Students should complete Exercise 5 in class or for homework:
Exercise 5. Exploring Linguistic Features of AAVE: Match the Linguistic feature of AAVE on the left with a sample of its usage on the right. Note that these features are prevalent, but not absolute in real speech.
1. Realization of final [ng] sound as the [n] sound in words with two or more syllables
2. Copula deletion in sentences and questions
3. Variant forms of be verb to mark aspect.
4. Negation agreement, such that if the sentence is negative, all negatable forms are negated.
5.Present-tense verbs are uninflected for person: there is no -s ending in the present tense third person singular.
6. There is no -s ending indicating possession—the genitive relies on adjacency.
A. That's my sister car.
B. He write rap music.
C. She was thinkin' of going to school.
D. I was working on a project.
E. He sleeping.
F. Without help, it is hard to learn gynmastics.
G. He be at work.
F. I didn't go nowhere
------ C. She was thinkin' of going to school.
------ E. He sleeping.
------ G. He be at work.
------ F. I didn't go nowhere
------ B. He write rap music.
------ A. That's my sister car.
Students should be made aware of the many issues associated with AAVE. Students should be made to understand that AAVE is a language spoken by a subset of the larger African American community; that it is a language that appears frequently in popular media, especially rap music; and that Americans hold various opinions about the "acceptibilty" of such speech. Students will examine a quote from an American who is against the use of AAVE by African Americans as well as information about the "Ebonics" debate, and will use a document produced by the LSA, which argues for its recognition.
Provide students with the following information:
Read the following quote concerning the use of AAVE, or provide the quote for students:
"We’ve got to go in there. Just forget telling your child to
go to the Peace Corps. It’s right around the corner. It’s standing
on the corner. It can’t speak English. It doesn’t want to speak
English. I can’t even talk the way these people talk. 'Why you ain’t
where you is go, ra,' I don’t know who these people are. And I blamed
the kid until I heard the mother talk. Then I heard the father talk. This
is all in the house. You used to talk a certain way on the corner and you
got into the house and switched to English. Everybody knows it’s important
to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can’t land a plane with
'why you ain’t…' You can’t be a doctor with that kind of
crap coming out of your mouth. There is no Bible that has that kind of language.
Where did these people get the idea that they’re moving ahead on this."
(This is a quote from Bill Cosby, an African American comedian, actor, and
producer who was the first black American to star in a television series.)
Exercise 6. Informing Opinions: Think about the preceding quote and information answer two of the following questions.
1. What is Bill Cosby's overall position on AAVE as expressed in this quote?
2. Does Bill Cosby make any points that you agree with or disagree with and why?
3. Do you think that speaking a dialect can be a barrier for a student? Why or why not?
4. In your opinion, should everyone in America speak the same way? Why or why not?
(Drafted by JRR and modified by Exec Cttee Jan 2, 1997; approved in amended form at LSA Business meeting, Chicago, Jan 3, 1997)
Whereas there has been a great deal of discussion in the media and among the American public about the l8 December l996 decision of the Oakland School Board to recognize the language variety spoken by many African American students and to take it into account in teaching Standard English, the Linguistic Society of America, as a society of scholars engaged in the scientific study of language, hereby resolves to make it known that:
a. The variety known as "Ebonics," "African American Vernacular English" (AAVE), and "Vernacular Black English" and by other names is systematic and rule-governed like all natural speech varieties. In fact, all human linguistic systems--spoken, signed, and written-- are fundamentally regular. The systematic and expressive nature of the grammar and pronunciation patterns of the African American vernacular has been established by numerous scientific studies over the past thirty years. Characterizations of Ebonics as "slang," "mutant," " lazy," "defective," "ungrammatical," or "broken English" are incorrect and demeaning.
b. The distinction between "languages" and "dialects" is usually made more on social and political grounds than on purely linguistic ones. For example, different varieties of Chinese are popularly regarded as "dialects," though their speakers cannot understand each other, but speakers of Swedish and Norwegian, which are regarded as separate "languages," generally understand each other. What is important from a linguistic and educational point of view is not whether AAVE is called a "language" or a "dialect" but rather that its systematicity be recognized.
c. As affirmed in the LSA Statement of Language Rights (June l996), there are individual and group benefits to maintaining vernacular speech varieties and there are scientific and human advantages to linguistic diversity. For those living in the United States there are also benefits in acquiring Standard English and resources should be made available to all who aspire to mastery of Standard English. The Oakland School Board's commitment to helping students master Standard English is commendable.
d. There is evidence from Sweden, the US, and other countries that speakers of other varieties can be aided in their learning of the standard variety by pedagogical approaches which recognize the legitimacy of the other varieties of a language. From this perspective, the Oakland School Board's decision to recognize the vernacular of African American students in teaching them Standard English is linguistically and pedagogically sound.
Chicago, Illinois
January l997
Linguistics Society of America (LSA) Resolution on
the Oakland "Ebonics" Issue
(A hyperlink to this page can be found by clicking
here)
Exercise 7: Integration Write a response to the following question.
Imagine you are are the moderator of a discussion between RZA and Bill Cosby on the use of AAVE in schools. What would each have to say about the issue? What, if anything, would you contribute to the conversation?
Darrell Penta
Teaching Demonstration
I believe culture can be defined as any non-physiological parameter that determines how the speakers of a language community (whether geo-politically or ethnically oriented) arrive at a mutual understanding when communicating; it includes both reference to and the referents of people, places, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, products, systems, and entities that retain meaning for the language community's members. To be communicatively competent in a language community as a non-native speaker, one must learn not only the language, but also the culture with which it is associated. That is to say, without knowledge of important cultural features, learners of a second language may find it impossible to fully generate or comprehend the language of native speakers.
Despite the diversity of language communities in the United States, English has always held status as the unofficial "official" language. However, not all varieties of English are given equal favor. In fact, the variety of English known as African-American Vernacular English (AAVE, Black English, African American Language, Ebonics) and the population of African Americans that speak this variety have consistently been stigmatized by individuals, institutions, policy-makers, and the media. As a white, working-class American, I was acculturated to believe that African-American English was nothing more than a slang-filled misappropriation of “good” English, and that its speakers were by definition uneducated. I have sought to develop a greater understanding of how and why this stereotype is perpetuated, and I have attempted to design a lesson that will challenge its legitimacy by unfolding it, as it were, in light of important information.
Since the early 90s, rap music (which is associated with AAVE) has achieved great popularity in America, shaping contemporary art, music, film, fashion, and language, and generating extensive public discourse as a result. I believe that a modern student of American English must be made aware of this variety of English; furthermore, I believe that this student must also be made aware of criticial of socio-historical specificities related to the American experience comprising African Americans. By using rap music as a point of reference, the instructor of this lesson is able to address multiple linguistic and cultural issues, which I believe offer numerous opportunities for students' intellectual and emotional growth.
There are many potential problems for learners with respect to this lesson. Students will need to have at least an intermediate acquisition of English, and should be mature enough to consider complex issues. Students will need to be made aware that the realia in question may offend them in some way; of course, they should also be reassured that their own opinions and beliefs will be respected and tolerated. In addition, it needs to be said that my topic can only be explored to a limited degree. For example, it is impossible to say how many speakers of AAVE there are in America, not all African Americans speak AAVE, and the related issues of racism and social stratification are too large to be covered entirely in a single lesson plan. Furthermore, while I have attempted to design activities that are accessible to diverse learners, the work may be slightly more demanding that what is expected/allowed in foreign language classrooms. This instructional sequence is intended to be presented in one week (five one-hour classes). It can be modified to cover longer periods of time, but should not be covered in less than a week.
My general goals are as follows:
1. Provide a multitude of realia related to my themes in a systematic way;
provide sequenced learning suggestions based on realia.
2. Guide students in identifying learning objectives of interest to them;
provide opportunities for reflecting upon and speaking about both the target
and native languages/cultures.
My specific goals for this instructional sequence are as follows:
1. Present sounds and images of and information about African Americans in
relation to music and popular media, especially those speakers of AAVE; students
recognize and identify features of the language and culture;
2. Provide activities for description, reflection, analysis, and language
production; students begin to explore their first impressions, feelings, and
learning goals about the themes;
3. Present sounds and images of and information about the debate/laws pertaining
to AAVE in public school settings; students engage with features of the language
and culture thorough a more thorough analysis of linguistic and cultural features;
4. Provide activities for greater description, reflection, analysis, and language
production; students evaluate both the target language and culture as well
as their own impressions, feelings, and learning goals.
1. Audio/Transcript-The Wu-Tang Clan, Excerpt from "I Can't Go To Sleep,"
The W. 2000.
2. Linguistics Society of America (LSA) Resolution on the Oakland "Ebonics"
Issue (Drafted by JRR and modified by Exec Cttee Jan 2, 1997; approved Chicago,
Jan 3, 1997) -published statement
3. Exercise sheets- teacher created
4. Students will be asked to provide some repsonses in a journal, which the
instuctor will collect and in which he or she will provide feedback.
**This Web-site contains all of the materials needed for this lesson.
It has been designed in such a way that it could be easily adapted for direct
use by students. If an instuctor were unable to access this web-site, all
materials could be converted to paper, CD, or other medium.
Ask students the following questions, and encourage them to write their responses in their journal for about five minutes or so.
1. Can you think of any music/Do you personally like "topical"
music that deals with social issues or historical events?
2. Do you have any thoughts about American music? If you have never
heard American music, can you imagine what topics might be dealt with?
Explain to students that they will be listening to an excerpt from a song. Provide them with the following information before playing the song:
First, they will be asked to simply listen to the clip, which should be played multiple times.To play the music, click on the image or the world "play" below. Then, they will proceed to Exercises 1.
1. Does this music sound familiar/unfamiliar to you? Can you say what aspects are familiar/unfamiliar?
2. Even if you don't understand what is being said, do you have any thoughts about what emotion RZA is feeling?
3. Imagine some of the things RZA could be talking about.
Exercise 3: Student Writing: Students will be given infromation about various culture-specific references in the song (To see such information, click any underlined word or phrase below). Using information gathered from Exercise 2 and 3, students will be asked to identify any aspect of the song about which they are curious.Ample time should be given for in-class discussion and questions. The following questions can be adapted for this exercise, and be used as a homework assignment:
1. Locate one area of this song that you would like to learn more about. Prepare a list of ten questions or statements to share with your classmates.
2. Find another example of American music or music from your own culture that you would like to compare to this. Be prepared to explain what you find similar or different.
3.Write a song/poem/or rap in the target language on any topic that your find interesting.
4. Write a letter to RZA. What would you like to know, or what would
you like to tell him?
I can't go to sleep, I can't shut my eyes
|
During his life, Malcolm went from being a street-wise Boston hoodlum to one of the most prominent black nationalist leaders in the United States to a martyr of Islam. As a militant leader, Malcolm X advocated black pride, economic self-reliance, and identity politics. He ultimately rose to become a world renowned African American/Pan-Africanist and human rights activist.Malcolm X was assassinated in New York City on February 21, 1965 on the first day of National Brotherhood Week.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929–April 4, 1968) was a Baptist minister and American political activist who was the most famous leader of the American civil rights movement. King won the Nobel Peace Prize before being assassinated in 1968. He is the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1977, King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by Jimmy Carter. For his promotion of non-violence and racial equality, King is considered a peacemaker and martyr by many people around the world. Martin Luther King Day was established in his honor.
The Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, National Hero of Jamaica, (August 17, 1887 – June 10, 1940) was a publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, crusader for black nationalism, and founder of the UNIA-ACL. He was born in Jamaica. Garvey is best remembered as a champion of the "Back-To-Africa" movement, which encouraged people of African ancestry to return to their ancestral homelands. He is also recognized as an important prophet of the "back-to-Africa" Rastafari movement. Garvey said he wanted those of African ancestry to "redeem" Africa, and for the European colonial powers to leave it. Although Garvey was raised Methodist, he became a Roman Catholic.
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was the wife of President John F. Kennedy, and First Lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963.
Major events during his presidency included the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, early events of the Vietnam War, and the American Civil Rights Movement. In rankings of U.S. presidents, historians usually grade Kennedy above average, but among the general public he is often regarded as among the greatest presidents.
An official investigation by the Warren Commission was conducted over a 10-month period, and its report was published in September 1964, concluding that the assassin was Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee of the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza. A later official investigation by the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) was conducted from 1976 to 1979. It concluded that Oswald assassinated Kennedy "probably... as a result of a conspiracy". The assassination is still the subject of widespread speculation, and has spawned a number of Kennedy assassination theorie
At approximately 12:40 a.m. on June 12, 1963, Evers pulled into his driveway after returning from an integration meeting where he had conferred with NAACP lawyers. Emerging from his car and carrying NAACP T-shirts that stated, "Jim Crow Must Go", Evers was struck in the back with a bullet that richocheted into his home. He staggered 30 feet before collapsing, dying at the local hospital 50 minutes later.
The shift from indentured servants to chattel slavery of Africans was prompted by a growing lower class of former servants who had worked through the terms of their indentures and thus became competitors of their former masters and by the constant need for more laborers. These newly freed servants were rarely able to support themselves comfortably, and the tobacco industry was increasingly dominated by large planters. This caused domestic unrest culminating in Bacon's Rebellion.
After the 1860 presidential election, the South seceded from the Union and thus began the American Civil War. The United States Civil War led to the end of chattel slavery in America. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 made the abolition of slavery an official war goal and it was implemented throughout the war. Legally, slaves within the United States remained enslaved until the final ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in December of 1865.
Park Hill is a location in Brooklyn, New York. In the map of New York below, Brooklyn is highlighted in red.
Theme 2: The debate on AAVE in American Schools
What is the poverty rate of African Americans?
a. 7%
b. 13%
c. 24%
How many African Americans live in the United States:
b. 37.1 Million (13 % of US Population)
Which U.S. city has the largest African American urban population with 2
million residents?
a. Los Angeles, California
b. Dallas, Texas
c. New York, New York
Which U.S. city has the largest African American urban population with 2
million residents?
c. New York, New York
What percentage of African Americans live in the U.S. South?
a.25%
b.40%
c.55%
Follow-Up Questions. Ask and answer in class.
1. Did these statistics provide you with any useful or interesting insights?
What other peices of information would you like to know?
2.Given what you have learned about current demographics, does the context of RZA song become clearer to you? What kinds of connections can you make between the numbers above and the song lyrics, or to assignment 3?
3. Many people represented by these statistics, as well as many other African Americans (including RZA) speak a "dialect" of English called AAVE. This dialect is frequently stigmatized, and is discouraged in schools and other civic settings. Are there any dialects of your native language that are stigmatized?