Curated OER
Spanish & Chicano English
Students examine the history of Spanish in what is now the United States. They examine the current language status of the Hispanic population. Students are able to characterize Spanglish and Chicano English. They examine some features...
Curated OER
A Raging Tide – Identifying Dialect
Students examine the use of dialect in the works of Mark Twain. For this literature lesson, students read selections from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Life on the Mississippi. Students paraphrase the dialect found in the passages and...
Curated OER
Floating Along – Identifying Slang
Learners examine the use of slang in the works of Mark Twain. In this literature lesson, students read selections from Roughing It, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Life on the Mississippi. Learners paraphrase the...
Curated OER
Caribbean Music - Reggae
In this Caribbean music learning exercise, 9th graders examine a graphic organizer that describes the characteristics of reggae music. They answer 6 short answer questions using the details from the graphic organizer.
Curated OER
Anticipation Guide -- Language and Dialects
In this language and dialects activity, students show that they agree or disagree with each statement by marking agree or disagree and commenting about the statement in the space provided.
Curated OER
Perspectives on Written & Spoken English
Students explore issues surrounding language norms, including the distinction between prescriptive and descriptive norms, the differences between norms for spoken English and those for written English, how word meanings change, and...
Curated OER
Potter and US English
Students examine the difference between US English and UK English by using Harry Potter as an example. Students analyze the two dialects by trying to think of word equivalents on an included worksheet.
Curated OER
Burns' Night and dialect
Students explore poetry and dialect. They research Burn's Night and how people celebrate it. Students examine the Scottish dialect and its similarities to English grammar. Students write their own poetry.
Curated OER
Chinese Dialect Exercise
Students are exposed to the obstacles in communication created by the presence of dialects, and made aware of the usefulness of a common writing system available to speakers of all dialect forms.
Curated OER
Accent and Dialect
In this accent and dialect worksheet, students read four sentences that are written so the student will have an accent. Students answer four questions about the accent they had during reading. Students write eight sentences that are in...
Curated OER
Daily Actings
High schoolers view clips of Anna Deavere Smith's work. They interview people on video or audiotape to learn their lines, dialect, and syntax to assist them in theater. They create a play which emulates the people in which they...
Curated OER
Dialect Dictionaries
Pupils list non-standard English words they use in their community dialect. They create dictionary definitions for 15 of the words they come up with including: pronunciation, part of speech, definition and example of usage. They create...
Curated OER
A Courtin' We Will Go
Students investigate dialect in poetry as an indication of a people's culture in literature. They write a poem about dating in this era.
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas:explain a Recent Current Event.
Various listening examples of native speakers in different dialects describing their feelings about various current events (2001-2005. Use of both past tenses is frequent. Great listening practice for 3/4/5 year students. Provides a...
University of South Florida
Educational Technology Clearinghous: Lit2 Go: Why Brother Bear Has No Tail
This resource presents the text of a Brer Bear story, one of Harris's well-know "Uncle Remus" stories. The text can be read online or downloaded in MP3 or PDF format. In addition, the story has downloadable support material which focuses...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
This lesson is an introduction to a unit on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It includes background infromation on the author and the text, a list of key terms, essential questions, and discusses the themes of the text...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Dialect (English Iii Reading)
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] In this lesson, studentsl listen to dialects from speakers around the country, explore how the use of dialect in literature helps to convey character, and determine to what...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Analyze Development of Plot Through Characters in Literary Text
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] Often characters are a driving force behind the plot. In this lesson, students will learn how complex, multilayered characters contribute to the development of a story's plot...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: "Lawd! Lawd! Lawd!"
Inspired by the character Charlie in Daniel Keye's Flowers for Algernon, the writer will craft sentences, using different dialects/sayings with correct dialogue punctuation. The writer will devote a page in his/her writer's notebook to...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Put 'Em on a Talk Show
In this lesson, students will write a script for a talk show, based on character traits from fairy tale stories. Scripts will be rehearsed, costumed, and performed in front of the class.
Repeat After Us
Repeat After Us: A Dream
A poem from William Blake's Songs of Innocence, "A Dream", is provided on this site. Students may listen to this poem read aloud by Madeline Jacobs and can access a printable version of this piece.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Mysteries of Vernacular: Hearse
Today, we recognize the word hearse as a vehicle that carries a coffin to a funeral. Jessica Oreck explains how this word has, at various times, described a wolf, a rake, and a frame, eventually landing at its meaning today. [2:13]
Indiana University
Indiana Magazine of History: James Whitcomb Riley, Indiana Poet
Fourth-grade lesson plan on James Whitcomb Riley's poetic style, especially his use of local color and dialect. It also introduces the use of recitation as entertainment in the days before electronic entertainment. Although the lesson...
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Cambridge History of Eng and Am Lit: Later National Literature: P3
This encyclopedia, "The History of English and American Literature" provided by Bartleby.com, includes some information about regional dialects during the 19th and 20th centuries. Check out section XXX 'The English Language in America'....