Say what?
A look at language usage
by
Julie Fearing-Toman

Prefatory Statement:
This six-week unit will focus on language usage, compelling students to take a close look at their own language and how it reflects who they are. Students will become aware of appropriate register levels according to specific situational contexts. Additionally, students will be exposed to language manipulation devices found in a smorgasbord of literature ranging from poetry to prose and from essays to speeches. Students will learn how language is used as a tool by authors or speakers to sway their unsuspecting audiences. Aspects of the Comprehension, Writing, and Speaking, Listening and Viewing Standards will be addressed to varying degrees.

To engage students in the study of language usage, this unit will draw upon student experience and will specifically examine the students’ own language environment compared with the rest of the country. By researching the conception of Iron Range dialect and by receiving input from the community, students will be better equipped to understand what makes their language unique from others. A real purpose and audience will provide motivation for students to gather and organize an Iron Range Translation Guide that will define terms and phrases distinctive to the area and relevant to them. (Other booklets like this have been published by non-students, but include outdated terminology.) It is an opportunity for students to step outside of themselves and view their own language from another perspective – one that may influence their college experience, employment opportunities, or social interactions – so that in the future, they will be aware of perhaps what not to say or write in various formal situations.

It is imperative that students become conscious of how they already code switch between intimate and casual or casual and formal registers without much thought. Likewise, it is crucial to point out to students why knowing how to write and speak formally will affect them in the future, even if they do not change their language for day-to-day interactions. For this purpose, I will ask students to collect job applications, college applications, or scholarship applications to practice writing for these purposes. Some students may even be applying for real jobs, colleges or scholarships. Again, having a real purpose and audience will provide interest and motivation on behalf of the students. On the other side of that equation are area employers, several of whom have mentioned to various English educators that students are unable to appropriately complete job applications, even if the job is only for the summer.

By illustrating how language is used as a tool to manipulate others, students will be enabled to critically assess media broadcasts or newspaper articles, political speeches, or author agendas. Students will learn to recognize imagery, tone, metaphor, characterization, and doublespeak. They will understand how these devices are intentionally used to promote individual agendas or to invoke feeling and emotion in the reader or listener.

I chose to construct this unit because of the stigma attached to being an Iron Range speaker (I am sure stigmas are associated with speakers from every area). It is my desire to encourage students to consciously select their vocabulary and pronunciations in certain company, as often they will be judged by what comes out of their mouths before what can come from their abilities. One’s language usage is closely tied to her or his self-esteem and personhood. Likewise, it is my desire to stress reasons why it is important not to judge others based on such differences as language usage.

Class Specification:
This unit is targeted for students in grades 11 or 12 general English courses; however, adaptations may be made to accommodate lower grade levels. It must be considered that lower grade levels may not be developmentally ready to analyze their own language. Even students with learning disabilities will be able to participate in this unit and find relevance to their lives. There are a variety of activities to accommodate many learning styles. ESL students will especially be able to benefit from this unit, as they are like early settlers in that their language is dissimilar to others and they may be learning about a new physical environment as well as industry. Their contributions to class discussions would be invaluable.

Students with more affluent backgrounds may recognize dialect variation faster than those who come from a lower economic status level simply because formal language and Standard English are probably spoken at home by well-educated parents.

Significant Assumptions:
According to Judith A. Langer in Effective Literacy Instruction, “students’ learning and recall are more likely to be enhanced when they can connect new learnings to what they already know – from both in- and out-of-school experiences – than when the content of instruction is treated as if it is entirely new.” I, too, believe that students learn best when they can contribute knowledge they possess from their own lives and then build on that knowledge with new material. Additionally, if students are provided a clear and meaningful purpose and a real audience, they will be more motivated to perform. I also believe that by offering a variety of assignments and activities, it is more likely that all learners will be engaged at one point or another, as all students learn new information in different ways.

It is assumed that students who participate in this unit are at least average readers and writers for their grade level and are familiar with the use of journals, group work, and the mechanics of writing a research paper, which includes research, format, citations, and bibliography entries.

Desired Outcomes / Standards / Objectives to be Met
* Students will learn from what languages the Iron Range dialect was conceived.
* Students will sharpen their research paper writing skills and learn to evaluate credible Internet sources.
* Students will learn about the language register they unconsciously use every day as they code switch from an intimate level of conversation to a formal one.
* Students will find relevance in practicing the use of a formal register when applying for a job, scholarship, or college.
* Students will learn how to conduct an interview.
* Students will be effective group members.
* Students will learn to recognize manipulation devices used by authors such as imagery, tone, metaphor, characterization, and doublespeak.

Standards to be addressed are as follows.
A. Writing
1. Understand the differences between formal and informal language styles and use each appropriately.

B . Research
1. Use print, electronic databases and online resources to access information, organize ideas, and develop writing.
2. Produce a report with detailed evidence to support a thesis.
3. Distinguish between reliable and questionable Internet sources and apply responsible use of technology.
4. Credit sources for both quoted and paraphrased ideas.
5. Cite sources of information using a standard method of documentation, such as a style sheet from the Modern Language Association (MLA).
6. Proofread the final copy, format correctly and prepare the document for publication or submission.

C . Speaking, Listening and Viewing
1. Evaluate the accuracy and credibility of information found on Internet sites.
2. Determine whether the evidence in a selection is appropriate, adequate and accurate.

Possible Whole-Class Activities
* Participate in classroom discussions.
* View and comment on segments of “American Tongues” (not all parts of this are appropriate for high school classrooms).
* Interview a guest speaker.
* Read selected essays, short stories, and poetry.
* Award an individual with a Doublespeak Award (politician, ad campaign, celebrity, etc.).

Possible Small-Group Activities
* Participate in peer interviews.
* Participate in peer writing reviews.
* Interpret and discuss poetry or prose before participating in whole-class discussions.
* Participate in gathering, sorting, or posting community survey responses (WebQuest).
* Analyze characters from favorite sitcom, such as “Friends.” Examine their language and how it contributes to their character’s traits. Try switching a character’s language with another. For example, switch Joey’s Bronx accent and lexical mishaps with Ross’ educated and more standard dialect.

Possible Individual Activities
* Keep a journal
- Journals will be used exclusively for in-class use.
- Journal topics will be given almost daily and posted on the board for students to begin writing as soon as they come into class.
- Journal entries will not be read by the teacher unless permission is given by the student.
- Periodically, journal entries will be reviewed by students who will make selections to turn in for credit and assessment.
- Sample journal topics for this unit will be provided in the Organization of the Unit.
* Write a research paper to discover the origins of Iron Range dialect.
* In an essay, examine their language usage and how it may need to change in the future.
* Select and read a book to present for a Book Talk.
- Students will be allowed to select their own book, cleared by the teacher.
- Students will be asked to create a Reading Log Book in which to record reading time and a brief summary of what they read during that time, unfamiliar vocabulary, and favorite quotations.
- Students will be asked to present the book to the class, providing a review of the book without giving the plot away.
* Practice transforming a paragraph of text from one dialect into a different dialect.
* Practice writing imagery, metaphor, characterization, and tone.

Ongoing Activities
* Keep a journal.
* Read a book for Book Talk.
* Spelling/Grammar logs.
* Peer writing response groups.
* Weekly two-page essay on any topic. Three will be read to the class, without disclosing who the author is, as good examples.

Student Resources
* Access to computer lab with Internet.
* Computer disc or CD.
* Notebook designated specifically for journal entries.
* Notebook for class notes, interview notes, other miscellaneous assignments.
* Pen as a writing instrument, preferably blue or black ink.
* Book for Book Talk.
* Possibly transportation to various locations nearby to conduct additional research, interviews, or surveys.
* Possibly an application for a job, college, or scholarship (if students are not really applying for one of these, sample applications will be available in class).
* Public and/or school libraries.
* Literary examples of imagery, tone, metaphor, simile, and characterization, and preferably examples that present a cultural difference in dialect.

Unit Launch / Anticipatory Set/ Set Induction
To get students motivated to perform unit activities, students will be provided with a unit launch activity that will compel them to imagine early life on the Iron Range. Since the mining industry plays such a crucial role in the area’s past, present, and future, students ought to know how it began. This part of the unit could conceivably be intertwined with other subject areas such as social studies or science. There are two options I would consider.

Option 1: Depending upon the situation, Option 1 would allow for a field trip to an area attraction that offers students visual images and artifacts of early days on the Iron Range. Such locations may include: the historical society where there are artifacts and histories depicted in displays; a stroll through the crumbled streets of what used to be the main part of Hibbing before the town moved; or ideally a trip to Ironworld Discovery Center where actual buildings were relocated to become part of a recreation of the early days as well as a plethora of other artifacts and information available at their own research library.

Any of these locations would provide students an opportunity to be confronted face-to-face with the past and the history of the area in which they live. Allowing students to meander about and then write about what they think and feel at that moment would connect them to those who have gone before them. Additionally, students would meet individuals who could be of assistance to their research paper or interview subjects.

Option 2: If at Hibbing High School, students could meet in the library and examine the three-panel sixty-foot mural entitled The Iron Industry, painted in 1913 by David Tice Workman. Otherwise, photos or overheads could be displayed for students to view. The work is divided into three sections by two vertical objects that blend into the scenery of the painting. The first is a pole and the second is a chain. This mural depicts the process of converting raw iron ore into steel and includes sixteen life-size figures representative of the different nationalities that settled in the area. Adjacent to the mural are lines by Lord Tennyson, one of which ironically reads, “mines undrainable of ore” (ironic because red ore operations no longer exist in Minnesota).

A guest speaker, someone with knowledge of or strong connection to the Iron Range’s history, would be a helpful complement to this option so students could write their initial responses to the painting and Tennyson’s lines and then be able to ask questions. Many “old timers” are more than happy to make such contributions.

Organization of Unit
Week 1
Possible journal topics:
* What is Standard English dialect to you? Do you speak it?
* How is your language tied to who you are as a person? What does it say about you?
* Have you ever taken a trip to another part of the country where others had trouble understanding you? If not, have you ever encountered anyone from another part of the country and thought they talked weird?
* How does the language you use with your grandmother differ from that of your friends?
* Have you ever felt under- or overdressed?
* What type of job will you pursue after graduation? Will your language need to change?

During this week, students will be introduced to the unit by looking back to early days of Iron Range history to discover who emigrated to the area and why. Since mining is the main industry, and most students’ parents hold jobs either at a taconite plant or with a business that heavily relies upon the plants, it is important for students to see how they are connected to those pioneers. This will also fill in some cultural gaps and misunderstandings had by those who are not native Rangers. In addition to the unit launch activity (described below), students will also be introduced to Task 1 of the WebQuest. This first task asks students to research one of the Iron Range cities and find out what nationalities settled there, why, and how they got along. Students will be able to detect the influence of those nationalities within the Iron Range dialect as they begin to focus on their own language, or the language unique to the area if they are not originally from the Iron Range. The Web Page Evaluation form will aid students in finding credible Internet sources for their papers.

Parts of the video “American Tongues” will be shown to serve as a catalyst for discussion about dialects. It presents honest testimonials of individuals who have been judged by the way they talk and how it influences their personal and professional lives. The video clearly illustrates how different dialects are among Americans and for those students who have not traveled much, it presents speakers from all different parts of the country who differ from Iron Rangers lexically, phonologically, and syntactically. These terms will be introduced to students, as they will be analyzing Iron Range dialect in these ways in order to construct an Iron Range Translation Guide as Task 3 of the WebQuest. Lesson Plan 2 addresses one way to teach students about register. By comparing Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech and essay, students will see a direct comparison of language appropriateness. This lesson will highlight students’ abilities to code switch unconsciously and the necessity to make it conscious at times in order to prove a point or persuade others. Also, the essay question will compel students to consider how their own register of language might need to change in the future. It is important they begin to understand how they will not only need to learn the jargon (adding to their lexicon) of a new job, but also consider the language of their coworkers and clients.

Depending upon how much class time is allotted for student research and in-class writing, students may begin Task 2 of the WebQuest, which requires students to inconspicuously observe conversations among Iron Range speakers, or between an Iron Range speaker and a non-Iron Range speaker. This task requires students to focus on the language – lexically, phonologically, and syntactically. A handout is provided to guide their observation. Findings would make for interesting small group or class discussions (or both, the small group first) as well as provide students a jumpstart on content for the Iron Range Translation Guide.

Week 2
Possible journal topics:
* Write about interesting research facts or progression with the paper.
* Read a newspaper article and write five questions you still have that the reporter left out.
* If you were an employer conducting interviews, describe the type of employee that would impress you.
* Write a reflection on the speaker(s). What surprised you? What inspired you?
* How do you plan to adjust your language to meet the needs of the job?
* Write your feelings prior to conducting each interview. Write a response summarizing how each interview went (poetry, drawing, etc.).

Since students should be off to a good start on their research papers, Task 3 of the WebQuest could be introduced this week (or Task 2 depending upon whether or not it was introduced the first week). Since students probably have little or no experience conducting an interview with a stranger, practice doing so may provide added confidence. Students paired with each other at random may be one good way to do so. If students select their own partner, it may be too comfortable for them, thus depriving them of the experience in overcoming the uneasiness of talking to someone who is unfamiliar. This exercise will also allow students to practice taking notes while someone is speaking. A handout, entitled Interview Notes, will help guide students’ thinking to prepare them for interviews. It follows below in the Handout section of this unit along with another handout, Interview Request Scenario. This handout provides a basic script for students to use as they set up their interviews.

In addition to providing students with the experience of interviewing their peers, it may be helpful to provide them with the opportunity to interview a member or members of the business community. Having read students essays the previous week, it would be apparent what occupations students will pursue after graduation; therefore, it would be beneficial to select individuals from those fields to speak to the class about language use in that occupation. (Note: It may be helpful to survey this earlier on to aid in scheduling various speakers). Ask speakers to focus on how language influences first impressions on a resume, in an interview, and what type of language environment exists on the job. Is it casual at the office and formal with clients or in business meetings? What skills will students need to develop with regards to their language usage to be successful? Will they need to add to their lexicon and learn new words associated with that job, or jargon? Encourage students to ask questions. This could be set up as a whole-class activity or in small groups, similar to a job fair so that students could use their time constructively by spending it with someone whose occupation interests them. Following this, students will not only have practiced interviewing, they will also have received useful knowledge that will aide them in the future and for the next assignment, which would be to practice writing applications for jobs, scholarships, or colleges. Students would be asked to bring one application for any of the three areas and work on it in class. Groups could be set up accordingly and the teacher could individually conference as s/he circulated around the room from group-to-group. Students would find this exercise useful because it serves a real audience and purpose; however, they are learning about their language usage as well.

Week 3
Possible journal topics:
* What Rangisms do you use?
* What interesting fact have you learned in your research?
* Read part of a short story and have students finish the ending.
* One thing I am good at is …
* Provide the title of a book, article, or poem, and ask students to predict what it is about.

During this week, the focus should be on Task 4 of the WebQuest, which requires students to select a group (some redistribution may be necessary) and to begin working within that group while establishing communication with other groups. Mailboxes will be set up in the room, one designated for each group, so correspondence can be routed. Students will be required to write a memo any time one group communicates with another so all group interactions will be recorded should there be a problem. Groups’ responsibilities are outlined in the handout entitled, Group Dynamics. To throw in a little healthy competition between groups, and to promote camaraderie, the group that submits the most creative title for the Iron Range Translation Guide will receive some sort of prize on the final day of the unit. This may be gift certificates, food, etc. Perhaps other students in the school could cast votes for the title they think is best.

Groups will have plenty to do as they establish their dynamics and make collection boxes, set up a process for collecting surveys, and create a spreadsheet or some system of electronically documenting surveys. Also during this week, it would be beneficial to collect drafts of the research papers and perhaps set a due date for the end of the week.

Week 4 and 5
* Examine the lyrics of your favorite song. What devices do you recognize?
* Write the beginning of a short story and share it with a partner. Based on the tone and imagery, have your partner guess what kind of story it will be.
* Describe your favorite place to be.
* Think about the characters in your favorite sitcom or movie. Does each character’s language define who he or she is? How would it be if two of the characters switched language usage?
* What is a metaphor for school that is true for you?
* What is the tone of the book you are reading for your Book Talk? What are examples of imagery the author uses? What is the author’s intent?
* What do you think doublespeak means? (Predicting)
* List as many examples of doublespeak you can think of.
* Write a poem based on the type of mood you are in today.

Since the WebQuest project is underway, provide students with an introspective look at how authors use language to manipulate their readers, whether it is for political purposes or simply to invoke a feeling or emotion. Such devices include imagery, tone, characterization, metaphor, simile, and doublespeak.

To illustrate the effects of imagery, tone, characterization, metaphor and simile, any short story, novel, or poem may be used. Because this unit focuses on the Iron Range, students might enjoy analyzing any of the song lyrics from Hibbing native Bob Dylan or perhaps The Edmund Fitzgerald, by Gordon Lightfoot. Listening to songs in class while providing words on an overhead or in a power point presentation would be effective, as often students do not think of their favorite musical artist as a poet (although many are not). In addition, there are several Iron Range authors who write stories set on the Iron Range. Reading portions of their stories to illustrate such elements might interest students, as they may be able to relate to the setting of the text. These local connections would be used in addition to other cultural pieces to offer students a glimpse into what others experience when language proves to be a barrier or how language dialect is crucial to character development. One exercise in characterization is described in Lesson Plan 3.

Students will enjoy the introduction to doublespeak. Perhaps allowing them to explore the topic on the Internet in pairs would be effective; however, the site www.disinfopedia.org, while useful, contains questionable material, especially for younger age groups. Humorous examples of doublespeak could be extracted by the teacher and presented to the students. The National Council of Teacher Education would be an appropriate site for students to explore as an introduction to doublespeak with pertinent examples. Once students become acquainted with the concept of doublespeak, they could make up their own examples. Other activities would be for students to identify and nominate a person or group, nationally or globally (as not to step on any local toes) doublespeak award.

Week 6
During this final week of the unit, students will wrap up the WebQuest by completing the electronic documentation of survey nominations. Placing an incentive of a party on the final day may help motivate students. At the celebration, food unique to the Iron Range will be served such as pasties, lefse, and potica. The title of the Iron Range Translation Guide will be disclosed and the winner of the Doublespeak Nomination Award will be given.

Detailed Plans for Three Days of the Unit

Lesson Plan 1 (Week 1, Day 1)
Descriptive Data
Teacher: Julie Toman
Class: English 12
Unit: Language Usage and Dialect
Topic: Unit Launch
Duration: One 50-minute class period

Objectives
1. Students will learn to interpret images in paintings.
2. Students will make predictions about what the paintings portray (meanings, symbols).
3. Students will make inferences about the mining process and early Iron Rangers from the paintings.
4. Students will listen to guest speaker and ask questions to learn more.
5. Students will begin to consider what problems and prejudices might have existed as immigrants from different countries merged to create one community.

Method
1. Ask students to view the three-paneled painting as a whole and begin to discuss what they see.
2. Ask students to begin viewing each panel separately, describing what they see and interpreting the artist’s vision.
3. Ask students to consider Tennyson’s words upon the wall.
4. Ask students to listen to the speaker and ask questions.

Homework
Students will write a two-page reflection based on their journal response for the next class period.

Assessment
Students will be assessed based on their participation during the speaker’s presentation and their written response, which will include a glimpse of how well students predicted and what they gleaned from the speaker.

Lesson Plan 2 (Week 1)
Descriptive Data
Teacher: Julie Toman
Class: English 12
Unit: Language Usage and Dialect
Topic: Register Levels
Duration: Two 50-minute class periods

Objectives
1. Students will learn about the concept of registers, which include frozen, formal, informal, casual, and intimate.
2. Students will learn that teachers attempt to provide them with the tools needed to sharpen reading and writing skills, moving them from casual to formal in certain situations.
3. Students will learn about code switching.
4. Students will learn about low-context and high-context and observe reasons why it is necessary to shift grammatical rules from one to the other.
5. Students will learn that people are judged on the language they use.
6. Students will learn what dialect is and that it differs in pronunciation, syntax, and words regionally, socially, and ethnically.
7. Students will identify slang words and phrases unique to their region.

Method
1. As students enter the class, give them a slip of paper with parent, friend, or officer written on it. Explain to them it is important to keep it confidential. Ask students to listen as you provide them the following scenario. You were standing in a crowded and pushy line at the movie theater. You get shoved hard and end up falling to the ground. The next thing you know, you are being handcuffed. As you look up, you see your friend being taken away by the police as well. Then you see it. Little baggies resembling powdered sugar were scattered everywhere. Now ask students to write a letter to whomever was on the piece of paper explaining what happened. (7-10 minutes)
2. Ask for volunteers to share what they wrote to whom for samples of each one. Explain this difference to be code switching and a matter of register. (5 minutes)
3. Begin lecture on language registers, high-context vs. low-context, and code switching. (15 minutes)
4. Ask students to view the video of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Pass out a copy of the text for students to follow along. (2 minutes)
5. Read Martin Luther King’s “Testament of Hope” aloud and ask students to read along (this is included on the same handout as “I Have a Dream.” (1 minute)
6. Write the titles of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech and essay on the board. Ask students to contrast the two. Give them leads by asking them to consider context, register, language used, audience, etc. (10 minutes)
7. Explain essay assignment.

Homework
Students will write an essay, at least one page in length, on the following question: Based on what you learned today about high-context vs. low-context and the register levels, how do you currently view your own language and writing? How do you use code switching? How might your use of language need to change in your future with regard to your future plans (i.e. college, occupation)?

Assessment
? Students will successfully complete an essay that incorporates terms introduced in the lecture and apply ideas conveyed to their own lives so that they demonstrate understanding and relevance.

Lesson Plan 3 (Week 4 and 5)
Descriptive Data
Teacher: Julie Toman
Class: English 12
Unit: Language Usage and Dialect
Topic: Character Dialect
Duration: One 50-minute class period

Objectives
1. Students will learn how dialects contribute to characterization.
2. Students will learn how authors use character’s dialect to give the reader clues about who that character is and where s/he came from.
3. Students will learn how a story becomes skewed and how the character changes simply by altering the dialect of a character.
Method
1. Provide students with a random quote from a character in a story, preferably unfamiliar to them. Provide no context. Ask students to speculate about what that character is like based on his or her dialect alone (gender, education, social status, intelligence, etc.). Ask for a volunteer to record responses on the board. (5 minutes)
2. In groups, ask students to complete the handout on a character they have been reading about in class. (If there are several characters in the story, assign different characters to groups).
3. Ask students to get into groups and complete the handout. (20 minutes)
4. As a class, fill them in on the character whose dialect they speculated on in the beginning of class to let them know how accurate they were. Also, ask for general opinions about how their characters changed simply by changing the dialect. Reiterate the importance of language dialect and how judgments are made based on this.

Homework
None.

Assessment
? Students will successfully complete the group handout and contribute to class discussion.

Supporting Materials for Teachers
www.disinfopedia.org (Doublespeak)
“Metaphors We Live By,” Lakeoff and Johnson
Linguistics for Teachers, Linda Miller Cleary and Michael Linn

Handouts
Web Page Evaluation
Register Levels
Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech text and essay
Essay question
Character Dialect group activity
Language Observation
Interview Notes
Interview Request Scenario

Web Page Evaluation
Name: ______________________________________________
Site: ________________________________________________
URL : www.________________________________________

Use the following criteria to evaluate your Web site.

1. Accuracy
a. Is the material presented clearly? Y / N
b. Is the content of the document accurate? Y / N

2. Authority
a. Who published the document?
b. What is the domain? Is it preferred (i.e. ending in .edu, .gov, .org, or .net)?
c. Is the publisher the Webmaster?
d. Who is the author?
e. What makes the author an expert on this topic? What are his or her credentials?
f. Can you contact her or him? Y / N
g. Is the author the Webmaster? Y / N

3. Objectivity
a. Is the page masking advertising? Y / N
b. Is the information biased due to advertising? Y / N
c. Why was this written and for whom?

4. Currency
a. When was this document produced?
b. Is the information outdated? Y / N
c. When was the last time the document was updated?
d. How current are the document’s links (if any)?

5. Coverage
a. Is the page balanced with text and graphics? Y / N
b. Is the information cited correctly? Y / N
c. Do you need to purchase or install additional browsers or software? Y / N

Adapted from Jim Kapoun, “Teaching undergrads Web evaluation: A guide for library instruction,” and Landwer & Monson 2000.

I Have a Dream
by
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Freedom March in Washington D.C., 1963

So, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American Dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day, on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day in the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I Have a Dream. MPI Home Video, 1986.

Testament of Hope
by
Martin Luther King, Jr.
King’s last published essay

Whenever I am asked my opinion of the current state of the civil rights movement, I am forced to pause: it is not easy to describe a crisis too profound that it has caused the most powerful nation in the world to stagger in confusion and bewilderment. Today’s problems are so acute because the tragic evasions and defaults of several centuries have accumulated to disastrous proportions. The luxury of a leisurely approach to urgent solutions – the ease of gradualism – was forfeited by ignoring the issues for too long. The nation waited until the black man was explosive with fury before stirring itself even to partial concern. Confronted now with the interrelated problems of war, inflation, urban decay, white backlash, and a climate of violence, it is forced to address itself to race relations and poverty and it is tragically unprepared. What might once have been a series of separate problems now merge into a social crises of almost stupefying complexity.

King, M.L. “Testament of Hope.” Playboy Jan. 1969: 174-236.

 

 

 

The structure of the language
one habitually uses
influences the way he perceives his environment.

~ Lev Semenovich Vygotsky ~

Based on what you learned today about high-context vs. low-context and the register levels, how do you currently view your own language and writing? How do you use code switching? How might your use of language need to change in your future with regard to your future plans (i.e. college, occupation)?

 

 

Date:
Period:
Group Names:

Character Dialect

1. Based on what you already know about the character from the story, how would you describe him or her (appearance, education, professionalism, intelligence, familial role, etc.)?

2. Select a passage in which the character speaks several lines. Write them here and cite the page.

3. Now rewrite that passage using Iron Range dialect. Spell words how they would sound if you were speaking them.

4. What features did you change in your transformation?

5. How would this change in dialect affect your character’s description? Or, how would you judge this character now?

Name_________________________

Date ____________

Task 2:
Language Observation

Observation location:

Provide a brief description of the location atmosphere. Is it noisy and filled with many conversations? What other type of activity is happening?

Provide a brief description of the people at the location. Are they students, members of the business community, or a mixture of blue-collar and white-collar people?

Record any nonstandard words or phrases unique to the Iron Range.
Word and / or Phrase Context

Interview Notes …

Here are some helpful tips to consider before you set out on your interviews.

* Get people talking.
* Their words are always more important than yours.
* Choose someone interesting, important, unusual.
* Have basic tools: paper, 2-3 sharpened pencils, pens that flow very well.
* Keep a notebook out of sight ‘til you need it.
* Take a little while to chat and get to know each other so they trust you.
* Do your homework: find out information about them before you go.
* Make a list of likely questions.
* Better questions might come to you.
* Questions are a guide, but not a guide you have to stick with.
* Don’t use a tape recorder.
* People talk faster than people can write – tell the person to stop and write ‘til you catch up (“Hold it a minute, please”).
* At home type your notes.

Adapted from On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Non-Fiction by William Zinsser.

Interview Request Scenario

Hi, my name is _______________. I think your input would be useful to our project in English class on Iron Range dialect. We are gathering Rangisms, or words and phrases unique to this area, to be placed in a translation guide. If you agree, your name will be kept anonymous and will only be submitted to my teacher as part of my interview notes; however, your contribution will be added to our Iron Range Translation Guide.

NO – Thank you very much for your time. Good-bye.

YES – That’s great. Thank you. I’d like to schedule a day that I can both meet with you for a half hour or so and talk one-on-one about Iron Range dialect. Is this okay?

The best days and times for me are ______________ and ___:___. What is best for you? That’s great. Where shall we meet? I will see you (reiterate date, time, and location). Thank you very much. Good-bye.

Adapted from In the Middle by Nancy Atwell.

Group Dynamics

For Task 4 of the WebQuest, you will be asked to assign yourself to one of four groups. Each group and their tasks are described below. Be sure to seriously consider the responsibilities of each group, as some require transportation. Consider your interests and abilities as well.

A mailbox will be designated for each group. Any time one group wishes to correspond with another group, it must write/type a memo that includes the date, group names (to and from), and a clear description of what it is you wish the other group to know. It would be wise to keep a copy of every correspondence and to designate one person for that job in each group. If a problem arises, this system leaves little to argue about.

Each group must assign the following positions:
1. Recorder: This person is responsible for documenting group meetings and activity in a chronological manner. This person may also be responsible for keeping copies of correspondence memos. (You may designate this person to write and deliver memos, or you may designate those tasks to others).
2. Task Master: This position is needed to keep the group on task and to organize what the group must accomplish and who will accomplish it.
3. Scheduler: This person must document each group member’s contribution in relation to actual tasks assigned to the group. This will prevent discrepancies from occurring between group members about who is supposed to do what.
4. Reporter: This person will report to me on a weekly basis, unless otherwise assigned, in writing about the group’s progress.

Each group must decide whether or not they wish to assign other positions; however, these four are mandatory. One person may not have more than one job within the group.

Groups for this project are as follows:
? Information Gatherers: This committee will be responsible for creating drop boxes to be placed in various locations at school and in the community to solicit input from others. Be sure you indicate that you are looking for words or phrases unique to the Iron Range as well as a definition or appropriate context. You will be responsible for providing a brief explanation of the class project and placing it beside each box. You may use your imagination to generate other responses.

? Information Sorters: This committee is responsible for sorting responses and filtering out unneeded, irrelevant, improper, or duplicate responses. You will need to work with the Information Imputers. Should you receive a suggestion with no definition or context, you will be asked to bring it to the class so the class will determine what they should be.

? Information Inputers: This committee is responsible for inputting valid responses onto the computer in a systematic way. Be sure to include definitions and or contextual elements that accompany the nominated words or phrases.

? Information Retrievers: This committee is responsible for retrieving drop boxes from various locations, as placed by the Information Gatherers and assembling responses for the Information Sorters. You will need to work closely with the Information Gatherers to be sure all responses are picked up, be it manually or electronically.

Assessment Task
Student tasks will address Minnesota standards previously listed. Additional tasks to consider for grading include but are not limited to various writing assignments, random journal reflection, and class participation. The major product to come from the unit will be the Iron Range Translation Guide and the activities leading to its completion, which are found on the WebQuest. The following addresses that portion of the unit.

Students will be asked to evaluate their own work on this task and will place their answers in the left-hand column whereas the teacher’s answers will be in the right.

WebQuest Assessment

Task 1: Research Paper

_______________ Content and Organization _______________/100

_______________ Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation _______________/20

_______________ Bibliography _______________/10

_______________ Citations _______________/10

_______________ Sources _______________/10

Task 2: Language Observation

_______________ Observation Sheet #1 _______________/25

_______________ Observation Sheet #2 _______________/25

Task 3: Interviews

_______________ Interview Notes (3) _______________/75

Task 4: Translation Guide Construction

_______________ Committee cooperation _______________/300
* Communication between groups
* Communication within group
* Task accomplishment
* Task delegation
* Task distribution
* Documentation of correspondence

Task 5: Reflection

_______________ Quality of reflection _______________/90

Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation _______________/10

GRAND TOTAL _______________/675

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