DW 3A.

Question: For this assignment, you will carefully work with one of the readings we have read so far. Here, you will summarize the author’s main idea, supporting evidence of that idea, and how you think it discusses scholarship of AAVE/AAL in composition studies. What does the reading seem to say about AAVE/AAL? Does it effectively make an argument about its role in composition studies? If so, how? If not, what is missing?

-One of the readings for this project, I chose to work with “Students’ Right to Possibility: Basic Writing and African American Rhetoric” by Keith Gilyard and Elaine Richardson. Main idea that the author has put on this work is some students do not really have rights to use their own variety of language, which may be different variety of English from the Standard English, in the classrooms. Because most people think that people, who speak AAVE, do not really score high on the standardized tests compared to people, who speak Standard English. Supporting evidences are 1) “In 1974, a special issue of College Composition and Communication contained both a resolution asserting students’ right to their own language and attendant explanations of the sociolinguistic and pedagogical premises that shaped the resolution. The combined statement, revolving around a core concept of linguistic equality, supported certain progressive work around questions of language, identity, hegemony, and inclusion- with much of the focus on African American students- that was unfolding inside composition studies generally and the basic writing wing in particular. Although the document and sentiment behind it have remained important, especially during the latest publicized skirmish in the decades-old Ebonics controversy, the SRTOL (Students’ Right to Their Own Language) is still controversial.”, 2) In attempt to maintain the status quo, they discourage vernacular usage in schools, usually within an argument that they are preparing so-called minority students for success in the market place, all while many of the most successful people in the market. I think that the author, Gilyard, did a great job of discussing AAVE/AAL in composition studies. By showing results of positive correlation between AAVE/AAL usage and high score on the standardized tests (ex: essay), he did a great job for proving that the AAVE should not be looked down upon by others especially in schools. I think that he would like to using this statistics result of AAVE and score on the essays to one of the reasons why students should have their rights to use their own language, in this case the different variety of English (AAVE, Black English), in the classrooms without any restrictions given from instructors. This reading seems to me that it favors SRTOL in schools. The author, to my viewpoint, would like to see students, who speak AAVE would have as much of freedom to speak their ideas in AAVE, compared to students, who speak Standard English. I definitely think that it (AAVE) makes an effective argument about its role in composition studies in this reading. Because, by having examples of showing that AAVE does not really make people, who speak this variety of English, having less amount of knowledge, it could be really a great argument work to teach instructors that academic society should broaden and allowing many AAVE speakers to talk about their great ideas in classrooms.