Teacher's Introduction to African American English, A: What a Writing Teacher Should Know

In this book, Teresa M. Redd and Karen Schuster Webb explain not only what African American English (AAE) is, but also what role it may play in students' mastery of Standard Written English. Designed especially for writing teachers, this volume is a concise, coherent, and current source that summarizes the major schools of thought about AAE--without polemics or unnecessary jargon--so that readers can draw their own conclusions about AAE and understand how it might influence teaching and learning. Citing leading scholars in the field, the authors explain how AAE differs from other varieties of English, how it developed, how it might influence students' ability to write Standard English, and how AAE speakers can learn to write Standard English more effectively. This book is organized into two parts. Part I: The Nature of AAE, contains the following chapters: (1) What Is AAE?; and (2) What Are the Distinctive Features of AAE? Part II, AAE and the Teaching of Writing; (3) Does AAE Affect Students' Ability to Write SWE?; and (4) How Can AAE Speakers Become Effective SWE Writers? The following are appended: (1) Student Writing Samples and Analyses; (2) Sample Assignments; and (3) Selected Web Sites.