Black English

Sonia Nieto's article was very interesting and made me think about a lot of things, but what really stuck out to me was her section on "black English". I found this so interesting because in some areas this is the language that the students will speak and will know best. I accept that and think that it is a wonderful part of their culture, however I am torn. I want my students to be able to use their culture and their native languages, whether black english or spanish, however the reality is that they will need to use "proper English" when they apply for college or jobs. I find it hard to conceptualize how I will be able to allow students to bring in these aspects of their culture, but also emphasize they need for them to know the English that the country will expect them to come out of school knowing. I really have no ideas about this. I don't want my kids to feel stifled into being cookie cutter English speakers, but that really is so important to their future when that is how they will be talked to, that is how they will make impressions on people, and that is how they can get ahead. I feel as though not everyone in the world outside of education is as open to allowing other cultures and other languages to be expressed. Then I come to the problem of what is okay to allow in the classroom and when should I maintain correct English be produced? Could informal assignments and discussions be conducted in both and only produced assignments for assessment be asked for in correct English? I wonder if this would confuse kids or if they would understand why sometimes it is appropriate to use different aspects of themselves? This is an issue I think is relevant to a lot of topics associated with ELL students and different cultures that are represented in our country.