Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/ways-of-talking-respecting-differences/5011043/
James: He tryin' to bite you. Hammy he gettin' out?LaCarol: Hammy he a pretty baby. He ain't wantin' to get on out.
James: I want one a dese here - him wants water. Now he walkin' under de box. We make a window for him.
LaShonda: I seen him spill de water. He be fixin' to move. He be seein' his food. Now get yourself in dat bed now, Hammy, and be restin'.
James: He be sleepin'. Don't be hittin' on de window.
LaCarol: His food smell like weeds to me.
James: They be seeds. I done ate some to see.
LaCarol: James he know dat dey for only animals. Don't do dat, James. These three children are talking about their kindergarten class's pet hamster, Hammy. As you read their conversation, you noticed ways of speaking that many of us call improper, incorrect, or nonstandard. You might wonder what their teacher said to them when she joined them. Did she correct the children's pronunciation, reminding them that we say these, not dese? Or did she model proper grammar by saying, "Yes, they are seeds ...