they themselves describe what they think about their clothes and what adults may think.

Student 5

Hi All,

Has anyone not had the opportunity to be summarizer yet?

Student 2

I was the summarizer only once!

Student 4

No, I've been at the hospital testing all week.

Student 5

The way in which someone speaks English can influence how he or she is perceived by others. For examples, without the use of standard English, one can be seen as uneducated (Zimmerman, 2005). Language can also have an effect on our memberships to certain, “racial, ethnic, and/or social,” groups (Zimmerman, 2005). In the world of employment and the place of power, standard English is the dialect that is expected. It is important that people have a common means of communication (Zimmerman, 1999). In this case, it would be standard English. Teachers and students also, “must be able to speak the same language,” so that they can develop a relationship where, “all partners speak, listen, and respond to one another” (Zimmerman, 1999, p.123). Carter found that reading selections that were written in what she calls “Black English” were important to use in the classroom in order to teach students to see the difference in dialects. This also helped them to develop the ability to, “code switch” (Carter, 2007). I thought her class activity of reading the poem “In the Morning” by Paul Laurence Dunbar was very interesting. She pointed out that students who used the dialect verbally daily were unable to read it. I think this was a wonderful way to bring their attention to the specific differences in dialect. They way that I understood how Carter used the activity supported the idea that bi-lingual education needs to continue to support students in their native language but also help them to be proficient in standard English. This dual-proficiency seems ideal (Zimmerman, 2005). If I were still teaching in the middle school program that I was in before, I would definitely like to try this activity with my students. I had already implemented the idea that there is a switch that we flip when we come to school. Actually, it was more of a knob. I would talk to students about communication at school, but that we could turn that knob back at the end of the day or even in the lunch room. Al the present moment, I don’t see a need for it to be used in my primary elementary school setting. In my classroom, I believe that language is heavily decontextualized, but that our jobs as primary educators are to bring context to readings and other language. We have programs that focus on making meaning out of what we read and there is a lot of direct instruction. References Carter, M. (2007). The best of both worlds. Beyond heroes and holidays. Zimmerman, L. (1999). Bilingual education as a manifestation of an ethic of caring. Educational Horizons. Zimmerman, L. (2005). Language and communication. *I'm sorry. I can't figure out why I can't correct the format of this post, even though it let me 'edit' to put in this note.*

Instructor

Did you try hitting enter twice to create a break between the paragraphs? That helps sometimes.

Student 5

I did. I even tried to go back and edit the post. It wouldn't let me separate at all. I usually have no problems when trying to post here.

Student 4

I agree people do judge others by their ability to speak, read and write English. If one is able to speak the other persons language the gap is bridged and knowledge leads to understanding.

Student 1

It was actually you who helped me to post more correctly. BEFORE I "paste" my document, I click the Enable HTML Creator tab. I let it do what it needs to do for a few seconds. Then I copy. I look at the preview, (but the truth is that it doesn't really show what the post will look like). I go ahead and post. I'm usually just fine, by following the steps I mentioned above.

Student 2

I think it is very important for students to learn and master spoken and written Standard English. Materials used in school are presented in the Standard English form. If a student can’t understand what is written in a book there is little chance they will do well in the class. I do think it is important to understand that not all students are Standard English speakers all of the time. But in the class setting, I feel, it does the student an injustice to let them continue to speak in any type of dialect. This can also be said for bilingual students. The need to speak, understand and write in English is of great importance for families that come to this country. However, the chances that Standard English is being spoken at home are very slim. Students speaking in a dialect or foreign language need to be firmly instructed on how to speak and write in the proper English form. The classroom may be the only opportunity they will hear or read Standard English.

Although I firmly believe Standard English is important, I do realize that there may be problems in the classroom with the ‘English only’ approach that I seem to be advocating. I do believe there is great value in being bilingual. I also realize that dialect is important to certain communities that are proud of their lingual heritage, typically the Black community. There is a fear of being looked at as ‘trying to act White’ among social peers. But allowing students to continue speaking incorrectly to help their pride is wrong. I disagree with Carter (n.d.) that “Black English is not wrong, they are translating”. I don’t see how this thought can be justified when there is a clear distinction between dialect and language. The problem with this approach is that the use of proper grammar is being ignored. I find this to be a major problem with many students. I closely work with third grade students that are either bilingual or speaking in a dialect. Reading Standard English seems to be difficult for some and writing exercises are even harder for most of them. If they are not corrected they will continue to struggle and their grades will suffer.

Although the “sink or swim” ideology seems harsh, it is in the best interest of the student to make Standard English the main focus of the classroom. The students speaking dialect or who are bilingual have a shared obstacle; what is being spoken at home. If their parents have not learned Standard English, they are not getting the support they need at home to retain what they learn? These are the individuals that are being prepared to be our future leaders and they need to be properly prepared to succeed. They will be judged on how well they speak Standard English.

Carter, Marlene. (n.d). The best of both worlds. Beyond Heroes and Holidays, p146-153.

Zimmerman, L. (1999). Bilingual education as a manifestation of an ethic of caring. Educational Horizons, Winter 2000, p. 120-124.

Student 4

I totally disagree that the focus for ESL students should be to 'master' spoken and written English. Mastery should be secondary to students completing their work and other learning. Putting too much emphasis on English mastery rather than proficiency causes undue frustration and discourages the ESL student when the emphasis is on their ability to use and write in Standard English especially when the average English speaking student does not use proper form English is written or spoken terms. I am not saying that all students should not be encouraged to speak and use Standard English in the classroom I am only stating that is should not be the primary concern in regards to the ESL student. The sink and swim method is not in the best interest of the student and resulted in the academic failure of generations of immigrants some of my own relatives included. Bilingual education and cultural understanding help students conquer language and cultural barriers which in turn allows them to learn the English language without reserve. Forcibly teaching students only breeds resentment which defeats the efforts of subsequent educators.

Student 5

I agree with a lot of your response here. If I may add one more point, I would like to mention that sink-or-swim, forced language also has the ability to rob a child of his or her native language over time. With that feeling that their language is wrong, they will shy away from using it more and more. Thanks,

Student 4

That is true. We were discouraged from using our native language and made to feel ashamed of our heritage and being immigrants. My younger sister and older brother cannot speak Spanish anymore. I have six siblings and none of us taught our children how to speak Spanish. I have difficulties writing in Spanish which I did not have as a child. It took years and changing society to help us regain our pride and heritage.

However, I am currently teaching my husband and daughters to speak Spanish and am documenting our recipes and holiday traditions in an effort to pass our culture on to my grandchildren (4). My grandchildren are embracing our culture and traditions with enthusiasm. My grandsons love the foods and think the holiday traditions are 'cool.'

Student 3

I agree that sink or swim is especially unfair to older students. Their more devolped brains have already developed the spoken language portions. To force a child whose brain is less capapble of learning and adapting languages by not allowing them what they know is almost criminal in my opinion. They should be allowed to learn in their native language and have English taught along side it. This allows them to continue to increase their knowledge base, while learning a new language. There is nothing to say that increasing their knowledge of English cannot be done across the curriculum as part of the larger goal of learning. Learning a language in context would also be more effective than teaching it in isolation.

Student 4

That is true. As a student progresses and makes friends he/she can acquire Standard English at school. By allowing students to concentrate on their lesson in their native language it reduces the stress of learning English and allows them to learn the language in a relaxed atmosphere.

Student 5

I was wondering what you thought about the code switching that Carter discussed. Ruby Payne also discussed this switch in her book titled A Framework for Understanding Poverty. I know that you disagree with Carter's comment that "Black" english is not wrong. But, how about if it was used in only at home and in non-academic or non-professional situations? For example, I speak a mix of English and Spanish at home, but I would never think it was even an option to use that mix at work or in my classes and I don't speak with an accent. I was just wondering what you thought about that switch and it's functionality. Thanks,

Student 2

I think code switching is important to understand for anyone that comes from a bilingual or dialect background. Although I am monolingual, I speak in a more relaxed way around family and friends. At work, I am an example for the students so I must present myself in a more proper way, physically and verbally.

Student 1

I think we do a disservice to children, especially those who enter American education at an older age, when we place them in classes where they understand little or none of what is going on. The years of education that they have already completed and their mother tongue are ignored. They end up looking like dummies, because like a person who is deaf, they do not “hear” what is going on. They become isolated in the class. Perhaps they also become invisible.

I’ve been thinking this week about gangs. I viewed a brief report on CNN the other night about the Hollenbeck, California gang-related deaths that took place some years ago. A former gang member said something which struck me. I believe he said that gang members are as close as family members, perhaps more. Most or all gang members in Hollenbeck seem to be Latin Americans. Perhaps many of them immigrated here as children and teen-agers. These are the students that might possibly have joined gangs after being marginalized in schools where bilingual education was ineffective, and, more importantly where they were not affirmed or respected and as a result failed to assimilate into American society.

Why wouldn’t they join a gang and become part of a society within a society? In gangs, they are accepted and utilized. They have a role. They have camaraderie. They receive affirmation. They don’t need an American education to fit in or be a valuable “member”. Could we not serve these students better by effectively educating them in Standard American English by initially placing them in classes where they would receive all the attention they needed from the get-go to learn basic English (for social and school purposes) and where they would be able to keep up with content learning by using their mother tongue UNTIL they would be ready to mainstream into the regular classroom and academic content instruction in English?

Student 2

Yes, the older a student is entering the American school system, the harder it will be for them to learn. This may be one of many reasons why children join gangs. I grew up in an area in Chicago infested with Black and Latin gangs. Unfortunately, these are the types of areas immigrants take residency in to start their life in this country. The community as a whole needs to step up to offer children more options than a gang society.

Student 4

Module VII Language response

In American culture the intelligence of a person is often presumed by how well they speak and write English. Immigrants are often believed to be of lower education and mental capabilities until they are able to articulate in a socially acceptable manner. While working in Chicago University I was exposed to several physicians who had worked in menial jobs until they could pass the physicians licensing exams in English. They were physicians in their native countries of Spain, Palestine, India and Georgia to name of few. Their inability to speak and write English denied them access to the type of career they had at home. One physician delivered pizzas then became a taxi driver until he was able to articulate and write English well enough to pass the exams and he was a specialty Peds Neurologist one of the most complicated specialties in the medical field. I never understood why the exams were not provided in his native language. I was astounded to learn that he delivered anything then drove a taxi cab though he was unable to read or speak English. He assured me that it was very hard and degrading. He told stated on many occasions that he treated by his employers and customers as if he was “stupid,” though he had more education and a higher intellect than the average person.

According to Zimmerman educators should develop “an ethic of caring” (p.120) which is particularly important in Bilingual education. The old “sink or swim” form of English transition and educational assimilation allowed many students to fall to the wayside. The drop out rate soared as this form of almost closed door education fell short in providing immigrant students equal access to education. The resulting low attendance and graduation rate equivocally proved that the ability to comprehend read and write English directly impacted the immigrant students ability to learn. The same has been learned about students such as Hispanics and African Americans that use dialects specific to their neighborhoods as their dominant form of communication.

Carter’s integration of Black dialect though intended well neglects to include other regional and racial dialects (Carter, 1999). Though her intentions may have meant well it seemed to place one racial group in the limelight while leaving the rest in the dark which is part of the problem with the educational system today. How can an educator encourage cultural understanding and diversity when other cultural and ethnic differences are ignored? Though it is not possible to include all cultures or dialects into all lessons it may be better to introduce as many dialects and cultures as possible in an effort to promote cultural understanding across the board in an equally distributed manner.

When teaching social studies to my students I do just that. After reading the introduction and lecturing I often present videos about the country, its people and their culture. If there are students from the part of the world we are discussing they are invited to increase our knowledge and understanding of their culture through group discussions and projects. When the class is presented with the reading material language is contextualized by using examples that the students can relate to are used to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the cultures of each country. This works well with ESL students and English only students.

Reference:

Carter, M. (1999) The Best of Both Worlds. Beyond Heroes and Holidays

(Pp 146-152)

Zimmerman, L. (2000) Bilingual Education as a Manifestation of an Ethic of caring. Educational Horizons, Fall 1999 (pp 120-124)

Student 1

It is so true that we have at our fingertips so many resources (media and people), who can help us to contextualize lessons and vocabulary for all learners in our classrooms. To be honest, I have seen so many resources that accompany the specific textbook being used in a classroom that are not used or used minimally. Among them are large pictures, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, books overhead transparencies with maps, graphs, etc. Many of these things remain in their plastic packaging. No one uses things like these better than ESOL/ELL teachers who understand that “a picture is worth more than a thousand words.”

I do beg to disagree with you about Carter (2007). She had questions about Black dialect and she chose that group (close to her heart, no doubt, because she is African American) to focus on. Anyone can do the same with any other group. HOWEVER, I think the research she did and the Implications for the Classroom that she defines at the end of her article can be applied to other racial or ethnic dialectical speaking groups, by merely changing the labels.

1. First, we have to show respect for the community language of our students...

2. We have to accept the fact that standard English is the language of power in this society…

3. We should integrate literature by Black (and other) minority writers into the curriculum throughout the year…[she contends here that Black literature should not be relegated to “Black History Month or in a unit on Black or minority authors”]

4. We must address the needs of those Black dialect speakers who need direct instruction in using Standard English...

5. In teaching about Black dialect, we should not assume that all African American students are Black dialect speakers...(p.152)

                                                    Reference

Carter, M. (2007). The best of both worlds. Beyond heroes and holidays. Washington D.C.: Teaching for Change.

Synthesis

Student 4

Writes that a person’s intelligence is judged by their ability to speak, and write English. She does not agree that Carters approach to teaching black dialect in an effort to encourage understanding of the African American is well thought out. The lesson concentrates on one dialect and culture rather than reflecting today’s culturally diverse class.

Student 2

Writes that the focus for ESL students should be to 'master' spoken and written English and that sink or swim theology though seemingly harsh is best for students. She further writes that a student’s ability to speak and write English does affect the way they are viewed.

Student 1

Writes that the focus for ESL students should be to master spoken and written English through bilingual education. She states that a student’s ability to succeed is related to his/her ability to use and write Standard English.

Student 5

Writes that the manner that a person speaks English does influence others beliefs in their intelligence and level of education. She further writes that Carters method allowed students to comprehend the limitations of their dialect and taught them to transition from their social dialect to Standard English.

Student 3

Writes that she impresses the use formal language in the classroom and that multilingualism is the norm in other countries vs. the concept of foreign language in this country. She also writes that a person’s ability to speak and write English has a direct bearing on the impression others have about them.

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