Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Language Instruction

created by Emilia Sens

Objectives• Identify the differences between a

prescriptive approach toward language and a descriptive approach

• Understand how descriptive teaching better suits students’ language development and learning

• Gain tools and methods to use a descriptive approach in tutoring

Prescriptive TeachingDefinition-• Teaching with the assumption that

there is a "correct" way to express language

• Standard, "grammatically correct", or formal English, is the only acceptable version of language

Prescriptive Teaching Cont'd• Other dialect variations of English are

discouraged and unacceptable, students are corrected every time they use dialect different from Standard English

• Other variations include: AAVE(African American Vernacular English), Appalachian Dialect, Southern Dialect

Descriptive Teaching• Teaching with the assumption that no

language dialect is better than another

• Other dialects are acceptable in discussion and instruction

• While they are acceptable, teachers instruct their students about the differences between dialects and the need to code-switch

Descriptive Teaching Cont'd

• Language difference is distinct from deficiency

• The goal is to teach students bidialectalism:to have full control of both dialects

Why is Descriptive more effective?1. Students feel comfortable in school

environments• Over-correcting does not lead to

learning

• Rather, students become confused, and afraid to ask questions or speak up

Comfort and ConfidenceWith prescriptive teaching, students

perceive that their instructor thinks they are less intelligent because of their dialect, and therefore have less incentive to participate in structured school activities or lessons

Important Terms• Dialect:

o A regional variety of language distinguished by vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting with them a single language

• Standard English:o The English that with respect to spelling, grammar,

pronunciation, and vocabulary is substantially uniform through not devoid of regional differences, that is well established by usage in the formal and informal speech and writing of the education, and that is widely recognized as acceptable wherever English is spoken and understood

What Linguistics Teaches Us about Language Difference• Language difference is not the same as

language deficiency• Every dialect follows rules that

predictably structure language use and meaning

• The use of one dialect over another is not a marker of intelligence or ability to use language effectively

Code-Switching• While no dialect is more correct than the other,

certain situations call for different dialect variations

• For instance: • A formal presentation on research findings

may require formal English (often Standard English)

• A toast given at a best friend’s birthday party might be best in more informal English

• Students should understand the difference between the dialects, and when it is appropriate to use them.

Conflicted2. Students do not feel conflicted or

caught• Are they supposed to disregard their

family’s language use?

• Language is a part of our identities

Honoring Linguistic/Cultural Diversity cont'd

• Descriptive teaching allows students to keep the language they bring with them, while learning standard English at the same time

• Students do not feel like they need to completely abandon their language at home

Contrastive Analysis• There are patterns to linguistic variety

in speech, and it is important to incorporate different dialects into instruction

• breaks the cycle of thinking of dialects as "sloppy English" or "incorrect speech"

• Students do not see dialect variation as "incorrect", but non Standard

Honoring Linguistic Diversity

• There are ethical reason to value linguistic diversity, but also pragmatic ones.

• Standard English is no more "correct" than any other dialect, and therefore teaching that way is highly problematic

How are we going to implement these ideas?• Understanding contrastive analysis• Tutoring students explicitly on how to

vary their language use based on setting and audience

• Setting high expectations

• It is important for students to realize the difference between standard/non standard English. Rather than correct, phrase responses in positive ways

• The point is not to ignore language differences, but embrace them as different rather than wrong

Examples of positive alternatives to over correcting• "Can you think of another way of

saying that?"• "Can you tell me if that is informal or

formal language?”• “How would you say (write) this in this

setting? How about this one?”

• It is important to remind them of formal/informal language, but remember that just because it is different does not mean it is wrong

• Pay more attention to the content of speech rather than how language is expressed.

Sources on Language Variation and TeachingWheeler, Rebecca, and Rachel Swords. 2004. "Codeswitching: Tools of language and culture

transform the dialectally diverse classroom." Language Arts81 (6):470-480.

Labov, William. 1972. Academic ignorance and Black intelligence. The Atlantic Monthly – June 1972.

Smitherman, Geneva. 1974. "Soul'n style." The English Journal 63 (3):14-15.

Sledd, James. 1969. "Bi-dialectalism: The linguistics of white supremacy." English Journal 58 (9):1307-1315, 1329.

Enhancing Bidialectalism in Urban African American Students Kelli Harris-Wright

The Ebonics controversy in my backyard:A sociolinguist's experiences and reflections http://www.stanford.edu/~rickford/papers/EbonicsInMyBackyard.html