In the classroom, variations in dialect and register may present in the following:

  1. Pronunciation Differences: Students may pronounce words differently from Standard English. Example: “gonna” instead of “going to.”
  2. Vocabulary Differences: Students may use words or phrases that are unfamiliar. Example: “bubbler” instead of “water fountain” (CrashCourse, 2020). 
  3. Grammar Differences: Students may use variations in their sentence structure or grammar. Example: the use of double negatives, “I don’t know nothing” (Washington & Seidenberg, 2021). 
  4. Code-Switching: Students may switch between their home dialect and Standard English depending on the context or who they are speaking with (CrashCourse, 2020). 
  5. Communication Style: The way students structure their conversations, use gestures, or express politeness may differ from what the teacher and or other students in the class are accustomed to (Blundon, 2016). 

Teachers can respond to variations in dialect and registers through: 

  1. Validation and Respect: Acknowledge and respect the students’ home dialects as legitimate and valuable. This validation can help build students’ confidence and cultural identity. Example: “I notice you use ‘gonna’ instead of ‘going to.’ It’s great to hear how language varies.”
  2. Creating an Inclusive Environment: Foster a classroom environment where all linguistic backgrounds are respected. Encourage students to share their dialects and linguistic experiences. Suggestion: organize a sort of “show-and-tell” where students share words or phrases from their home dialects.
  3. Teaching Code-Switching: Help students understand when and how to use different dialects or registers appropriately, particularly the difference between informal and formal contexts.
  4. Providing Clear Examples: Model the differences between dialects and Standard English. Suggestion: Demonstrate how a sentence might be said in a dialect versus Standard English, explaining why both are correct in their respective contexts.
  5. Using Inclusive Teaching Materials: Diversify the texts and resources that you use in the classroom to reflect linguistic variation. Suggestion: select reading materials that include characters or narrators who use various dialects (Blundon, 2016).
  6. Professional Development: Engage in professional development to learn more about sociolinguistics and how to effectively support students from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Suggestion: attend workshops or read books on language diversity (Washington & Seidenberg, 2021). 

Organizing a meeting with the caregivers of a student struggling due to a linguistic diversity may also be helpful. See the attached document for how you may want to guide that conversation, and what to anticipate.

Teacher-Parent-Conversation-about-Linguistic-Diversity-Download

References

Blundon, P. (2016). Nonstandard dialect and educational achievement: Potential implications for First Nations students. Canadian ​Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 40(3), 218-231.

CrashCourse. (2020, October 23). Linguistics: crash course linguistics #7.[Video]. YoutTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of4XzrbkknM

Washington, J. & Seidenberg, M. (2021). Teaching reading to African American children. American Educator, Summer 2021. https://www.aft.org/ae/summer2021/washington_seidenberg