Step #9 Working with English Language Varieties:

Estimated time to complete this step: 39 minutes

Whether a teacher/tutor/parent is a General American English (GAE) or NonGeneral American English (NGAE) speaker or someone for whom English is a second or third language, it is helpful for each of them to understand how one’s own English variant or accent could match or differ from that of one’s students or children. A teacher or tutor who develops a keen awareness of English language differences and learns how to work through a mismatch, will be in a much better position to teach all to read.

African American English

There are numerous variations of English, for example, African American English (AAE), which will be discussed elsewhere on this website. GAE and AAE have some important differences which should be understood and addressed to create an optimal learning environment. Similar thought processes could be used with speakers of other English variants or English Language Learners (ELL’s). Please watch this PBS video on AAE to learn its linguistic features.

Video:
What People Get Wrong About African-American English
PBS (June 16, 2021)

Watch Video

Understanding the Differences Between GAE and AAE

To deepen your understanding of how to work through an GAE/AAE language mismatch, please watch this video from speech pathologist/researcher, Julie Washington, and read this article by Julie Washington and neurocognitive scientist, Mark Seidenberg.

Video:
African American English Dialect: What It Does to the English Language
Julie Washington

Watch Video

Article:
Teaching Reading to African American Children
Julie Washington and Mark Seidenberg

Read Article

Working With Bilingual Students

For English/Spanish or English/French bilingual students, you might consider an approach demonstrated here from Himilcon Inciarte, a bilingual educator who deftly sprinkles in some Spanish along with the English like many bilingual people naturally do.

Video:
Mouth Maps: English Simple Vowels with Spanish Anchors
Himilcon Inciarte

Watch Video

Step #1: The Big Picture

Step #2: Understand How Reading Works

Step #3: Toddlers and Reading

Step #4: Learning About Speech to Print

Step #5: Decodable Text

Step #6: What NOT to Do for Initial Reading Instruction

Step #7: Handwriting & Reading

Step #8: How English Works

Step #9: English Language Varieties

Step #10: For Extra Credit

Go to Step 10