Teacher attitude remains the crucial variable, and it spells success or failure for many students speaking Black English in the public schools. (Author/IRT)

Considers "Ebonics" the most encompassing of the different terms used to describe various English language patterns used by Blacks. Recommends measures to improve teacher attitudes and knowledge in dealing with students who use nonstandard language patterns. (Author/MJL)

Ten teachers comment on the Ann Arbor (Michigan) court case concerning language bias in the schools. (RL)

Adult Basic Education instructors need to be introduced to the Black dialect to dispel misconceptions about the abilities of Black English speakers and to develop activities to help Black students in becoming bidialectal. (SK)

Raises four objections to a program of oral drills in standard English for children who speak black dialect. (HTH)

Describes the Ann Arbor court decision, reviews current research dealing with teachers' language attitudes, and discusses implications for instruction. (MP)

This critical analysis of the usage of Black English in the classroom suggests that a change in teacher attitudes toward Black English will increase student ability and desire to learn standard English. (DA)

Official recognition of Black English as a dialect has implications for all public school systems that have minority enrollments. The Ann Arbor decision points to changes that should be made in teacher and institutional attitudes and in the administration and interpretation of standardized tests. (SK)

Discusses the controversy that was highlighted in the 1979 court case in Ann Arbor Michigan over the role of Black English in students' achievement ; and notes the effects of poverty and motivation on achievement. (MKM)

It is not necessary for Black children to lose their ethnic, linguistic, and cultural behavior patterns when learning standard English, if they are taught by enlightened teachers using innovative educational programs. (Author/MC)

Those who teach language arts to black children have many opportunities and face many challenges as they work to help Afro-American children learn standard English. Among the opportunities are: (1) to help black students retain the ways of using language that are unique to their culture, while at the same time helping them to acquire the language…

The author examines the precedent set in the King v Ann Arbor case as a tool to reform the miseducation of Black children. She also details some linguistic and sociocultural aspects of the controversy over whether Black English is a language or a dialect. (SK)

To advocate the work of Gregory Bateson, especially his Double-Bind theory, this paper describes how the theory can be applied to particular instances and to the general experience of black students in a predominantly white, authoritarian college setting. The paper argues that miscues on the part of black students in the classroom and in writing…

In a beginning level creative writing class called "Narration and Description," two student-written stories were collectively peer edited during each session. The class was required to read the student texts before class, critique them, and, with the guidance of four assigned student facilitators, discuss the texts with the author and…

College composition instructors need special knowledge and skills in teaching black students. After pointing out the difference between black dialect and standard English, teachers need to discuss with students the practical reasons for using standard English in writing. To avoid being arbitrary or patronizing during this discussion, instructors…