Familiar Voices

Abstract

This article presents classroom vignettes illustrating an African American first-grade teacher's use of selected Ebonics communication techniques that celebrate African American oral traditions while supporting the academic success of the children in her racially and ethnically mixed class. Five common Ebonics rhetorical devices are identified and explicated: (a) the use of repetitive, rhythmic phrasing for emphasis; (b) call and response exchanges; (c) testifying; (d) signifying; and (e) code switching. The experiences of three other teachers who attempt to employ these techniques in their classrooms are also reported. The vignettes and explications offer specific strategies for preparing teachers to deal effectively with linguistic diversity.