DW3b

"Five Easy Pieces: Steps toward Integrating AAVE into the Classroom." By Jessica Whitney
Whitney starts out the paper by stating how she is confused about AAVE in her classroom, and how she thinks we should approach the AAVE barrier and start accepting it more. She acknowledges her power in the classroom as a facilitator or learning and a physical representation of what is good, and she questions herself about how to adequately deal with AAVE in the academic setting. She goes on to give five steps on how to integrate AAVE into the classroom and acknowledge its presence.
Step 1: Teacher, Educate Thyself
One of the biggest obstacles teachers face while dealing with AAVE is ignorance. People tend to make bad judgments about linguistic features associated with AAVE. Teachers should educated themselves about the apparent stereotypes of AAVE and then learn to combat them by working in the students home language, which will in turn help them achieve academic success.
Step 2: Incorporate Multiculturalism into the Classroom
In order to AAVE in the classroom, we must create a learning environment that emphasizes diversity in language, experiences, and culture. Kim Brian Lovejoy integrated this into his classroom by allowing his students to bring in nonmainstream varieties of writings and speech. This allowed for in depth class discussion, as well as cultural and linguistic learning. Whitney points out that only 56% of African American students graduate from high school, some of this due to being discriminated against due to their use of AAVE. This is a good point, she argues that the status quo of teaching AAVE is not working, as emphasized by the low graduation rate, and she writes this paper in order to educate and reverse the status quo. Multiculturalism makes school more relevant and effective for minority students, thus increasing their ability to succeed and have successful lives and careers. She states that educators must not give their students a one-sided view of the world as they are doing now, and that they should be given more cultural opportunities.
Step 3: Create a Learning Environment Rich in Oral Language
Reading texts aloud to students can help to immerse them into a learning environment that is rich in oral language. The way a student speaks and is spoken to is very closely related to the way a student writes, so if one can illustrate that AAVE is a natural way to speak, then the student will feel more comfortable using AAVE in the classroom. In class debates, readings, and discussions can help integrate the students into the oral classroom environment and puts an emphasis on the home language.
Step 4: Emphasize and Demonstrate Code Switching in the Classroom
It is true that not every language type is useful in every situation, some situations call for more formal speaking while others have a more laid back setting. And it is important to know when and how to do this. Whitney states that when teachers work with students to contrast the differences between non-Standard English and Standard English, students are less likely to use AAVE in their writing. And Rickford’s research proves this, when students were taught the structural differences, their writing in Standard English improved by 59%.
Step 5: Allow Student to Write like Real Writers
Educators need to teach students how to write to different audiences. Different audiences react differently to each writing techniques and each is effective in a different way. When students are awake of the intended audience, they can critically reflect on their choice of words. Educators should make students aware of how to change their writing based on who they are trying to write to.