Dialect Education
The Linguistics program has created many resources that can help teachers discuss language and culture. Please explore some of our projects at the following links, as well as some links to other educational materials that may be useful to teachers.
Dialect Education Resources
Voices of North Carolina Curriculum (8th graders)
Voices of North Carolina is a multi-media dialect awareness curriculum that helps enrich social studies instruction in North Carolina. the curriculum is endorsed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and is designed to help teachers meet states standard course of study for 8th grade social studies. The 450-minute curriculum requires no background in linguistics or specialized training to be taught successfully, and all the materials are offered free fo charge. See the below Webinar Series hosted by Jeff Reaser and Walt Wolfram to learn how to incorporate the curriculum into your classroom!
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More Lesson Plans on Dialect
Below are links to various lesson plans and materials developed related to Talkin' Tar Heel book, Voices of North Carolina documentary, and other dialect education content.
Linguistic Application in the Classroom (9th graders)
Explore this curriculum for 9th grade English Language Arts that incorporates dialect education in the classroom following the North Carolina Standard Course of Study by Nicolette Filson. 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.
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Film Discussion Guides
The Language & Life Project at NC State has developed guides to accompany three of its documentaries.
Viewer Discussion Guide for First Language - The Race to Save Cherokee. You can watch First Language on the LLP YouTube site.
Viewer Discussion Guide for Talking Black in America. You can watch Talking Black in America on the LLP YouTube site.
Viewer Discussion Guide for Signing Black in America. You can watch Talking Black in America on the LLP YouTube site.
LDA Ambassador Kees Koopman developed a Viewer Discussion Guide for the 2016 American science fiction drama film, Arrival.
Continuing Education Webinar Series
Beginning February 1, 2011, NC State linguists Jeff Reaser and Walt Wolfram, in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, hosted three hour-long webinars investigating the dialect and language diversity in North Carolina. The webinars are designed specifically for 8th grade social studies teachers, but are open to any interested teachers. Teachers who complete all three webinars and the assigned homework will receive 1 CEU. Also check out the corresponding 8th grade social studies Voices of North Carolina curriculum.
Webinar 1: the Reality of Dialects
The first webinar (from February 1, 2011) examines the reality of dialects, including debunking popular myths about language and building tools for linguistic analysis. Download: Video file, PowerPoint file.
Webinar 2: Regional Dialects of NC
The second webinar (from March 1, 2011) focuses on regional dialects of North Carolina, including the dialects spoken on the Outer Banks and in the Mountains. Download: Video file, PowerPoint file.
Webinar 3: Social Dialects
The third webinar (from April 5, 2011) investigates social dialects, including Lumbee English and African American English. Download: Video file, PowerPoint file.