Kierra Blogs

Topic Proposal

2009-04-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

In the Afrocentric class we have been discussing African American Vernacular English and how it is being used in many different types of resources. It is found to be used in digital spaces, composition studies, spoken at home and school, ect. We have also read journals written by scholarly writers and analyze their opinions on AAVE being used. Some African American scholars believe that AAVE shouldn't be used in classrooms and others believe that not only shouldn't it be used, but every individual should be taught to write and speak Standard English. Now that I have constructed essays on the previous topics listed above I will now create my own Multigenre Essay by first discussing my main theme/ thesis argument that I want to convey about AAVE and composition studies.

The theme that I have choosen to use for the project is how students should learn how if teachers allowed students to write and speak in AAVE how it can be very effective to their learning and how it is very important to know what standard English is. In my opinion this is very important to focus on this main topic, because I believe if students were able to make put this into action how it could effect them in the long run. Also, I believe this will give the readers an understanding in why some things should be apart of the classroom and how other things shouldn't.

There are four genres I am going to use to help prove this point. The first one I'm going to include is a editoral magazine feature. These genres would be made into a booklet so it can be easier access for studets to use if this is something that holds their interest. I think this will help the students visualize what is really going on and how using AAVE vs. Standard English can really change things in their future while using either or in the appropriate settings. Second, is creating a poem that is very detailed and is touching so the readers could actually understand what is going on in the real world when it comes to using AAVE. The third genre that I have will use is a recipe. I want the students to take in consideration what sterotypes are being used by African Americans and what it falls at today. Lastly, having a collage full with nothing, but African American heros, individuals that have made a difference in our lives today, the ones who has made history and without them things wouldn't be how it is at the present time. I think this will be a great genre, because I belive this is the most important piece of art. Without African Americans existing the world will be....

Annotated Bibliography

2009-03-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Smitherman, Geneva. "CCCC's Role in the struggle for Students' Language Rights." College Composition and Communication 50.3 (1999): 349-376.

In the journal Geneva creates a Resolution known as the Student Right to Their Own Language (SRTOL) which talks about just what the titles says. Students having the opportunity to use their home language dialect in the academic course writings should be some that is allowed in all classrooms. Also, she said that all teachers should learn and know the background dialects of all ethnicity's. She want people to realize that all dialects are equal and Standard English is not have superiority over any kind. What this Composition of study doesn't represents any students cases being completed, but is talking about what should be done.

Nembhard, Judith. " Perspective on Teaching Black Dialect Speaking Students to Write Standard English." The Journal of Negro Education. 52.2 (1983): 75-82

In Nembard journal she talks about how she believes that having confidence within the students ability to become better writers is where the change begins. She suggest that teachers use the tasks and strategies that she have provided in her passage available to the students and to their knowledge. She believes that the responsibility of students becoming better writers in Standard English falls back on the teachers. She also believes if teachers grade fairly and stop being afraid to fail students when they are in the wrong doings of writings would make students become strong in writing. The errors should not be notified as "surface errors, but mistakes that should be corrected. This journal will be beneficial to me, because it talks about many things that will be difficult in teaching an African American student to become better in standard writing.

Canagarajah, A. Suresh. " The Place of World Englishes in Composition: Pluralization Continued." College Composition and Communications. 57.4 (2006): 586-617

This article talks about how AAVE can be the grammatical and rhetorical features that are being displayed in AAVE. Followed by this is the other things that he discusses that relates to AAVE being used in many ways "Another category of fairly unshocking AAVE use is in the stylistic choice of emotive, repetitive, and rhythmic expressions valued in oral communication". (605) He then makes an assumption about how it can be caused by the multilingual students are always denied in a second language. This piece of writing will help me construct my argument, because it has the information I need to talk about how AAVE has changed over the years and is not really recognized until this decade.

Palacas, Authur L. "Liberating American Ebonics from Euro-English." College English 63.3 (2001): 326-352

Palacas main focus in his journal his about Ebonics and this contains the grammatical patterns that it presents. He talks about if he believes that Ebonics is a dialect of English or if its considered a language from English. He also talks about how teaching language is very important but out of all the individuals who have took action of it Smitherman was the closest as it gets when developing the picture of Ebonics as a cultural phenomenon ( Palacas 350) Not only this smitherman understands everything about Ebonics and goes in depth with it.

Developing Work 3B

2009-03-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

" The Place of World Englishes in Composition: Pluralization Continued" written by Canagarajah, A. Suresh

The Place of World Englishes in Compostition is one of the articles I am going to use to prove my argument in Paper three. In this Composition Canagarajah talks about how different "Englishes" are being used in many locations all over the world. Not only have it been used all over, but have been changing down the mainstreams. In the beginning of his passage he points out how there have been implications made of owning "English" itself in many countries.

There are many developments that challenge the privileged place of what have been called “native” varieties—i.e., what I call the Metropolitan Englishes(ME), spoken by the communities that traditionally claimed ownership over the language in England, the United States,Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. (Canagarajah 588)

Canagarajah then goes on talking about " Textual Possibilities" and supports this by using Smitherman and Bells' point of view of how they believe that students have the right to use their own dialect in academic writings. Not only do they think AAVE should be appropriated but they are not able to use "WE" in the writings. Smitherman is so confident about using AAVE in her writings because she is a scholarly in the academics and is acknowledge a professional occupation by standing up for the language rights (612) However; he then begins to talk about the grammatical and rhetorical features that are being displayed in AAVE. Followed by this is the other things that he discusses that relates to AAVE being used in many ways "Another category of fairly unshocking AAVE use is in the stylistic choice of emotive, repetitive, and rhythmic expressions valued in oral communication". (605)

After the author has stated the above information, he then continues his argument on what the "pedagogical possibilities" could be. He then makes an assumption about how it can be caused by the multilingual students are always denied in a second language. Then, he focus on the lesson that teachers should learn is that even though students tend to make errors in the writings doesn't mean that it is not "nonstandard" usage in writing, but its a choice they make that is identified as a "culture and ideological consideration". Teachers make judgement on the students that applies this in their writings instead of the teachers looking at this as "creativity" and "unique meanings".

After summarizing this article about Canagajarah making his argument, I will state a reason in why this main article can be very helpful in paper 3. This paper will help me construct my argument, because it has the information I need to talk about how AAVE has changed over the years and is not recongnized until this decade. I will then use Canagarajah main point about how AAVE has been acknowledge in academic writings today.

"Even if it takes more time for AAVE to gain a legitimate place of its own in academic writing, one dosen’t have to wait indefinitely as Elbow’s approach would make us assume"(608).

Developing Work 3A

2009-03-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

In WRA 125, Writing American Ethnic and Racial Experience there have been many readings assigned that focuses on African American Vernacular English. After all of the readings I have read for paper three, I have chosen to look deeper into the reading passage " A Perspective On Teaching Black Dialect Speaking Students To Write Standard English," the Journal of Negro Education, written by Judith P. Nembhard. The main argument of this reading is basically what the title states. In the reading Nembhard discusses the strategy techniques that are being used from the "National Writing Project" and is used in the English department nationwide. " The program is a highly successful one for improving the writing competencies of black dialect speakers without damaging their self-esteem" (Nembhard 437). In this program there are many suggestions developed to enhance the ability to help "black dialect" students to become better when writing in Standard English. Some of the methods were: having high expectations for the individuals, sharing writings in class, revision processes, one on one conferences, outside classroom tutoring sessions, fair grading, etc.

In the passage, Nembhard talks about how she believes that having confidence within the students ability to become better writers is where the change begins. In my opinion, without the students having that motivation and drive that the teachers provide there wouldn't be a good out look in changing one's credentials in writing. When the teachers give out a writing prompt there should be a classroom discussion on the individual papers. When this is occurred it gives the students the opportunity to ask questions about the confusions of the paper. Also, having the students write pieces of their writings in class is expected from the teachers. " As students' writing matures, serving as guide and reference source" ( 438). When the paper is being revised the teacher should provide one on one conferences with the students. Not only this should be provided but "outside-of-class support" which would be tutoring on their writing skills.

Nembhard have discovered that teachers don't grade Black Dialect students appropriately when it comes down to their individual papers. When the teachers are analyzing the writings they find diminutive mistakes and label them as " surface errors". She want the teachers to give students the grade they deserve and not to be afraid of giving them failing grades. When the teachers point out the mistakes they have made the students will be acknowledge by the fact that they are doing something wrong and it should be corrected to become a better writer. "Rationalizing students' deficiencies and giving them undeserved passing grades is not the way to help them become better writers" (438).

In the reading, Nembhard talks about how she doesn't believe that AAVE should be used in classroom settings and in papers that are writen in the wirting classes. This is what makes things more understandable and not complicated. Standard English is a language that should be used and would be beneficial in any location and especially in the future. What she is trying to accomplish throughout her argument is that AAVE should only be used in certain environment, but not in classrooms. Even though this is her statement that she believe should occur unto this day AAVE is still being used in classrooms. This doesn't mean that one should change their standard dialect, but to make room for "Bidialectalism". Bidialectalism allows the students to obtain their main dialect, but to enhance a second language in standard English. According to James Sledd, a linguist that dosen't agree with this quotes it is, "direct attack on minority language". To sum it up, what I thought about the strategies that Nembhard wrote to improve Black Dialect speakers to write in standard English was very interesting. My reason for this becuase I think if teachers and students take heat to this I believe all students will be able to not only talk in AAVE, but most importantly write in standard English. These methods were quite interesting under one circumstances I really don't understand how students can get tutored on their writing skills. If this stategy have been helpful I would like to put this into action for my personal needs.

IAR on Paper 2

2009-03-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

Analyzing the following reading by Invetion, Arrangment, and revision strategies.
Taking Black Technology Use Seriously: African American Discursive Traditions in the Digital Underground by, Adam Banks

What is invetion?

completing many researches
researching scholars
analyzing information
summarizing reading
discovering an argument
knowing what AAVE is
having research on AAVE
how AAVE is being used in digital spaces

What is being invented?

How AAVE can be used on websites and not others
The backgrounds of African Americans being represented in a better manner
AAVE and Standard English not the same

What is being arranged?

the "underground"
Online information having responses
different rhetoric features
internet being arranged to different things

What is being revised?

How AAVE is percieved online
how AAVE is changing many

What is being revised?

quoting linguist writers
work cited

Developing Work 2b

2009-02-21T14:51:00.000-08:00

When we begin talking about African American Vernacular English and how it is used in many different concepts it can become quite interesting. I never really paid attention to how individuals write on different websites that contain blogs. Now that I am in an Ebonics writing class these things are being acknowledge to my understandings of how writing is used. In the last blog I chose from the three different kinds of blog postage's: personal, popular culture, and an academic website. I then analyzed one of the blogs. After that task was completed I had to move on to something that would tell more about AAVE being used on blogs. I will begin by comparing how AAVE is similiar and different on the website blackplanet.com and in the reading passage “E-Racing difference in E-Space: Black female subjectivityAnd the Web-based portfolio,” by Stephen Knadler.

In the reading by Stephen Knadler he writes about how his students are creating a communication website to express their thoughts in the way they are feeling about different writings that are given. "African-American students at Spelman College re-appropriated the
Web-based portfolio as a place to express more freely their racial and gender identities..." (Knadler 4). The way his African American students writes is very similiar in the way they use AAVE in different locations such as at home, school, and talking amongst their friends. Under one circumstances they make sure they don't use any kinds of writings that will offend another and make sure they are aware of others reading their profolios. Also, on blackplanet.com individuals have profolios, because some keep updates on their every day lives.

The way the students write at the college is very similiar and different compared to the African American women writers on blackplanet.com. In one way that they are similiar is that the students that attend Spelman have to make sure what they write about, because free writing isn't allowed on any digital space. "They know that there is no such thing as “free-writing” online because everything that they write has implications for how they are perceived as racial subjects (Knadler)". When one is writing on blackplanet they write what they want, but there is a standing ground. Another way in which they both are similiar is that they both represent themselves with an image. The images on the blackplanet are mainly human photos. These photos describe what features the blog poster have. An image can say alot about a person and their personalities that they have within themselves. In the reading passage the students use a variety of images that explains who they are; some use animals others and other images of them and their boyfriend. "Her Web page both explores analternative female identity—one that can be as assertive, powerful, and as sexually free as a gangsta rapper" (Knalder)...

Not only are both of the reading have things in common, but they are also different. On blackplanet.com there is a young male's blog by the name of "PhiliBlurz" that contain lots of AAVE writing. He writes on his main page " dis ya nigga Phili word up datz MeIf u intersted in talkn 2 me get at me feel me i ain't no fake niggaya diggggOO I hate stuntn Girls! NO STUNTN GIRLS allowed 2 talk 2 me lol"-(PhiliBlurz). In my opinion, this is a great example of rhetorical features, because he tries to convince people about who he really is within himself. In his blog writings he abbreviates everything and isn't really descriptive within his writings. He gets sraight to the point and moves on with another topic. In Knalder's writing one of his students writes about her experiences within an all African American collge, Spelman Collge. " I spent the last three years of my life in this microcosm of intellectually advanced teens. It was pure hell! I left the comfort of my family and friends at such an early age and catapulted into a high stress environment with little support..."-(Tiffany). When Tiffany is writing she explains herself by being very detailed within the subject she has choosen. She don't use any slang in her writing and standard english is visible. After viewing the two different readings on blackplanet.com and
"E-Racing difference in E-Space: Black female subjectivityand the Web-based portfolio", by Stephen Knadler there were similar and different kinds of AAVE that was used within the two. The blog writers and students shared some interests and others had opposing views when it came to writing...

Developing Work 2a

2009-02-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

We all have a way of expressing ourselves through English itself. English has educated one in understanding the different ways of formatting when conversing with one another. These ways can be progressed in poems, blogs, songs, but is not hardly found on the Internet to express ones thoughts. When it comes to Americans speaking they have their own unique category of conversing amongst many. African American Vernacular English ( AAVE) is an English that is predominately spoken by Blacks social groups that have their own distinct ways of language that throughout the United States of America. AAVE is very common, but when one begin to view the Internet for the English it is very rare. The reason for this is because many people nowadays make sure they speak an English that is notified as Standard English especially if its being viewed to the public.

When I began to search on the net for AAVE listings and where people have used it, it became very challenging. There wasn't anything that would just be there in ones viewing. One actually had to search the engine to find this topic. The first website I viewed was a website that could help an individual speak in a certain dialect. This website was giving out examples of different words that many use in certain situations. There were alot of slang words used in the contexts.
I found it really interesting how one can type in a word in other words would substitute the word chosen

As I began to complete the given assignment I first viewed public blogs on the website BlackPlanet.com. BlackPlanet is a site that is an open communication device where many can join, but is mainly used by African American. This cite allows one to view anyone blog without having to sign up. As I was viewing the cite the first thing I recognized was a blog about a few things such as: The top 5 Worst dunks, Need a Vacation, NBA All-Star Eye Candy, and Rhianna Rocks. I then got really excited, because I wanted to see what the media was saying on these topics. My hopes got up too high, then the computer started tripping.

When searching on the website BlackPlanet there were many blogs that was on the home page. I began to click on one of the individuals blogs and found it very boring. Many people on their blogs was basically rumbling on about themselves. They weren't talking about anything in which they enjoyed, the occupation currently working at, or just life in general. It was mainly about them and them and them. This AAVE is know as braggadocio. The thing that soon amazed me was no individual use there government names as their screen names. There were names like "passionatelover4", " Alwaysbusy", "40 dw", 1badpony, and many more.

After completing this I then looked for the AAVE that individuals was using on their blogs. This was very hard, because alot of people's blog's was listed as private. I soon found a blog that was public viewed and the AAVE was standard English. There wasn't any abbreviating words or slang in the blog. After searching for a while I then viewed a blogged that someone seemed like they were talking just to be talking. This young individual used "thru". This word is usually spelled like threw or through. It all depends on the context of speaking. Another word I found was "cuz". Now this word is shorten for because. When writing a blog it is easier to abbreviate things, depending on the topic of the blog. In other words, it is really hard to find cites with AAVE on it. When trying to find websites one must be very descriptive and precise when reseaching. I thought it was very interesting how not one blog was the same as another. They were all creative and unique from another.

" From Ghetto Lady to Criticial Linguist " DW B

2009-01-31T19:04:00.000-08:00

Analyzing Course Text

Quote: "Writing in two languages simultaneously demands enormous time and energy". - Geneva Smitherman pg. (62)

After reading this quote that Smitherman wrote within her text From Ghetto Lady to Critical Linguist it was something that I can relate to. In my opinion, this quote was self explanatory and wasn't difficult when it came to understanding the piece of writing. When we are writing in two different forms of languages it can take up lots of time. Translating one information that most would call Standard English to improper English it can become very difficult. These are some of the listed things that individuals will dispute on when making a sentence improper: double negatives, subject complements, split infinitives, prepostional standing, ect. When one is just writing something without having to worry about punctuation and grammar it wouldn't be as complicated unlike writing in the way that is accepted by many. Having to write in two different languages which means one is the correct form and the other the unsuitable way of writing. This relates to Smitherman quote by the time that is being developed by writing and the amount of energy that is used while constructing any type of writing. After reading this quote by Smitherman my literacy narrative didn't relate to hers. At the begining of my biography I didn't introduce the language I speak and were it orginated from. Something that I found that was in comparison of Geneva's was that I did use the code switching technique and how it was really helpful when it came to describing the situation in which I use a multiple of different Englishes. In short, the main argument that is being prevented from the quote is that there is no limits on converting one language to the other and while completing these tasks it takes lots of time and effort...

"It Bees Dat Way Sometime" IAR

2009-01-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

Invention, Arrangement, Revision Analysis

What is invention? (What activities did the writer have to engage in to create the text?)

-Constructing the Black dialects
-Doing research on how the language has change throughout the centuries
-comparing other Englishes
-Had to figure out how things sound when certain things are arranged in different order
-Listening to speakers such as an audience of others
-researching the linguistic environments
-Knowing the difference of Black and White English
-Learning about which words are used to give an expression to a sentence
-Comparing the community vs. one individual speaker
-the writers have to know how the black English's speak in any situation
-Information from James

What is being invented? (What ideas, practices, arguments, etc. are created by the text?)

-Why is the Black English is changing every day?
-What is the correct way to use language?
-Having influences on the speakers, bad image
-How can one come down to a conclusion of English itself

What is being arranged? (What is being put in relation to what?)

-vocabulary
-dictionary
-pronouncing words
-vowels
-ancients
-dialogues
-deleting prepositions
-inserting other words
-consonant (ending and beginning)
-using slang words
-adjectives
-adverbs

What is being revised? (What is the writer trying to change (e.g. what ideas, practices, etc.))?

-The writer is trying to show the audience the things that's being presented from black Englishes
-Letting the readers know that the broken English's are very prohibited...
-that taking out prepositional phrases can make an entire sentence incomplete
-the present and future is in danger far as language, because it is worsen every century
-what used to be is no longer seen in today's history

What is revision? (What strategies are engaged specifically to help the writer achieve the revisions?)

-Looking back on the research and actually studing them to make the revision complete
-Reading documents from black and white Englishes
-having lots of data collected from the real life situations
-having information to back up the studies...

Multiple Englishes to Communicate / Developing Work a

2009-01-23T20:33:00.000-08:00

Many people fail to realize what tasks are being completed while communicating with others in multiple situations. These situations could be through email, letters, texting, writing on face book, talking to a friend, etc. When one is conversing with another they might use two different kinds of jargon's to speak in a public vs. private environment. As I get older I acknowledge language in a different prospective and appreciate it more and more each day. Language can be very helpful especially when it can be presented in multiple ways to better an understanding of ones knowledge. I have notice, that the way I talk to individuals at Michigan State University, is totally different compared to talking at home with the family. One can tell a lot about a person in the way they presents themselves in talking amongst others...The way I speak defines my personality and the character that is found within myself.

Have you ever set back and distinguished the languages you have used throughout your life? If so this would probably take up an entire day right? lol. One might say that the way I talk to my professor is different from talking to my friends. Sometimes many students really mess up when talking to a professor. Imagine a student saying " What sup Professor? How you been bro? " Now this would be an inappropriate way to approach anyone in an academic discipline. When I begin to talk to a professor I always make sure I present my self in the most professional way. As I think about it talking to professors or even teachers can become very intimidating at times. Sometimes when the professors are talking I can never understand what they are trying to present to the students. The way they address us can become very frustrating, because who ever know what they're talking about. What really makes me irritated is that they can use simple words in replacement of those complicated words. However; I remember a time where the teacher was presenting her lecture to the class and I couldn't understand what they were talking about. I soon asked her if she can rephrase what she was saying. She soon said " Kierra this was a great questioned that you asked maybe students faces will look not so puzzled now."-unknown...Talking about the language I use at school can take up some excessive time. Now I will begin with the language I use at home.

Everyone has there own unique language they use to communicate with their family members at home. When I am at home I use a language that is very comfortable. I don't have to worry about feeling embarrassed around my peers, because now I can talk to my family and know that they accept me the way I am. I know my family wouldn't make fun me, because the way I speak and they are individuals who'll never talk me down. I have noticed that many times alot of my peers or friends will call me a country bumpkin, because I'm from little town Muskegon. Sometimes when I hear this comment made directed towards me I some what feel different from the others. I soon think about what they said and take it into consideration. Knowing that I am different and the way I talk makes me who the person I am today. God has made me this way and it makes me happy to know that he did. THANK YOU JESUS !

When we think about communicating with different languages the first thing that comes to mind is having a one on one conversation with another. Language doesn't only consists of verbal communication, but also reading and writing tasks. When I write at home I am always abbreviating something, because I don't feel like writing out the entire words. Now if I just happened to abbreviate my essays in college; I'll probably fail the course. If someone was to just happened to do something like this that will be ludicrous. When working towards in becoming a student at Michigan State University there was lots of writing exercises that had to be completed. I had to take the ACT and before doing this the reading had to be completed. In other words before writing anything the reading proportion of something has to be done. As I conducted my literacy autobiography about the different environments at home and school there were many opposing views. There is nothing like having a variety of languages to use in specific times...