That Book is mines: how to incorporate students’ home languages and dialects

1. That Book is mines:how to incorporate students’ home languages and dialects Sarah Stephanoff Fort Dorchester Elementary, ESOL teacher

2. Mission and Vision Mission: Dorchester School District Two leading the way, every student, every day, through relationships, rigor, and relevance. Vision: Dorchester School District Two desires to be recognized as a “World Class” school district, expecting each student to achieve at his/her optimum level in all areas, and providing all members of our district family with an environment that permits them to do their personal best.

3. My Background • Previously taught 4th grade for 3 years at Eagle Nest • Taught 2nd and 3rd grade in Spartanburg

4. your Background • Would you say you teach students who speak African-American Vernacular English? • Southern English? • Other languages?

5. What do we mean by dialects? • Bonquiqui video

6. What do we mean by dialects? • Varieties of a language (in this case English) • According to linguists, varieties of a language are legitimate languages in their own right • They have their own set of rules • Are not just mistakes in English

7. So do we just not correct students?!?!?

8. Better Time, Better Way • Research shows that students responded much better in classrooms where the teacher did not interrupt them to correct their language • These students experienced had higher scores and used more standard English • What if we rephrased from “We don’t it say it that way.”/”That’s wrong.”/”Here’s the right way to say it.” • Instead try – “What would be another way to say that?”

9. What would be another way to say that? • Doesn’t diminish their home language/home dialect • Students need to remain adept at their home language/home dialect in order to retain social ties • When forced to choose between a variety of English and standard English, students will often choose their home variety and suffer academically • When traditional English learners are forced to choose, they will often choose standard English and their family ties will suffer

10. T-Chart

11. Flossie and The Fox

12. Writing • Writing is a great way to incorporate students home languages or home dialects • Narrative writing allows students to write dialogue as it actually sounded (whether in a dialect or another language)

13. Abuela

14. Steffanie • Share Steffanie’s writing and video of her talking about it

15. Mentor Texts • Benefit ALL students • Essential for exposing students to standard English and quality language • Cannot expect students to reproduce what they have not read or heard

16. Persuasive Writing Example • Let’s examine some authentic examples of persuasive writing • As we’re reading, let’s chart what we notice about these texts

17. Your Turn! • Using our noticings chart, create your own persuasive writing • OR • Using Abuela or Flossie and the Fox as a mentor text, write a narrative incorporating dialect or another language

18. Student Examples • Share Shayla, Victoria, Summer, Gabriella writing

19. Questions??

20. Contact Information Presenter Name Presenter Title Presenter Email Address Phone Number

21. Session EvaluationParticipants are asked to complete a session evaluation for each session attended. Credit (attendance, renewal, and/or technology) will be added following evaluation completion. For each question, use 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4=Agree, 5=Strongly Agree. Your responses will assist us in planning future professional development in Dorchester School District Two. • The instructor was well prepared for the workshop. • The materials for the workshop were appropriate. • The concepts presented were appropriate to my job. • I will benefit from attending this session. • I would recommend this training to others.