Sociolinguistics and Education Language use in school and community – relationships and differences Language use in school and community – relationships and differences Effect of social and economic status on education Effect of social and economic status on education Politics of language education Politics of language education

Language and school Classroom discourse – very distinctive Classroom discourse – very distinctive Different social groups have different discourse patterns Different social groups have different discourse patterns Some children better prepared for school than others Some children better prepared for school than others

Aspects of classroom language Composed of teacher talk and student talk Composed of teacher talk and student talk TT is longer and more complex TT is longer and more complex ST is often supervised and controlled ST is often supervised and controlled

continued Often a triadic structure – Initiation, Response, Evaluation Often a triadic structure – Initiation, Response, Evaluation Sometimes repeated initiations Sometimes repeated initiations Different languages/cultures may have different rules Different languages/cultures may have different rules

continued Different attitudes to silence Different attitudes to silence Native American cultures & Victorian England – children should not be heard Native American cultures & Victorian England – children should not be heard May be interpreted differently in the classroom May be interpreted differently in the classroom

Class, ethnicity and language Shirley Heath found that language was used differently by different groups Shirley Heath found that language was used differently by different groups MC white parents read aloud to children and asked questions – children answered -- feedback MC white parents read aloud to children and asked questions – children answered -- feedback Are students prepared for classroom dialogue? Are students prepared for classroom dialogue?

continued WC white children read to children but no interaction – not asked questions WC white children read to children but no interaction – not asked questions Authoritarian family structure – children listen and adults speak Authoritarian family structure – children listen and adults speak Children not familiar with ST dialogues Children not familiar with ST dialogues How do they behave in school? How do they behave in school?

continued WC black parents do not read or interact with children WC black parents do not read or interact with children Often single-parent families Often single-parent families welcome spontaneous speech esp. in public welcome spontaneous speech esp. in public may lead to conflict in the classroom – children do not respond to initiation may lead to conflict in the classroom – children do not respond to initiation

continued Also do not wait for initiation Also do not wait for initiation Regarded as hostile and unteachable Regarded as hostile and unteachable Threaten structure of classroom discourse Threaten structure of classroom discourse

Elaborated and restricted codes Basil Bernstein, Class, Codes and Control Basil Bernstein, Class, Codes and Control Childrens language linked to position in social structure Childrens language linked to position in social structure Social class – type of language – behaviour in school – academic success – social class Social class – type of language – behaviour in school – academic success – social class Social class determined type of language Social class determined type of language

continued Two different kinds of language – codes or orientations (register) Two different kinds of language – codes or orientations (register) Elaborated codes – middle class Elaborated codes – middle class Restricted codes – working class Restricted codes – working class Not language or dialect any language has or could have an EC + RC Not language or dialect any language has or could have an EC + RC

Elaborated code Elaborated code (orientation) – creative, exact, expressive, many synonyms, broad semantic fields, context independent Elaborated code (orientation) – creative, exact, expressive, many synonyms, broad semantic fields, context independent Accurate grammar, coordination & subordination, prepositions, impersonal pronouns, passive voice Accurate grammar, coordination & subordination, prepositions, impersonal pronouns, passive voice

continued Linked to interactive use of language & non-authoritarian family structure Linked to interactive use of language & non-authoritarian family structure Found in middle class families (Britain 1960s and 1970s) Found in middle class families (Britain 1960s and 1970s) Code used in education, administration and high domains Code used in education, administration and high domains

example In 2009 I dont think that life will be much different. There wont be any robots cooking cleaning and doing other household jobs. Cars wont be flying and huge skyrise buildings. Not many inventions will have been made but one that will be made will be small not very important ones. In 2009 I dont think that life will be much different. There wont be any robots cooking cleaning and doing other household jobs. Cars wont be flying and huge skyrise buildings. Not many inventions will have been made but one that will be made will be small not very important ones.

Restricted Code Limited range of linguistic resources Limited range of linguistic resources Associated with working class and disadvantaged groups Associated with working class and disadvantaged groups Sentences are short, lot of coordination, few adjectives & adverbs Sentences are short, lot of coordination, few adjectives & adverbs Frequent confirmations (see, Ok, you know) Frequent confirmations (see, Ok, you know) Associated with authoritarian communities Associated with authoritarian communities

continued In the future I recon We are going to live in space and the moon and hovering cars. I said that because might be mostly covered in water and we would be friends with alien beings. In the future I recon We are going to live in space and the moon and hovering cars. I said that because might be mostly covered in water and we would be friends with alien beings. Dinosaurs may rule the earth like tyrannosaurus rex and smilodons (this is a big cat) and new animals may be created…. Dinosaurs may rule the earth like tyrannosaurus rex and smilodons (this is a big cat) and new animals may be created….

Class, language and culture Heath suggested class and race determined spoken interaction and this affected school success – suggested school needed to change Heath suggested class and race determined spoken interaction and this affected school success – suggested school needed to change Other factors may be involved Other factors may be involved Bernstein – class only – affected style – suggested culture needed to change Bernstein – class only – affected style – suggested culture needed to change

Deficit hypothesis USA – Bernstein – led to deficit hypothesis USA – Bernstein – led to deficit hypothesis Poor performance of minority children due to a linguistic deficit – needed to be taught language Poor performance of minority children due to a linguistic deficit – needed to be taught language But other factors involved But other factors involved

continued Undermined by sociolinguistic research Undermined by sociolinguistic research AAVE was rule-governed – probably a post-creole rather than derived from white dialects AAVE was rule-governed – probably a post-creole rather than derived from white dialects Labov showed AAVE copula deletion equivalent to SE copula contraction Labov showed AAVE copula deletion equivalent to SE copula contraction

continued Does not appear to be any language deficit Does not appear to be any language deficit Minority problems may be cultural rather than linguistic Minority problems may be cultural rather than linguistic

Dialect and language in the classroom Choice of language/dialect of education is often controversial Choice of language/dialect of education is often controversial Few (any?) monolingual societies Few (any?) monolingual societies UNESCO recommends early schooling at least should be in childs first language UNESCO recommends early schooling at least should be in childs first language Present and future interests of the child may not be the same Present and future interests of the child may not be the same

Educational bilingualism Balance hypothesis – proficiency in one language reduces proficiency in another Balance hypothesis – proficiency in one language reduces proficiency in another But success of immersion education in Canada But success of immersion education in Canada This is additive bilingualism This is additive bilingualism But education is undermined by subtractive bilingualism – typical of immigrant communities But education is undermined by subtractive bilingualism – typical of immigrant communities Interdependence hypothesis Interdependence hypothesis

Dialects and Education Demands for teaching in/of AAVE Demands for teaching in/of AAVE 1979 court ordered schools to use fluency in Black English as a foundation fro teaching SE – but collapsed 1979 court ordered schools to use fluency in Black English as a foundation fro teaching SE – but collapsed 1996 revived in Oakland – proposed bilingual education for African American pupils 1996 revived in Oakland – proposed bilingual education for African American pupils debate debate

continued Linguistic Society of America – AAVE is a rule-governed systematic speech variety Linguistic Society of America – AAVE is a rule-governed systematic speech variety The distinction between languages and dialects is a social and political one The distinction between languages and dialects is a social and political one Benefits of recognising vernacular varieties in education Benefits of recognising vernacular varieties in education Implications for Malaysia Implications for Malaysia