Sociolinguistics for the Teacher

The #1 thing learned in Sociolinguistics: OBSERVE.

Application: Study your students and how they use language.

People use language to create identity.

Students belong to multiple speech communities.

Criticism of their use of language can feel like an insult to their community.

Application: If we place a negative judgement on student's language, they feel judged and criticized.

Application: If we value their current competency in language while endeavoring to increase their skills, it is a win/win.

It can demonstrate that value is placed on all language skills if we teach ...

about

• speaker agency
• style shifting
• code-switching

Language reveals social relationships.

Different languages and codes

"...point out interesting language things that happen during your day..." (Van Herk)

There is a difference between COMPETENCE and PERFORMANCE in language.

There is a difference between COMPETENCE and PERFORMANCE in language.

COMPETENCE is what you know and understand about a language.

PERFORMANCE is what you can DO in and with that language.

Application: Be aware as teachers when our students have a higher competence in English than performance level.

Application: teach standard English as a language of power in academic and business world.

Useful and opens doors but not "better".

Application: teach SOCIAL DISTANCE-
what we do with language to shrink social distance

Aspirational qualities of language acquisition...

Aspirational qualities of language acquisition...

Application: Explore with students how having ability to code-switch and style switch matches their various personal aspirations.

Example: In Literature class, connect to voice and persona in writing and reading.

INNER/OUTER COUNTRIES and language

Application: Colonial aspects of English speaking

Application: Colonial aspects of English speaking

Example: In Literature class, discuss ramifications of reading British and American Literature to study colonized cultures.

Continued: Discuss that in even in post colonial countries, the language of the colonizers is still the language of power.

AAE: African American English

Application: The form and structure can be discussed along with the idea of colonized nations and devalued languages/languages of power.

Crossing vs. Standard English

Within group crossing/sounding white

Gendered language

• rapport/report style
• pronouns
• turn-taking
• gendered markers

Takeaway: Our purpose is not to devalue a student's various languages, codes or speech communities...

it is to give them as many language tools as possible and support their agency in language acquisition and practice.