Araceli Resendiz
ENG 105
Barbara l. Gill-Mayberry
May 18, 2010
Unit
II: Assignment 2: Ebonics Debate [3 tutorial stamps and two teacher
conferences-Final Revision: Requesting a letter grade]
Dat Ain’t What Da Board Wuz Sayin!
[Introduction]
[Hook] The Oakland Unified School Board, in its historical resolution, decided a variety of policies, one of which asserts, “[t]he policy of the Oakland Unified School District [OUSD] is that all pupils are equal and are to be treated equally” (2). [Bridge] This assertion establishes the Board’s conviction that any student from any cultural background should be treated the same way and not discriminated against for the way they learn, speak, write, read, or for their cultural background or their appearance. Every individual must be respected and be helped throughout their life-long learning. Teachers can help and guide culturally diverse children who bring many of their unique cultures into the learning experience. Linguistically, the Board resolved that Ebonics-speaking students can be taught Standard American English using Ebonics as an instructional tool to contrast the syntactical, phonological, lexical, and morphological features of the two distinctive linguistic systems. [Divided Thesis/Stasis] [Opponents subordinate claim] Although opponents of using Ebonics as a tool to teach Standard American English to the district’s Ebonics-speakers claim that incorporating Ebonics in the classroom will not help Ebonics-speakers learn the conventions of English prose, [Rhetor’s Main Claim] integrating Ebonics into the language curriculum of predominantly Ebonics-speaking classrooms in Oakland will help students to improve and to learn to speak Standard American English by providing an opportunity for (Reason 1) equal cultural understanding, (Reason 2) equal language appreciation, (Reason 3) and equal human respect for all children’s educational needs.
[Narration]
[Topic Sentence] On December 18, 1996, the Board members of the Oakland Unified School District described a variety of policies as part of their Resolution. [Discussion] The Resolution’s purpose was to take the students’ knowledge of Ebonics to learn Standard American English. The model program at Prescott school included students from a variety of diverse backgrounds-African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and more. Prescott shows how it was the only school in Oakland where students and teachers volunteered with the program for Standard English, which included their own rules and style of improving English with the use of Ebonics for students. By teaching African American children and making it a great achievement, the model Prescott school helped students improve their reading, writing, and speaking of English and gave back opportunities to their community that has motivated the Oakland Unified School District to be involved with the Standard English Proficiency (SEP). This SEP program allows reaching out to students by teaching them and having them learn, which can improve their skills with speaking, writing, and reading English skills using Ebonics. Ebonics can enhance Standard American English, helping Ebonics speakers to comprehend both languages and using methods such as grammar or pronunciation within Ebonics, to improve English. This program is connected to the debate by showing that if Ebonics is used with students to teach them English, then it would help them improve their skills and enable them to learn how using their cultural language can impact someone’s life. Applying Ebonics to help students master Standard American English can positively affect the way they express themselves as individuals. The methods of learning Standard American English may be pedagogically different, but they are effective. [Conclusion] As a result of the Board’s support of the Prescott school, using Ebonics has caused a debate that stirred up the media and incited controversy throughout the national community. The Resolution’s purpose was to take the students’ knowledge of Ebonics and use that knowledge to help Ebonics speakers to learn Standard American English.
[Confirmation]
[Topic Sentence] Ebonics should be used as a tool to teach Standard American English because of how it has influenced the children’s education in positive ways. By reading the Board’s Resolution and its policies, open minded citizens can infer how the use of Ebonics will be beneficial to helping and improving the education of students gaining and taking with them a new language, Standard American English. Using Ebonics as a tool to teach Standard American English will provide the students with equal cultural understanding, equal language appreciation, and equal human respect. Many scholarly experts, reports, studies, and statistical data document the efficacy of the Board’s decision. These scholarly sources document how the Board’s decision to use the home culture of the children in building up their learning and education will help them improve their Standard American English skills and will help teachers learn the variety of cultures within each individual. For example, the book by Theresa Perry and Lisa Delpit, The Real Ebonics Debate, says that throughout their Interview with a teacher named Carrie Secret, that “the other issue is culture…Augusta Mann, presents staff development sessions for SEP that focus on the culture of African-American people and uses the culture to enhance reading achievement”(80). Throughout this interview, Carrie Secret shows how with help of the manager and trainer of programs involved with the culture and educational programs or centers, gives the Standard Efficiency programs the ability to help any student with improving reading and even writing when it comes to using their culture brought with them. There is appreciation of the learning style of the students as well as their home language patterns. According to Lisa Delpit, “It exists. It is the language spoken by many of our African –American children” (17). Delpit shows how whether we are going for or against the use of Ebonics, it is still there because many of the African American parents have raised their children with their cultural language. Their language is appreciated for how it resembles the culture and expressions of African Americans. There is also meaningful teaching by showing the children human respect. Many of the students at Prescott, the model Standard Efficiency Program, aspire to becoming teachers. Terry Meier, from the book of The Real Ebonics Debate, says, “Ebonics helps prepare my students for a more effectively teaching in an increasingly diverse world” (119). Terry shows how students who want to become teachers can be benefitted by being students in the SEP program when it comes to teaching students from very diverse backgrounds. [Conclusion] All of these scholars and studies referenced above show respect for culturally diverse students and how they can be taught in a way that will help them throughout their learning of Standard American English as well as throughout adapting to a culturally diverse world.
[Concession/Refutation]
(Topic Sentence): It is, indeed, true that opponents of using Ebonics as a tool to teach Standard American English to the district’s Ebonics-speakers claim that incorporating Ebonics in the classroom will not help Ebonics-speakers learn the conventions of English prose. [Warrant] There are many opinions out there about how Ebonics would be racial when used to teach English because of Ebonics’ unique vocabulary and writing. [Example #1- Evidence of Opponent’s Claim] For example, the “Talk of the Nation” of Ebonics has arguments that have come across in saying that issues can arise because of the concerns of race and class in schools. Many of the opponents, such as arguments of the “Talking of the Nation”, feel that using Ebonics as a tool shows disrespect or racism because it minimizes the learning abilities of the students or children. [Evidence #2- Evidence of Opponent’s Claim] In John Rickford’s article from Everything’s an Argument, he describes an email that refereed to Ebonics as poor grammar, lazy English, and even slang (723). Opponents say that using Ebonics as a tool to teach and master Standard English sounds ridiculous. This notion shows that many who disagree with the use of Ebonics to teach English feel concerns about the view of their cultural history and feel offended by how Ebonics is used because of its style. [Evidence #3] Perhaps most convincing, the book by Theresa Perry and Lisa Delpit, The Real Ebonics Debate, mentions that there is no research related to Ebonics education. The literacy problems of the children are the parents’ fault. They also mention that the debate over Ebonics has been of no use at all. This evidence shows that the difficult situations children experience throughout life are problems that reflect faults in the parents who are not focusing on how they raise them. [Refutation] But, integrating Ebonics into the language curriculum of predominantly Ebonics-speaking classrooms in Oakland will help students to improve and to learn to speak Standard American English by providing an opportunity for (Reason 1) equal cultural understanding. [Warrant] Many students come from diverse backgrounds and each of them brings with them their own language. Ebonics can help improve Standard American English because students can gain and learn the knowledge for the variety of languages spoken. They can also understand how each culture is unique. [Evidence #1 for Reason1 ] For example, in the article “Teaching Outside One’s Race: The Story of an Oakland Teacher,” Bree Picower discusses some of his experiences, what is unique about the school, which includes culture, the views or thoughts of teachers and faculty who discuss their experiences about Standard English and Ebonics, the debate, the development and growing of each individual, the school’s involvement, and hereditary equality. Picower recognizes that many of the classes are informed and have background and information about African American culture, but the school does celebrate diverse cultures or traditions such as Mexican culture, Cambodian dance, and art. Many of these cultural backgrounds or traditions involve events and their importance; this celebration also shows cultural understanding because if the students, faculty, teachers, and the whole school district have respect towards taking consideration of cultural backgrounds within the students, then they will have no problem with teaching them and helping them improve their English using their native, first language, Ebonics. [Evidence #2 of Reason 1] According to “All Things Considered for Ebonics English” arguments, the school district says that helping students, such as Ebonics speakers, would be replicating the method used to help new immigrants with a second language program, English. This conviction shows how each student would be treated fair and help others equally. [Evidence #3 of Reason 1] Also, “Talking of the Nation” for Ebonics, says that this program helps students to provide the same special attention to the students acquiring the speaking of any other foreign language would require. This conviction shows how the school’s district has taken consideration of treating each individual with equal attention as others and helps to motivate them throughout their education. [Conclusion] Contrary to the stance of opponents, incorporating Ebonics in the classroom will help Ebonics-speakers learn the conventions of Standard American English prose. By doing so, each student is treated equally without any discrimination or disrespect, thus, avoiding lowering the child’s motivation throughout their education.
[Refutation-Reason 2]
[Topic Sentence] Incorporating Ebonics into the curriculum of predominantly Ebonics speaking classrooms in Oakland will help students improve and learn to speak English and provide the opportunity for equal language appreciation. An appreciation for a variety of languages shows how a person is willing to learn or understand the cultural background and use of language from speakers, such as Mexicans, African Americans, Asians and more. Many educators have shown the importance and their comprehension of language used by students. [Evidence #1 for Reason 2] For example, Carrie Secret describes the programs of Standard English Proficiency and how it shows the respect towards language. She discusses how a program is just not to see how well a student learns and speaks English. It provides reading to learn and grow as a literacy component. This program continues throughout the curriculum. [Evidence #2 for Reason 2] In addition to John Rickford’s article, many studies of sounds, grammar, and even words of diverse languages and dialects have provided positive thoughts or opinions about these languages, such as, Ebonics. These studies have shown that many of the languages, like Ebonics, have shown the importance and functions of their rules, such as the language’s unique phonology and grammar. [Evidence #3 for Reason #2] Therefore, when the arguments suggest that Ebonics is slang, it might be because of the phonological features of the vocabulary, but as mentioned in the article, “Suite for Ebony and Phonics,” by John Richford, although Ebonics does have some slang words, their linguistic identity is discussed or is created by unique patterns of grammar and pronunciation. The children are able to learn to speak Standard American English, but also express themselves in a positive way using Ebonics. (Conclusion): Contrasting Ebonics with Standard American English can enhance the language learning of the children or students, but also enhance understanding of the qualities of a language and their use from a diversity of speakers.
[Refutation-Reason 3]
(Topic Sentence): Establishing human respect for the Ebonics-speaking child’s educational needs is another benefit that arises from following the Board’s directive. That is, incorporating Ebonics into the curriculum of predominantly Ebonics speaking classrooms in Oakland will help students improve and learn to speak English by also providing the opportunity for human respect. [Discussion] Many cultures such as the African American community have been discriminated because of their family backgrounds and not given opportunities. They have been be treated without respect and they have not been treated equally as others. [Evidence #1 for Reason 3] Carrie Secret, an Oakland teacher, in an interview, discusses how “If you don’t respect the children’s culture, you negate their very essence” (Embracing 1). Carrie shows and discusses when someone is being disrespectful, they are not letting themselves learn or understanding the whole of the person. They are neglecting everything they are and it shows how it will cause problems within the students, depending on the way the student views the situation with the teacher. [Evidence #2 for Reason 3] The Standard English Proficiency works with the Center for Applied Cultural Studies and Educational Achievement [CACSEA]. They have provided programs on African American students’ culture, and history. The Standard English Proficiency has focused on using cultures to cultivate the learning or reading comprehension of students. [Evidence #3 for Reason 3] In addition, Carrie Secret also says, “Our mission was and continues to be: embrace and respect Ebonics, the home language of many of our students, and use strategies that will move them to a competency level in English.” Secret shows how there is a reaction towards languages such as Ebonics, because as they learn more they can gain the ability to grow in their understating and use of English. (Conclusion): The students can gain a higher understanding of the different languages in the world and be able to use the languages they learn where it would make them feel free to express themselves positively and be comfortable.
(Summation): Our having to know about the variety of opinions of the masses in the world, Ebonics has provided many students a better understanding and learning more when being used to teach English. As a result of many arguments about Ebonics being used as a tool to teach Standard English, it would be really helpful to help students improve their understanding and learning of Standard American English and be able to try to make a difference in their lives. These possible choices can help them throughout their lives and future when trying to get a job, their social work, or even just to comprehend and take in with them the experience and learning of any language. The solution would benefit the whole nation, community, students, and many of the masses because it has given them the chance to use and speak languages throughout their life’s course where they are able to understand the cultures, the use of the language, the human respect of each other, and apply it to their lives to help them through life and to achieve what they want to be.
Works Cited
Aaron, Fowler. The Little Brown Hand Book. Pearson Education Inc, 2004.
Brae, Picower. “Teaching Outside One’s Race: The Story of an Oakland Teacher”.
Lunsford A. Andrea, Ruszkiewicz, John J., and Walter, Keith. Everything’s An Argument. Bedford’s/St.Maratins, 2004.
Perry, Theresa and Delpit, Lisa. The Real Ebonics Debate. Boston: Beacon press, 1998.