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Dialect Study |
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A classmate of mine asked for ideas on teaching about dialects. I suggested that a lot of the initiative in identifying dialects can come from the kids themselves. An example of something you could do to broach the topic (and this depends on what grade you teach) would be to start with a text written in dialect, like something by Mark Twain. Have the kids identify specific variant usages that characterize Huck Finn's or Jim's dialect. After the initial discussions, provide a variety of other "written dialects" for comparison, including dialects from all over the country. Students could brainstorm to list dialects they are familiar with or know from TV, such as the "redneck" dialect of Jeff Foxworthy or specialized kinds of "teen talk". Extension activities could include writing |
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a dialect dictionary or composing a dialogue between characters in dialect, perhaps including some humor as characters of very different dialects have trouble understanding each other. (Even a dialogue between parent and teen could be very funny!) |
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One of the things students should take away from this activity is the awareness that we ALL speak in a dialect of some kind: everyone has an "accent," "variant" usages, specialized terminology, etc. Students should learn to recognize that distinct dialects (including, for example, "ebonics") have consistent grammars, even if those grammars are not consistent with "standard English." They will learn to recognize what factors contribute to a particular dialect or accent's status as the "norm" in a culture. |
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