When speaking of “Standard American English” there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. One is the correct way that one should write and/or speak to follow those guidelines. There are many people who have previously and/or are currently being told that the way in which they’re speaking/writing is incorrect.  So, it leaves one to question is there a correct way? Or, is every language effectively orally communicating and writing, according to grammatical correct rules- that are set based on the region at which the “language” was founded? What is the bad idea in this situation? And, what could possibly be a better idea? One example of this is African American English and how it is not used correctly according to “Standard English” Language. In the book Bad Ideas About Writing, Jennifer M. Cunningham, in her essay “African American Language is Not Good English” ( BIAW, PG. 88-92) suggests that the bad idea is the way in which society views African American language in its entirety. Believing what is correctly speaking/writing according to the unwritten rule of standard English. She believes that a better ideal way to approach this problematic issue is by teaching code switching in academia without belittling one’s language.

 Photo cred: Eye for Ebony (www.unsplash.com) 

According to Cunningham the bad idea in the statement “African American Language is not good English” is the way in which one views it. She believes that African American language is viewed incorrectly, and society should view it for what it really is, which is a correct form of language. And to further understand that the suggestion of African American language is not a correct form of English is insulting and disrespectful because “African American Language is not good or bad English because it is not, linguistically speaking, English.” (BIAW, PG. 88).  There are some differences that set standard English and African American English apart, but overall, they are both correct forms of speaking. And if society can see that “We need to understand and explain African American Language and Standard American English as different languages, each with its own set of grammatical, phonological, and morphological rules (even though they share a lexicon or vocabulary)” (BIAW, PG 91) then there would be a better outcome and understanding on the views of it. Cunningham implies that a better idea for this problematic issue is the teaching of both languages. If academia will start a teaching environment to where students can learn, when and where to shift the use in languages, then it would become beneficial for them later in life. She believes that teachers should explain to their students that neither language has a higher linguistic hierarchy (one is not better than the other) then students would be able to better understand, retain and become skilled in using both forms of languages in the right settings.

youth Learning.  Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

In Mike Vuolo’s Podcast, “Is Black English a Dialect or a Language” There is a linguistics scholar by the name of Walter Wolfram who has a similar point of view as Cunningham. Like Cunningham he also believes that it is disrespectful “To say someone has no grammar when they have this highly complex grammar is a continuing tolerated form of discrimination in our society.” (www.slate.com)  Further into this podcast Wolfram starts to go into more detail on his outlook on Black English (African American English) and his views are essentially identical to Jennifer M. Cunningham’s views. Wolfram believes that “We need to get to a position where we’re not simply saying you need to talk right, but saying you need to be more sensitive to the different situations.” (www.slate.com) both Wolfram and Cunningham both have key elements that are similar. such as, we as society must be open to change our views in this constant evolving world. And we as a society must teach each other the differences in languages without belittling one another. The only way one would learn to appropriate their writing is by learning and maintaining a mutual respect for all forms of languages and dialects. Being able to know when and where to use it will make you stronger as an individual (academic and socially speaking). It is my personal beliefs that a language and a dialect are practically one in the same, they support each other and build from one another. A dialect helps a language to become stronger because it is the core grounding that keeps languages evolving.

To become a good teacher, writer and listener you must have an open mind, whether it’s your beliefs that someone who may say “he talking” vs “he is talking” is speaking standard English. You should know and understand that although academia may not agree with the wording of those words, that they are correct according to the rules and conventions of African American language. As adults we are taught that for every problem there is a solution, for every solution there is a formula to help fix the problem. What if our solution is to stop normalizing what is bad English and the formula is to  start teaching what is known as code switching, all while being respectful to others language. 

Work cited:

Cunningham, M. Jennifer, “African American Language is not Good English.” Bad ideas about writing, edited by Cheryl E Ball and Drew M Loewe, West Virginia University Libraries, 2017, pp.88-92.

Vuolo, Mike “Lexicon Valley: Is Black English a Dialect or a Language?” Slate Magazine, Feb. 2012, www.slate.com/articles/podcast/lexicon_valley/2012/02/lexicon_valley_is_black_english_a_dialect_or_a_language_.html 

Unsplash. “HD Photo by Eye for Ebony (@Eyeforebony) on Unsplash.” Beautiful Free Images & Pictures, unsplash.com/photos/7EpZ2IMxK7g

Unsplash. “HD Photo by NeONBRAND (@Neonbrand) on Unsplash.” Beautiful Free Images & Pictures, unsplash.com/photos/zFSo6bnZJTw.

Maelah Jackson

                                                The Better Idea About Writing

Jill Parrot’s essay called Some People Are Just Born Good Writers is one of many essays about bad writing ideas put together called Bad Ideas about Writing.  Parrot’s essay talks about how students and writers alike often believe that the only reason why they aren’t good writers is that they weren’t born that way. This is a terrible idea. In fact, what makes a person become a “bad writer” is because of the writer’s anxiety. What solves writer’s anxiety, is simply practice. Other factors that make are good writer are; those who give uplift themselves instead claiming they are terrible writers before writing and taking the time calm your mind.

Now, don’t panic. There are plenty of ways to practice easing writer’s anxiety. In the further reading section of Parrot’s essay, an article by Katherine Brooks is listed called Writing Anxiety and the Job Search on the website called Psychology Today. Brooks breaks down behaviors of someone who has anxiety about their writing. Some include procrastination, fear of rejection, rushing through projects, etc. The most common kind of writer’s anxiety is Writer’s block. Due to these behaviors that many students experience, they think they are bad writers and this idea couldn’t be furthest from the truth. Just because a writer experiences these behaviors doesn’t make them a bad writer. It makes them an insecure writer. It makes them a writer with anxiety and doesn’t know how to overcome that. Students need to understand their anxieties are common among even the most confident of writers. Now of course there are those people have a natural talent for writing but even they still have to continue to practice getting better at writing. And believe it or not, talented writers often go through the same writing behavior problems as any other person. Sometimes talented writers procrastinate, get writer’s block, and even forget they themselves need to take much needed breaks between writing.

To get over anxiety, Katherine gave some tips to conquer it. She goes on to say, “Instead of avoiding writing, seek out opportunities to improve your writing generally.” (Katherine, 1). What she means by this is that students should take advantage of writing improvement opportunities. Talk to professors to gain constant feedback about your writing so that the student knows they are heading the right direction. It is also important to not be scared to take a critique or two. Professors are there to help students not hurt them. And then there is always an option of having a peer review the work of the writer. Having a peer looking at the writer’s work is a little bit more comforting considering a peer is around your age. But whether or not it is a peer or tutor a professor, there is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion.  

Jill Parrott’s essays also gives advice about improving “bad writing” while first examining the writer’s metacognition. Which is the understanding of one’s level of educational thought process. Parrot talks about reflecting back to the writer’s thought process and point out what needs’ improvement. “Opening up cognitive space that allows for metacognition and reflection is essential to experiential and practical improvement.” This self-reflection helps the writer make changes and build stronger and better habits. And then after this, it is important for the writer it change their mindset about their writing. If someone continues to tell themselves they are a bad writer then they will forever cripple themselves as writers. Instead uplift yourself. It is also important for the writer to take time out for themselves. In order to be a good writer, you have to know when it is time to take a break when needed. Taking a break can help reset a writer’s thought process and calm down the nerves.

Another key factor in helping a student with writer’s anxiety is taking the necessary steps to calm the mind before writing. Eric Maisel’s book called Write Mind:299 Things Writers Should Never Say to Themselves (and What They Should Say Instead) is filled with affirmations that struggling writers need. The book tells you what many writers think which is wrong vs. what writers should think about. Instead of going into writing saying, “I’m not a good writer.” The better thing to say is “I attend my best and write what I can.” Many of these kinds’ examples can be found throughout the book and it helps writers have better thoughts about writing that eases anxiety.

In conclusion, in order to be a good writer, you have to be willing to practice and learn from your mistakes. Ask for help and ask questions and don’t be scared to get a second opinion. Not even the best of writers is incapable of writing mistakes.  In the words of Jill Parrot, “Good writers are not born. They are learned.” (Parrot, 74).

Citations

Psychology Today. (2019). Writing Anxiety and the Job Search. [online] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/career-transitions/201007/writing-anxiety-and-the-job-search [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

Textbooks.lib.wvu.edu. (2019). [online] Available at: https://textbooks.lib.wvu.edu/badideas/badideasaboutwriting-book.pdf [Accessed 26 Apr. 2019].

(2019) Write Mind: 299 Things Writers Should Never Say to Themselves (and What They Should Say Instead) [Accessed 25 Apr. 2019].

Within the field of writing, there is a lot of controversial beliefs on how to become a good writer. In Patricia A. Dunn’s essay, “Teaching Grammar Improves Writing” in the book Bad Ideas About Writing, Dunn explains why teaching grammar in an attempt to improve writing impinges on a student’s writing development. Grammar and writing are two different subjects and therefore teaching grammar does not help students develop the necessary skills to produce good writing. If the intention is to improve writing, the focus should be on writing itself. Instead of teaching grammar, teachers should incorporate authentic writing assignments. Authentic writing assignments help students to develop flexible literacy skills to become a good writer and allow them to experience real-world feedback.

Authentic. Credit: Nick Youngson

Before elaborating on what authentic writing is, those who share the belief that grammar does improve writing may be astonished by the claim above. If writing involves grammar, why wouldn’t one improve the other? Well, grammar is a set of rules to adhere to in writing, but the usages of grammar are not universal. As Patricia Dunn stated, “… [these] so-called rules are not rules at all but merely conventions, which are not universal and can change over time and from genre to genre” (Dunn 147). To illustrate this, take into consideration essays and memorandums. There is a “rule” stating one should not use pronouns in an essay, but in a memorandum, writers are expected to use pronouns. This an example of how grammar usage varies depending on the application of writing.

Grammar. Credit: PDPics

However, it is not to say that grammar does not have its importance in writing. The problem relies on how its taught. Traditionally, teachers teach grammar in an abstract way that does not necessarily involves a student’s writing. So, instead, as Constance Weaver says in her famous article “Teaching Grammar in the Context of Writing,” “…teaching grammar in the context of writing might be much more effective than teaching grammar as a separate subject” (Weaver 16). The idea is to turn the teaching method from something abstract into something concrete. If teachers taught grammar in the context of a student’s writing, students could better form a connection. When students can make the connections of grammatical errors with their work, they get real feedback on how to improve their writing grammatically. Nonetheless, grammar and writing are still two different subjects, and if the desire is to improve writing, the focus should be on writing.

So, what is authentic writing? Authentic writing is writing in which the author is genuinely interested in the subject at hand. It is writing where the author has a real purpose in their writing and a real audience to present to. Given these two circumstances, the writer becomes genuinely engaged in their writing because of the desire to have their voice heard and make a difference with what they are saying. Unfortunately, in most writing classes today, this form of writing is rarely incorporated in classes. The writing seen in school is writing where there is not a real purpose or audience. Students write based on the extrinsic motivation of a letter grade, and the audience is limited to a teacher or exam scorer. 

To evaluate one the benefits of incorporating authentic writing assignments in school today, consider this statement made by Ken Lindblom in the article “School Writing Vs Authentic Writing,” “…when students write on social media, they are devising something to say, considering how to best say it to their intended audience, and they engage the results of their writing…” (1). When students become genuinely interested in their purpose for writing, they naturally exhibit skills that are critical to be a good writer. When writing a paper, the author must formulate why they are writing, for whom they are writing, and of course, provide the necessary revisions to their writing to make sure their writing can be understood. These skills are not only a necessity for writing a paper but have many useful applications to real-world assignment as well. As an example, consider a business advertising a product. For a business to get the best results, the advertiser must understand why they are promoting a product, who their intended audience is, and make sure the context of their message is clear to the audience.

Failure and Success. Credit: Ramdlon

Another benefit authentic writing provides, is that it gives authors real feedback. In the article, “Real-World Writing: Making Purpose and Audience Matter” by Grant Wiggins, Wiggins states that when writers are facing a real audience, “…[they] get the feedback [they] desperately need to become good writers” (Wiggins 33). Having a real audience equates to real feedback, and of course, this type of feedback is non-existent in typical school writing since there is no real audience. Just like any other action, being able to experience the results of one’s work is one of the most influential factors. Of course, results can either be successful or failure, but make no mistake; both success and failure can cause growth in an author’s writing.

While writing and grammar are interrelated, one does not improve the other. If teachers teach grammar in an attempt to improve writing, teach grammar in the context of the student’s writing to assist the student’s writing. As for the method to improve writing, teachers should incorporate authentic writing assignments in their classes. Authentic writing help students develop flexible literacy skills and allow them to experience real-world success or failure of their writing. Now, while some may see failure as a non-beneficial outcome, this is also another controversial belief that is not true. For those who do believe this, read the article “Failure Is Not an Option” by Allison D. Carr in the book Bad Ideas About Writing to get a better understanding of the benefits of failing.

Works Cited

Dunn, Patricia. “Teaching Grammar Improves Writing.” Bad Ideas About Writing. Ball, Cheryl and Loewe, Drew. 2007, pp. 144-149. textbooks.lib.wvu.edu/badideas/badideasaboutwriting-book.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2019.

Carr, Allison. “Failure is Not an Option.” Bad Ideas About Writing. Ball, Cheryl and Loewe, Drew. 2007, pp. 76-81. textbooks.lib.wvu.edu/badideas/badideasaboutwriting-book.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2019.

Lindblom, Ken. “School Writing Vs. Authentic Writing.” July 27, 2015. writerswhocare.wordpress.com/2015/07/27/school-writing-vs-authentic-writing/. Accessed April 8, 2019.

Wiggins, Grant. “EJ in Focus: Real-World Writing: Making Purpose and Audience Matter.” The English Journal, vol. 98, no. 5, 2009, pp. 29–37. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40503292.

Weaver, Constance. “Teaching Grammar in the Context of Writing.” The English Journal, vol. 85, no. 7, 1996, pp. 15–24. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/820502.

PdPics. Grammar Magnifier Magnifying Glass. 2013. Pixabay, www.pixabay.com/photos/grammar-magnifier-magnifying-glass-389907/. Accessed April 26, 2019.

Youngson, Nick. Authentic. Picpedia, www.picpedia.org/handwriting/a/authentic.html. Accessed April 26, 2019.

Ramdlon. Success Failure Opposite. 2016. Pixabay, www.pixabay.com/photos/success-failure-opposite-choice-1123017/. Accessed April 26, 2019.

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Hello my name is Ben and I like to take pictures of flowers and mushrooms.  I found this Crape Myrtle near my grandparents’ house in Carrollton GA in mid March. It had just started budding and I thought it looked neat!

Budding Crape Myrtle flowers. Photo Credit: Ben Campbell

Cheese curds are the parts of cheese left over after making, well, cheese.  They’re often produced in mass quantities in the cheese making process.  In dairy states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin, pople would eat these by-products raw or they would cook them in various ways.

In 1975, at the Minnesota State Fair, cheese curds became a main food (not just a byproduct).  They became a perennial star of the food scene:

Cheese curd history. Credit: R Weaver

When people move away from MN, they often experience cravings for deep-fried cheese curds and they will try to make them on their own.  Here is a recipe

They should look like this:

Fried cheese curds. Credit: R. Weaver

The Sims 4 Credit: Youtuber CallMeKevin

Kevin IDon’tKnowHisLastName, also known as CallMeKevin, is an Irish youtuber who plays video games, such as the Sims, Grand Theft Auto, and many others. In the picture above is one of his gameplays of The Sims 4 named “Sims 4 but I lock everyone in my restaurant”.