Even though we make these judgements, the key is to not let what we think determine how we treat others. This is especially true in the classroom, where a teacher's attitude towards a child and his or her abilities can have as profound of an impact as the child's actually abilities. Purcell-Gates (2002) states, "If the child's family is poor, his parents undereducated, his dialect nonstandard, then we are much more likely to interpret experiential difference as a deficit in the child, in the parents, in the home, in the sociocultural community within which this child has grown up. And when we do this, we play God, conferring or denying educational opportunity to individual, socioculturally different children. And we do not have the right to do this" (130).
Every child has the ability and the right to learn. They also have the right to do so without hearing that they will never be able to learn as well as other students because they are black, Mexican, not Asian, or a fifth generation backwoods farmer. My mom and her friend, Ida, who was the valedictorian of their Preston County high school, were told by their guidance councilor that they shouldn't go to college. Technical school was the highest goal that those Preston County farm girls could aspire to. College was a ridiculous dream, after all they would be barefoot and pregnant in just a few years. To this day, those words still ring clear in my mother's head.
Education is one of the best means for a person to gain a better life. When teachers determine a child's ability based on where they came from, they are not only telling that child that he or she can't learn, they are telling them they can't be any better than their parents. "He's from the projects, he'll never learn to read." or "She's just a backwoods hick, she'll never graduate." is the same as saying "Where you come from is the most important thing in life and you will never escape it." This can create a sense of shame in where the students come from and reinforce the idea that they have to forget their past, their heritage to be successful.
In "Tall Tales of Appalachia", O'Brien says, "[My father] took the hillbilly stereotype to heart and all of his life believed that he was backward and inferior -- a despair I, too, have been trying to escape all of my life." (O'Brien John, 2003) This "despair" is one that I too carry. Never in my life have I been told by a parent, teacher, or guidance councilor that I can't achieve my dreams, but because of the media continuously perpetuating negative stereotypes of West Virginians and hillbillies, this "despair" has seeped deep into my subconscious. There it lurks in the dark corners whispering that I'm not as good as my peers from other states. I am currently researching colleges, several out of state, where I can get a masters in Spanish, either in applied linguistics or second language acquisition. That "despair" nags at me, saying that I'll never make it out-of-state. I know that in another state, I will be judged by where I'm from, my tendency to say "fer" instead of "far", and the number of G's that disappear from the ends of my gerunds.
Literacy knowledge is knowledge of the system or reading and writing. An example of print literacy knowledge is knowing that written words have meaning. Non-print literacy knowledge is knowledge about how reading and writing are done, such as the fact the we read left to right. Stereotypes can interfere in literacy instruction in a few different ways. One is when teachers assume that a lack of literacy knowledge reflects a deficiency in a child's upbringing or culture, instead of just a difference. Another occurs when teachers allow stereotypes to determine how much they think that a student can learn. Schools and teachers contribute to poor literacy education when they refuse to compensate for student's lack of literacy knowledge.
Some will judge students on the basis of their language or social status. They will then use this to determine how much students can learn. They will never strive to have the student achieve more than their low set bar. They will deny them educational opportunities because they believe that the students will never be able to take advantage of them.
Some believe that you can not learn how to read and write a proper language until you speak that proper language. This is not true. There is always a disconnect between the written word and the spoken word. Teachers can improve their literacy instruction by showing students example of written language in different registers and situations. They can show them that everyday colloquial speech shows up in written works just the same as formal erudite language.
The term "proper English" implies that there is one specific dialect of English that is superior to others. This does a disservice to the rich, diverse, linguistic history of English. The different dialects of any language reflect the unique and varied influences that have shaped not only the language of that location, but also the history and culture. Different registers and tones in language also reflect the diversity of the people.
Mastering a language isn't just about obtaining the ability to speak a certain dialect. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages have developed Proficiency Guidelines, which are used to determine an individual's mastery of the language. Their highest level of mastery, Distinguished is not reserved for those that can speak the "proper" dialect of a language. This distinction is given to those that "are able to use language skillfully, and with accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness. They are educated and articulate users of the language. They can reflect on a wide range of global issues and highly abstract concepts in a culturally appropriate manner. They can tailor language to a variety of audiences by adapting their speech and register in ways that are culturally authentic." ("Speaking - ACTFL," 2012) Distinguished proficiency in a language includes being able to communicate authentically with the lower level dialects as well as the proper ones.
As a Spanish student, I see the most foreign language instruction focuses on the "proper" form of the language, which is a good foundation. Foreign language teachers must also be careful to show students that the proper way of speaking a language is only one way, and that it is not always the most effect way. They have to show that other dialect have value. In a letter to the editor of The New York Times, Maria Arreaza- Coyle (2000) says, "As a longtime teacher of Spanish as a foreign language, I have always found myself explaining the differences between the written and the spoken language and defending Mexican and Puerto Rican dialects from attacks by students who believe that Spanish from Spain is ''purer'' and therefore superior."
O'Brien John. (2003, May 10). Tall tales of Appalachia. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/10/opinion/tall-tales-of-appalachia.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm
Arreaza- Coyle, M. (2000, February 11). Defending language. The new york times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/11/opinion/l-defending-language-766895.html?src=pm
Speaking - ACTFL guidelines 2012. (2012). Retrieved from http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/speaking
Purcell Gates, V. (2002). As soon as she opened her mouth.
In L. Delpit & J.K Dowdy (Eds.), In The skin that we speak: An
anthology of essays on language culture and power. (Print: Anthology)
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