Sociolinguistics and Language Education.pdf

Pidgins and Creoles 255
Conclusion
Although some of the research on pidgin and creole languages is very
technical and theoretical, there is much that is relevant for teachers –
especially those who have students who do not always use standard
English. First of all, their students’ ways of speaking may refl ect another
legitimate, rule-governed variety of language, rather than laziness or lack
of intelligence. Second, their students’ language may vary signifi cantly
depending on the formality of the context and the interlocutors. Third,
and most important, students learn best when their own way of speaking
is valued and included in the educational process. Thus, although it may
seem counter-intuitive to allow students to use or talk about a non-
standard dialect or a P/C in the classroom, such practices have many
educational benefi ts – including helping students to acquire the standard.
And fi nally, classroom discussions of varieties or language, such as pidgins
and creoles, and language diversity in general, will not only be interesting
to students, but it will also help them to better understand themselves and
the linguistic world we live in.
Suggestions for further reading
Craig, D.R. (1999) Teaching Language and Literacy: Policies and Procedures for Vernacular
Situations. Georgetown, Guyana: Education and Development Services.
This book is aimed at teachers of students who speak creole languages or vernacular
dialects such as AAVE. It reviews the educational problems found in such situations,
and proposes some detailed practical solutions, including specifi c classroom
activities.
Devonish, H.S. (2007) Language and Liberation: Creole Language and Politics in the
Caribbean (new expanded ed.). Kingston: Arawak.
First published in 1986, this book contains a vivid socio-political discussion of the
language policies and practices in the Creole-speaking Caribbean in the context of
struggles against postcolonial control. More than 20 years later, the content is still
relevant, and a new fi nal chapter brings the reader up to date with recent
developments.
Nero, S.J. (2001) Englishes in Contact: Anglophone Caribbean Students in an Urban
College. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
This is a longitudinal study of college students who migrated to the United
States from countries in the Caribbean where English-lexifi ed creoles are
spoken. It contains an in-depth examination of the students’ written and spoken
language, and deals with related issues such as language and identity and language
attitudes.
Nero, S.J. (ed.) (2006) Dialects, Englishes, Creoles, and Education. Mahwah, NJ:
Erlbaum.
The introduction and 12 chapters in this volume were written especially for teachers.
They deal with educational issues concerning speakers of English-lexifi ed pidgins
and creoles from Hawai’i, Africa and Caribbean, as well as speakers of AAVE
and other varieties of English. Each chapter has questions for discussion and
refl ective writing.