Hadleigh M. Pierce
Junior, English Education
Purdue University
Writing in Dialect: When “Grammatically Correct” Isn’t Correct Grammar
As teachers of English, we have all familiarized ourselves with dialect. Each human being in our world employs a different lexicon and style of speaking and writing unique to themselves. Everyone, even without realizing it, utilizes a different dialect often based on the region in which they grew up, their home life, and/or the language utilized by their peers. The grammar structures of different dialects of the world, and even of America, vary greatly, which then creates a dissonance between academic and informal speaking and writing. For instance, Southern American English, British English, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), and other English dialects all differ greatly in their usage of vocabulary, grammar rules, and slang. How, then, do we as teachers of English and writing allow and encourage students to develop both their academic language and the language they grew up using or use in everyday life? How do we create a classroom environment where all students feel seen, supported, and valued? How do we create a classroom where all students can succeed? These questions have been posed for decades.
Currently, many teachers of English and writing only teach and allow “proper” grammar in their classrooms. This dialect of English is typical “Standard American English” that doesn’t use region-specific slang or grammar rules. By only allowing this one type of English in our classrooms, we ostracize many groups of students unintentionally. English Language Learners and students of color (specifically Black students) are often left feeling like their ways of speaking and writing are illegitimate and inferior to those used by other students. These students
often have to practice code-switching, which is “the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation” (Oxford Languages). Being forced to practice code-switching constantly places undue pressure on these students and takes a mental and emotional toll on them. Furthermore, only allowing students to use Standard American English also ostracizes students who struggle with understanding or using “proper” grammar mechanics and rules for any reason, whether that be a learning disability, other disability like dyslexia, or any other reason.
So, how do we combat this as teachers while still making sure we teach our students the state, national, and NCTE standards? The most obvious answer, I believe, is found in a most unexpected place: creative writing. Creative writing is meant to be just that, creative. We as teacher-writers are constantly told to write what we know, so why shouldn’t we pass that idea on to our students? Students, when writing creatively, should be allowed and encouraged to write in a way that makes them feel like they can express themselves rather than be put into the box of using “correct grammar” for Standard American English. Students who use a different dialect of English should be encouraged and rewarded for writing in their own dialect. This also requires us as teacher-writers to ask why we typically only accept “proper” Standard American English grammar in creative writing contexts. Is it because we view other dialects like Southern American English and African American Vernacular English as inferior? Is it an issue of systemic racism or classism? These are all questions we should ponder as we have this conversation.
One might ask why we should encourage students to use “incorrect” grammar. I asked myself the same question until very recently. As an English major at Purdue University, I was required to take LING 201 (Introduction to Linguistics). In that class, we were taught that nearly
all grammar is relative. If something makes sense when spoken aloud or written down, it is grammatical. It may not necessarily follow the conventional rules of Standard American English grammar, but it still is grammatically correct as it makes sense to speakers, readers, and writers of that language or dialect. That being said, we aren’t teaching “incorrect” grammar, we are encouraging students to develop and use the grammar they have grown up with and/or use at home or with their peers. If the grammar is correct in those students’ own dialect and vernacular, what makes it incorrect in a classroom setting? Why don’t we accept these grammar rules in creative and informal writings?
I am a current junior at Purdue University and am placed in a majority-Black middle school as part of my field experience. My supervising teacher is a white woman but encourages her students to use their own dialects when doing their creative writing projects, especially those having to do with personal narrative. Whenever students are writing in first-person, they are encouraged to use their own dialect and vernacular instead of Standard American English. During my time working with these students, I have been given the opportunity to read and grade several of their writing projects. I myself am a writer and find that I am able to analyze and identify when students understand what they’re writing. In my time reading these projects, I have noticed that Black students who use African American Vernacular English in their creative writing projects almost always score higher on their projects compared to Black students who don’t use AAVE. In addition to this, they almost always have more fully developed storylines, characters, and dialogue. This proves that students write better when they are allowed and encouraged to write in a way that’s more comfortable to them. If a large part of our job is to set all students up for success, why are we requiring them to write in a manner that is uncomfortable when the entire point of the exercise is to be creative?
I would like to point out that, obviously, formal academic writing is a different story. In formal contexts, I believe students should be required to use Standard American English. It is perfectly reasonable to expect students to use proper Standard American English grammar in those contexts as that is the norm in all professional contexts. When we teach these two ideas together, we are encouraging students to learn and develop both their own dialect and vernacular and Standard American English grammar. This is an important distinction to make when teaching English and Writing. As teachers and teacher-writers, our job is to teach students how to write, whether that be creatively or academically.
Comentarios