Discusses the controversy that was highlighted in the 1979 court case in Ann Arbor Michigan over the role of Black English in students' achievement ; and notes the effects of poverty and motivation on achievement. (MKM)

The influence of learner dialect, learner ethnicity, and an orientation to sociolinguistic awareness on preservice teachers' expectations for learners' academic performance was investigated. Results of a study support linguists' recommendations to offer sociolinguistic instruction in teacher preparation programs. (Author/GSK)

The administrator must lead in the acceptance of linguistically different students and initiate changes in teacher attitudes toward such students. (Author/JM)

The hypothesis that Black English-speaking children of low socioeconomic status would match spoken and written words when final spoken consonants were deleted, was not supported. Decoding errors revealed that race and social class influenced word strategy. (Author/CP)

Presents evidence against the "deficit" interpretation of Black dialect and argues instead for at least one version of the "difference" hypothesis. (FL)

The development of non-native varieties of English in Third World countries is discussed. The impropriety of attitudes of linguistic purism and linguistic intolerance is argued, and data is discussed to present the pragmatics of Indian English. (Author/RM)

Discusses the dilemma that language variation studies have caused concerning the choice of language variety to be used in language instruction, and outlines a taxinomic model for looking at language variation (Text is in French.) (CLK)

Reviews the research on the teaching of English to undereducated adults, suggests various factors that might account for the language-based problems of educationally deficit adults, and draws implications for classroom teachers. (JG)

Uses interview and telephone survey data to demonstrate that the merger of the vowels in words such as "cot" and "caught," traditionally considered a defining characteristics of the speech of western Pennsylvania, is well established in the mining towns of eastern Pennsylvania. Notes that the data indicate that the merger arose…

Examines the acquisition of new sound changes by 3- and 4-year-old children in asymmetrical child care situations. Results reveal that the children had acquired the changes and emphasize that the dialect transmission period begins before the age of maximal peer group influence. The findings support the possibility that child care asymmetry affects…

Studied the relationship between cognitive complexity, racial belief and the influence of a nonstandard dialect in listener evaluative reactions with 135 black and white undergraduates. Results indicate that the individual's racial beliefs were more influential in language assessment than cognitive complexity. (SLD)

Investigates Japanese as it is spoken in Tokyo within the variationist framework, focusing on the variable (ng). Quantitative analysis was made of the data obtained from sociolinguistic interviews. Findings confirm the existence of inherent variation and orderly heterogeneity. (17 references) (Author/CK)

Examines a particular "style of speech" used by a farming community in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, which is characterized by code-switching with Xhosa and by prevalent terms of address. The social significance of the speech style in terms of the identity communicated is explored and discourse features are discussed. (Author/JL)

Presents classroom vignettes illustrating an African American first grade teacher's use of selected Ebonics communication techniques that celebrate African American oral traditions while supporting diverse students' academic success. Identifies five common Ebonics rhetorical devices (use of repetitive, rhythmic phrasing for emphasis; call and…

Uses W.E.B. Du Bois' prophetic analysis of the color line problem to forecast the 21st century's language line problem, noting how language is central to the reproduction of racialized identities at school and in society for African American students. Juxtaposes language and cultural and social reproduction, hegemony, and race and articulates the…