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When it comes to language, Black folks are no strangers to code-switching. Now, the conversation around the way we speak has sparked a growing movement in California that wants to change the narrative about “Black English” and its place in the classroom.
Educators and advocates with Black Californians United for Early Care & Education are pushing to recognize Black English—also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or African American English (AAE)—as more than slang or “improper” speech, per KQED. Instead, they argue that it should be embraced in preschool classrooms as a tool to strengthen early literacy and improve educational outcomes for Black students. The conversation raises a larger question: What could happen if the language Black children bring into the classroom is viewed as an asset rather than something to correct?
The Root caught up with Dr. Kami J. Anderson, an intercultural communication scholar with a Ph.D. in Intercultural Communication from Howard University, educator, founder of Bilingual Brown Babies, and author of “The Color of Language” (2023), who says the debate over Black English is about more than language—it’s about how society recognizes Black culture, identity, and history. Anderson says the stigma surrounding African American English is tied to a larger historical pattern of dismissing Black contributions when they challenge mainstream ideas of what is considered acceptable.
Why Black English (AAE) Has Been Misunderstood
“We have historically lacked compassion for those elements of Africanness that have found their way into American society if we cannot see the direct benefit to us,” Anderson told The Root. “We are okay with Africanness in jazz because we enjoy the music. We appreciate a yam because it’s tasty; the Africanness of hip hop linguistically inspires us because we have access to the slang and idiomatic expressions that are birthed there. But when we look at African American English, we are challenged to: 1) accept the notion that Americanness can be more than one thing and 2) acknowledge that our intentional understanding of the elements of a language rooted in a contentious history is uncomfortable.”
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When it comes to strengthening literacy in our schools, the responsibility doesn’t rest solely with students and their parents. According to Anderson, teachers also have a responsibility to build meaningful connections with their students. One way to do that is by developing an understanding of AAE, much like they would take the time to familiarize themselves with French, Spanish, or Arabic. While educators don’t need to teach AAE, they should learn how to use it to expand their teaching toolbox and help propel students forward.
“It is the teacher’s knowledge of AAE that strengthens literacy, because the teacher will have a stronger linguistic foundation to support learning. The student already comes in with it; the teacher has to learn how to use it,” Anderson said. “From a research perspective, Dr. April Baker-Bell speaks directly to this in her work in the ELA classroom. Not to mention the historic work of Geneva Smitherman, Gloria Ladson-Billings, and a host of other scholars who were included in the initial conversations around this whole discourse.”
AAE Is an Asset, Not a Shortcoming
While critics believe embracing Black English in schools could discourage students from learning Standard American English, Anderson believes the worry is misguided. Furthermore, she says there’s implicit bias in this false narrative, as it “assumes a deficit in children that just isn’t present.”
“Embracing AAE considers the whole student in your pedagogy. This is just what pedagogical strategies like Universal Design for Learning (UDL) call for,” she said. “Bilingual education has disproven years ago that including home languages does not limit the capacity of students to use what I prefer to call Mainstream American English. Just like a bilingual educator can use Spanish or French or Irdu to teach academic language principles, so too can an ELA teacher use AAE to guide students to success in knowing when and where to use academic language.”
She continued, “This last point is probably my biggest wish: assume the brilliance of Black children who can use AAE with ease, not any shortcoming.”
When Students Feel Seen, They Learn Better
AAE is about more than just the use of the English language; it’s also a representation of our identity. Anderson maintains that students are more likely to flourish when they feel both seen and understood. Therefore, our students’ use of AAE isn’t something that needs correction; it’s an opportunity to connect and expand the capabilities of our children and students both in and out of the classroom.
“They [students] take risks when they feel safe, and they grow when their identities are honored. By finally accepting the legitimacy of AAE, we communicate to the student that their whole being is welcomed, appreciated, and needed in your classroom. When we see a child’s ability to speak AAE as an asset and not a deficit, we can show them how to expand their expression, not merely correct it,” Anderson detailed.
“Understanding that doing this for Black students will benefit all students. It will encourage empathy and compassion for differences, which I believe our society is drifting from. It’s radical work, but it’s also simultaneously radical love for students, and both build a strong foundation for adulthood,” she concluded.
