Essay - Dialects Language—the Social Mirror in a California Classroom the More...

Dialects

Language—The Social Mirror in a California Classroom

The more diverse the classrooms of ***** state of California become in the future, the greater the diversity of dialects, languages, and vocabulary will come from the mouths of students. In her study of sociol*****guistics, Elaine O. Chaika notes how different regional and city dialects, the presence ***** two languages in a child's life *****s well as cultural differences can impact that child's expression in different settings and amongst ***** groups of people, including in the context ***** ***** classroom. For example a student may speak Spanish at home, English in the classroom ***** a combin*****ion 'Spanglish' on ***** playground with peers.

Thus, bilingualism and diversity is a re*****lity in the United States, and this is true, perhaps even ***** so, ***** California. Bilingualism alone produces not simply many ***** but many dialects. Spanish is one of the most common languages ot***** than English spoken in ***** ***** States. (Chaika, 1994, p.35) Mexi*****-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Dom*****ican-American children may make up a te*****cher's classroom, and depending if these bilingual ***** are first, second or third generation, may speak with a different level of ***** *****nd ***** fluency. Between even their own f*****ms of Spanish, *****ever, there will many regional differences in dialect and vocabulary. Thus, teacher cannot even assume a natural cohesion between all Spanish speakers in the *****, but approach every child from his or her own unique cultural and familial context.

*****, *****re may be Asian *****s with similar difficulties, if from *****-generation homes, grappling ***** the often-considerable ***** between Indo-European languages such as English and ***** own native tongues, spoken at *****. Again, the teacher must be mindful ***** simply because students come ***** the same region does not mean that *****y have a natural cultural cohesion, as their ***** and *****s will be different. Also, often students from particular ***** backgrounds ***** ***** parents who operate their ***** businesses, where the students w*****k after school, limiting their exposure to social, spoken English outside of the classroom. As with bilingual Spanish speakers, in a mixed classroom of native English speakers ***** *****dividuals who speak English as a second language, ***** may be more reticent, ***** ***** ***** lack of intelligence or ***** shyness (although culture ***** have an influence in inhibiting Latina girls ***** Asian students) but because of a lack of confidence speaking formal English.

Where a student lives in the *****, regardless of his or her native ***** or may also limit his or her exposure to English, or ***** Standard English. Certain ethnic neighborhoods may not be primarily English speaking. In the case of English-speakers, such as African-Americans, students may feel more comfortable ***** their city-specific dialect. A ***** must remember only the so-called "correct English myth holds that t*****e is ***** real *****, ***** English, and that deviations ***** it are impoverished and unworthy." (Adger, 1997) The myth ***** the single correct dialect or way of speaking is one of the issues Chaika takes on