The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom By: Lisa Delpit and Joanna Kilgour Dowdy Presented by: Tiffany Hicks

Introduction The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom by Lisa Delpit and Joanne Kilgour Dowdy is a memoir that is composed of three sections and twelve chapters. Part 1: Language and Identity, Part 2: Language in the Classroom and Part 3: Teacher Knowledge. This book takes you on a journey through different personal experiences of teachers, professors, and scholars in areas of language, culture and education. Everyone who took part in the book has the same common belief about the potential detriment power of language for students in the classroom. The numerous authors seek to “explore the links between language and identity, between language and political hierarchy and between language a cultural conflict” (p.xiv).

Language and Identity Part 1: Language and Identity complies of memoirs that give insight about authors who struggled with their identity growing up because of language. This part of the book starts with a question asking, “What do you lose when you lose your language?” In Ovuh Dyuh, Dowdy tells her readers about her upbringing in Trinidad describing how she spoke the British English in order to succeed in school. She goes on to say, she felt different from her peers and separated from her Trinidadian being. At a point in her life she began to struggle with her multiple identities which were two dialects.

Language in the Classroom In chapter 3, “No Kinda Sense”, Delpit describes hearing her 11 year old daughter Maya beginning to speak African American English after she was transferred from a predominantly White private school to a predominantly Black charter school. From her daughters experiences she learned that “acquiring and additional code comes from identifying with the people who speak it, from connecting the language from with all that is self-affirming and esteem building, inviting and fun” (p. 39)

Teacher Knowledge This third part of the book begins with Herbert Kohl. He challenges teachers/educators to study their language. Kohl states, “when you see trouble, attune your work and topsy-turvy your practice in the service of your students. If you see your students failing, re-attune your work” (p.161) Teachers should analyze how they are presenting themselves, make a change and construct how students hear them. As teachers you must listen to your students.

Connections How does this book connect to analyzing how culture affects learning, achievement and multicultural education. Going back to Chapter 9 when Kohl mentioned that teachers should analyze themselves and work at helping students to achieve. I believe students are the products of their teachers. The same way we as teachers analyze the class we must analyze ourselves as well. Not just analyzing because we want to be better teachers ourselves but for our students. What is taught to them last a lifetime. Teachers leave a lasting impression on their students. Lisa Delpit wrote an article, “Will it help the Sheep” (2012). She mentions that education is not for the weak willed. That statement alone speaks volumes. Teachers deal with meticulous details, language and culture among many others. It goes to show that as teachers we must constantly adjust to accommodate our students. This is what multicultural education is finding new and exciting ways for our students to learn.

1. How does language reflect our cultural identity, power, and privilege? Language can give a person many hats. From the readings and my own personal experiences I can see how that is possible. When you are coming from a culture of broken English and having to speak proper British English or American English, it can make you wonder who you are. When you are around your family you speak broken English but around your school peers its British or American English. I believe it has a relation to schools that one attends. Going back to the chapter “No Kinda Sense”, Delpit saw an immediate change in her daughter’s language as she transitioned from a predominantly white school to predominantly black school. 2. Using our readings and discussions, what would and could you do to assist these culturally and linguistically diverse students to be successful socially and academically? Based on our readings and discussions I would tell culturally and linguistically diverse students, it’s good to learn and try new things to become a better you while remaining who you are. We get caught up in a student who is African American speaking proper English, people would say that she is speaking white. What is speaking white? I’ve never understood that phrase “speaking white”. Language doesn’t have a color on it. It may have colors but it doesn’t subject a person to speak a particular way. As one gets older and mature one learns. Learns and tries new things that make them happy. Society has tried to pinpoint culture just being for a certain group of people. Sonia Nieto (2008) stated among many whites in the U.S. culture is thought to be held exclusively by those different from them. Everyone has a culture. Whether it’s school, work, home, background, church there is culture and there isn’t a singular definition for it.

Conclusion I’ve learned that this is another side to multicultural education. Language plays a significant role, much more significant than I once thought. It has opened up my eyes to see that students do struggle with identity issues because of language. Such as an African American student speaking proper English because he or she wants to succeed. After reading the book, I think more research should be done on language and how it affects students in the long term.

Reference List  Dowdy, J. K., & Delpit, L. D. (2002). The Skin That We Speak : Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom. New York: New Press.  nieto, s. (2008). chapter 9: Culture and Education. Yearbook Of The National Society For The Study Of Education (Wiley-Blackwell),107(1), 127. doi: /j x  Delpit, L. (2012). 'Will it help the sheep?': Why educate?. About Campus, 17(3), 2-9. doi: /abc.21080