Countering Anti-Black Racism Committee Summer Book Study

The CABR Committee is excited that last year’s summer book study author, Dr. Patriann Smith, is the keynote speaker at our conference on Wednesday, May 21st, and we are looking forward to another great PLC discussion this summer. Our selection for this year is Talking Back, Talking Black: Truths About America’s Lingua Franca by John McWhorter.

The book study group meets 3 times during the summer on Zoom at 7:00 PM. Meeting dates are Wednesday, July 9th, 30th, and August 27th; PD certificates will be available. You do not have to attend every session. The CABR Committee hopes you will be able to join us. Participants find that the study is a wonderful growth experience. To register for the book study, complete this form.

Book Summary: It has now been almost fifty years since linguistic experts began studying Black English as a legitimate speech variety, arguing to the public that it is different from Standard English, not a degradation of it. Yet false assumptions and controversies still swirl around what it means to speak and sound “black.” In his first book devoted solely to the form, structure, and development of Black English, John McWhorter clearly explains its fundamentals and rich history while carefully examining the cultural, educational, and political issues that have undermined recognition of this transformative, empowering dialect. Talking Back, Talking Black takes us on a fascinating tour of a nuanced and complex language that has moved beyond America’s borders to become a dynamic force for today’s youth culture around the world.

Countering Anti-Black Racism Committee’s Summer Book Study registration form

Announcements

You are invited to attend the Annual Business Executive Board Meeting Tuesday, May 20, 4:30 – 5:30 pm EDT – You can sign up on EVENTBRITE.

Join us as we celebrate our Scholarship Winners, Award Recipients & Advocacy Successes at our President’s Awards Ceremony & Reception, which will be held on Wednesday, May 21st starting at 6:00 PM at the New Brunswick Hyatt Regency Hotel. Registration is required to attend this event, and please consider making a donation toward the scholarships.

You are welcome to participate in the Bergen Chapter of NJTESOL-NJBE virtual presentation/discussion with Lina Caswell, “Children and Youth Services Associate Director.” Wednesday, May 28th, 4:30-5:30. She will share information on the current environment for our ML students and their families and resources and ways we can support them. Register on Eventbrite

Please note: Since many of us will be at the conference May 20-22, the next issue of Weekly Voices will be May 27th.

There will also be no Advocacy and CABR Committee meetings this month because of NJTESOL/NJBE’s Spring Conference.

“Proper” and “Broken” English:
The Problem of Linguistic Racism

By Naashia Mohamed

Naashia Mohamed begins this article with a conversation between two visitors to a South Asian country. She was impressed with the English fluency of the children and young people. Another person in their group expressed her opinion, based on her travels to various countries, that non-native English speakers use a substandard version of the language.

Mohamed was appalled by this attitude, and to support her view, she quotes Rob Drummond. “‘There’s nothing objectively linguistically better, more superior, or more sophisticated in so-called standard English. It’s just, we have this sense that it is more correct because it has all the prestige and power behind it.'” The fact is that out of 1.3 billion world-wide English speakers, only 370 million [28%] speak it as their first language. This attitude can lead to linguistic racism which can foster the perception that “Speakers of Global Englishes are often considered to be less truthful, less intelligent, and less competent.”

To avoid the stigma created when educational institutions focus on standardized English as the only acceptable form of the language, Mohamed recommends

becoming aware of other accents rather than trying to change them
encouraging students to express themselves in their own variety of English
hiring teachers based on their qualifications and experience including those who themselves are global English speakers.

Here’s the article.

2024 Spring Conference Platinum Sponsor

Free Resources to Explore and Use ChatGPT and AI

and

Fostering Metacognition and AI integration for ELLs

Countering Anti-Black Racism Committee Summer Book Study

Announcements

“Proper” and “Broken” English: The Problem of Linguistic Racism

ARTICLES:

“Proper” and “Broken” English:
The Problem of Linguistic Racism