Ax or Ask?: The African American Guide to Better English by Garrard McClendon
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(Paperback - Reprint)
- Pub. Date: January 2004
- 83pp
- Sales Rank: 434,088
Product Details
- Pub. Date: January 2004
- Publisher: McClendonReport.com
- Format: Paperback, 83pp
- Sales Rank: 434,088
- ISBN-13: 9780963932921
- ISBN: 0963932926
- Edition Description: Reprint
Synopsis
This book is a must for teachers and parents of African American students. Used as a text and reference book in 9 school systems, the book explores how Blacks can improve their speaking and writing skills, avoiding educational and occupational exclusion. Why do many Blacks say "finna, skrimps, ax, skrate, and fixin' to"? Why don't teachers correct Black English in primary classrooms? Why do African Americans have the lowest standardized test scores? The African American Guide to Better English increases awareness, improves student achievement, and provides advocacy for those wanting to speak mainstream English.
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Black English: A Misnomerby Anonymous
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June 29, 2006: First, Mr. McClendon, you and I agree that we want our students to be fluent in their use of English writing and speaking competencies. However, we differ on how to accomplish this. Second, you make value judgements about language and you offer a prescriptive approach to teaching African ancestry students. This deficit model has not worked over the years for the majority of these students. Third, there is no place in the scientific study of language (linguistics) for the use of pejorative terms such as: 'right', 'wrong', 'better' and 'improve.' Also there are approaches advocated in the literature for teaching English to students of color. Fourth, You seem to be somewhat confused about the relationships and/or differences between oral and written language. And, finally, Africologists, Egyptologists, and African linguists do not ascribe to the label 'Black English.' They contend that there are two schools of thought (1) creole/pidgin theory and (2) the African Retention theory of which they do ascribe. Further, they note that what descendants of enslaved Africans speak is called Ebonics which has its roots in the Niger Congo languages. Lastly, much of your text reflects linguistic naivete.
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