Linguistic Application in the Classroom:
A 9th Grade Curriculum Introducing
Language Exploration
Nicolette Filson
2011
Introduction
Overview:
In this unit, students will study language in terms of how it has changed over time, why
it has evolved, how this growth affects them, and the role of language on a personal
level as far as language ideology and language’s relationship to identity and ethnicity.
Students will be able to explore authentic language and consciously think about how
language is used by themselves and others. Students will be exposed to many different
language varieties and will be able to compare and contrast these dialects to Standard
English. This unit encourages students to see language as a relevant part of their
identity and life as it reflects their own culture and that of the society around them.
Language can be a challenging aspect of the English education curriculum to teach;
however, this material was designed particularly so teachers who may have minimal or
no linguistic background can still be successful teaching this material. Each day of the
curriculum is prefaced with basic information about the material for that day, the key
concepts, and, if needed, the historical or social background of the topic. This allows
teachers to confidently facilitate class discussions and lead activities. Another
advantage of the curriculum is its use of students’ opinions and input as many of the
concepts discussed are subjective. This challenges students to try to be the subject
expert on such select topics as concepts can at least be investigated via opinion. Finally,
worksheets in this material have answer keys in which teachers are able to see answers
and ideas they should expect to see from their students. This will shape the teacher’s
expectations and allow them to anticipate the most from students.
This unit is spread over six days with each day ranging from 70 – 90 minutes for a total
of 500 minutes of instructional time; however, each day is broken up into self-contained
activities with approximated times of about 20 – 30 minutes so that, depending on time
constraints or teacher preference, certain exercises can be omitted if need be. Though
each day was designed to be taught in chronological order, this organization is a loose
guideline and lessons can be taught instead in conjunction with the theme of other
units. There are a variety of teaching styles suggested throughout the unit ranging from
direct instruction to discovery learning; however, teachers should feel free to alter the
mode of instruction based on the ability level of the class and teacher preference. This
unit is intended to be easily adaptable to individual classrooms, personal teaching styles,
and existing curriculum and should be used as such.
The Benefits of Language Exploration and Awareness:
Encouraging language exploration and linguistic awareness in the classroom first
fortifies students’ descriptive language skills as well as helps them understand the
grammatical conventions of academic language. They also begin to understand the
relationship between identity and language which encourages them to be more aware
and accepting of diversity, linguistic and cultural. Students are exposed to social and
historical influences on language creating a deeper respect for the humanities and the
interdisciplinary nature of language. Finally, students will come to see the
overwhelming relevance of language in their lives and use this knowledge to master
written and oral language to increase fluency.
Goals of this Curriculum:
1. To develop an understanding of how language is shaped by factors such as
identity, ethnicity, geographic location, age, etc., and become aware of those
influences in their speech and the speech of others.
2. To reflect on personal language ideology and address the effects those beliefs
can have on relationships with other people and social groups.
3. To develop an academic understanding of language change and understand
how and why it took place in the past, is happening in the present, and will
occur in the future.
4. To recognize the power of language in society and small social circles by
identifying its ability to create unity with certain people while excluding others.
5. To explore the patterned and rule-governed system of all language varieties.