Name: Jennifer Gulick Date: 01, December 2014
Unit: To Kill A Mockingbird Time Length: 1-2 Days
Lesson: African American Vernacular English and Dialects Grade Level: 10th Grade
PA Common Core Standards:
1. CC.1.4.9-10.S: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research, applying grade level reading standards for literature and literary
non-fiction.
2. CC.1.5.9-10.A: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on
grades level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly
and persuasively.
3. CC.1.5.9-10.E: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.
Unit Essential Question: Literary elements and devices, structure and format are used to
advocate for the reflect on change.
Lesson Essential Question: What are the factors of dialect, and how does African American
Vernacular English add to the narrative of TKAM?
Motivational Device: Students will listen to various recordings from the International Dialects of
English Archives (IDEA) database that explore different dialects (factors include location, age,
and gender) in an attempt to identify and understand various US dialects and the image they
present of the speaker. Students will relate their own experiences or understanding of dialect
through a bell ringer exercise.
Instructional Objectives:
1. What factors influence dialect and language?
2. How does your language and dialect represent your character?
3. What are the effects of segregation on a specific person and in a community?
Materials Needed: http://www.dialectsarchive.com; Lola Hendricks Interview; To Kill A
Mockingbird text; http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html
Technology Needed: Computer, IPad, TKAM novel.
Resources Used: http://www.dialectsarchive.com; Lola Hendrick’s Interview; To Kill A
Mockingbird text.; http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html
Lesson Type (Pedagogy): Discovery learning, direct instruction, discussion.
Lesson Outline:
I. Introduction/Motivational Device
A. Listen to dialect clips from IDEA database.
B. Attempt to pinpoint where these speakers are from, their gender, age, and race based
on their dialect.
C. Students will relate their own experiences or understanding of dialect.
II. Think-Pair-Share
A. Students will Think-Pair-Share in small groups the factors that influence dialect.
B. Students will think of their own speech and the speech of the community and try to
underline the commonalities that define their speech (Focus on Central Columbia /
Northeastern PA).
III. Text Analysis
A. Analyzing Calpurnia’s speech around the Finche’s (white community) and around her
family / peers (African-American community).
B. Explain that Calpurnia switching between these two atmospheres is called code
switching. Give a brief definition of code switching and provide examples. Students will
then look for examples in the TKAM text of Calpurnia code switching.
1. “They’s my comp’ny” – Calpurnia, Chapter 12, Page 159
2. “…when she was furious, Calpurnia’s speech became erratic. When in tranquility,
her grammar was as good as anybody’s in Maycomb.” Scout, Chapter 3, Page
38
C. students will discuss the influence of language and dialect on a person's acceptance or
seclusion from mainstream society.
IV. Real Life Perspective
A. Students will review characters in TKAM and reflect on the segregation they’ve faced
and how it’s affected their standard of living. (Calpurnia, Zeebo, The Ewell’s, and, in a
positive way, The Finch’s)
B. Students will read the article “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”
by James Baldwin.
(http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html)
C. After reading the article students will work in pairs to underline/highlight important or
relevant points Baldwin makes.
D. As a class, we will discuss the article in contexts of TKAM and the time period it takes
place in (Alabama, 1933-1935)
E. Students will listen to audio recordings of Lola Hendricks, an African American woman
who was born and raised in the deep south during the depression era.
V. Summary/Closure
A. Ticket out the door: We explored how Calpurnia code switches in her speech depending
on if she’s with the Finch’s (white community) and when she’s around her family and
peers (African American community). Write down how you use code switching in your
everyday life (while with teachers, friends, coaches, parents, grandparents, etc.)
Key Questions:
1. Language and dialect are influenced by what factors?
2. In what ways does your language and dialect represent you as a person?
3. A specific person or community that is exposed to segregation is affected in what ways?
Closure: Ticket out the door activity.
Differentiated Learning Activities: Students will be working in heterogeneous groups for their
Think-Pair-Share.
Tier 1: Basic students will be expected to share one example from the text that show either
AAVE or examples of Calpurnia code switching.
Tier 2: On-level students will be expected to share two examples from the text that show either
AAVE or examples of Calpurnia code switching.
Tier 3: Advanced students will be expected to share three examples from the text that show
either AAVE or examples of Calpurnia code switching.
Formative Assessment: In class discussion, think-pair-share activity, ticket out the door.
Homework: Continue reading TKAM
Reflection:
1. Did I effectively observe the students understanding of why dialect is an important aspect of
TKAM?
2. Did the students understand the concept of code switching and were they able to identify it in
the text using Calpurnia as an example?
3. Did the students understand why dialects as a whole are important to recognize, and in what
ways AAVE advanced the plot of the story?
