Teach What You Speak

Classrooms are funny in a way. You spend many years attending schools learning from a curriculum that was carefully designed to share one truth. This shows up in several aspects, one being standard English. The “standard” is simply the form of English that is accepted and deemed as the correct form. When this is the “norm” that is constantly taught in schools, it perpetuates a cycle of bias against different English dialects. We must create environments in which other dialects are embraced and taught by kind educators, because not doing so will only result in a society in which students are robbed from self expression and negatively labeled at a young age.

Considering how one spends most of their vital developmental years in schools, it’s important that the right information is being relayed to students. The fundamentals of American culture and what we teach stem from racism. This can be observed through the use of only standard English as the correct form in schools. This occurs due to the systems attempt to drown out any sign of anything that can be identified as African American.  But we should be able to move past this and teach more progressive and inclusive dialects. In James Baldwin’s, “If Black English Isn’t A Language, Then Tell Me What Is” he argues how the education system creates a cycle of social inequality because the notions revolving race and language place labels on people for life. In his argument he shares how, “A child cannot be taught by anyone who despises him, and a child cannot afford to be fooled. A child cannot be taught by anyone whose demand… is that the child repudiate his experience, and all that gives him sustenance, and enter a limbo in which he will no longer be black, and in which he knows that he can never become white. Black people have lost too many black children that way.” Black children cannot afford to learn through hate, learn a language that is forcing them to be someone else. As if to suggest there is something wrong with them. In this sense, they will always have a label that follows them insinuating that who they are is not who they should be, and who they should be is defined in how they speak. This way of teaching is harmful which is why different dialects should be taught

  Language is a primary tool for self-expression. When this is removed in a classroom it deprives students from being their most authentic self insert. Institutions should be a place in which creativity and authenticity is celebrated accepted and love. When there are racist undertones and the standard English that is taught in schools it creates a sense of superiority That leads students to believe they are wrong. But can authenticity really be wrong? In Jamilla Lyiscotts, “Why EnglishClass is Silencing Students of Color” she observes the teaching ofEnglish language and literature through a critical lens. Her explanation on why English classes can be more harmful than helpful accurately explain the issue with western education. In her Ted talk she mentions how, “My composite linguistic identity gives me power, but when I enter into institutional spaces that power is not valued and is often stripped away… And to silence them and to continue to marginalize the identities of students in the service of a singular standard is violence.” Lyiscott establishes a serious tone when referring to having a standard as “violence” against authenticity.This can be interpreted in how our education systems perpetuate social inequality through its stereotypes because it deprives students the opportunity to have self expression in a classroom. If the different language dialects were approached with understanding rather than the need to change someone, a system in which all kids are celebrated for how they speak rather than shamed. A humans self expression through language should be appreciated rather than frowned upon. 

Every individual is a being with free will so who are we to determine what is write or wrong with language? As a society, it is imperative that we can recognize our errors and at least try to correct them. When it comes to the language bias that is in schools curriculums, we must challenge the system by implementing more inclusive ways of teaching. It is important that we realize the extent of how harmful these notions can be on society. So, it’s better to start from the root; our schools. Educational institutions should be a place in which language differences are welcomed and understood, that way we’ll learn to be a bit more kinder to one another. 

Work Cited:

“If Black English Isn’t A Language Then, Tell Me What Is.” The New York Times, The New York Times, https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html.