Dialects in Schools and Communities

Those who observe that regional and ethnic dialects are dying out should listen to students in a classroom in which American English is (nominally) spoken. There they will find teachers, specialists in reading and writing, language pathologists, and special education teachers trying to assess students' needs, achievements and abilities within a broad variations of language. Language becomes even more diverse within the larger community. The authors, applied linguists, have updated this edition from the latest research, surveying language variations and attitudes in America, examining dialect forms and variations in linguistic systems, describing how language impacts social interaction, detailing how interpretations and perceptions work with language differences, and give practical techniques in oral language instruction, writing and reading. They close with ideas about creating dialect awareness in students and provide an inventory of dialect features. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)