Orientation: The readings and assignments for this course focus on the linguistic heritage of African Americans and corresponding educational consequences for American slave descendants. Students will have opportunities to select personal term paper topics to pursue matters of greatest personal interest, however, we will complete a take-home mid-term examination (during the week of February12). The objective of the mid-term is to ensure that basic concepts and principles are familiar to all students who enroll in the course. This is necessary due to the complexity of this topic and because of pervasive misunderstanding about African American English throughout U.S. Society.

We anticipate the prospect of conducting this class as a tutorial, that is, where each student receives highly individualized attention based on personal interests and the emergence of ideas through readings that are tailored to specific topics. As such, the readings that are assinged below are generic, and intended to be supplemented with other materials that shall be identified in consultation with John Baugh

Students are therefore strongly encouraged to suggest or request additional information pertaining to topics that are not covered in the following syllabus, but which they would like to have introduced in relationship to the education of African American students; that is, particularly if these topics touch upon language usage.

January 8: Introduction and Class Orientation. Some readings will be provided to students on this date. In addition, please read : Baugh: Out of the Mouths of Slaves: pp. 1 - 30, William Labov, "Academic Ignorance and Black Intelligence." and Wolfram and Thomas: pp. 1-31.

January 15: Pidginization, Creolization, Style-Shifting, and their Educational Relevance. Please read: Wolfram and Thomas: pp. 160- 212, and Baugh: Out of the Mouths of Slaves, pp. 31-85. Additional readings will be suggested and provided.

January 22 - Dimensions of the Ebonics Controversy: Please read: Baugh: Beyond Ebonics: pp. 1 - 48, and Baugh: Out of the Mouths of Slaves, pp. 41-65. Additional readings will be providedPreliminary logistics for student projects will be discussed.

January 29: TERM PAPER ABSTRACTS DUE VIA EMAIL TO "jbaugh@stanford.edu" Alternative insights from regional linguistic studies: Please read: Wolfram and Thomas: pp. 32-94. Baugh: Beyond Ebonics, pp. 49-86. If necessary, dates for presentations will be assigned.

February 5: Unique Linguistic Properties of African American English and their relevance to Education. Please Read: Baugh: Out of the Mouths of Slaves: 101-121. Wolfram and Thomas, pp. 66-150.

February 12: TAKE-HOME MID-TERM EXAMS DISTRIBUTED: We will all have opportunities to review and discuss questions regarding the take-home examination during class. Students are encouraged to discuss questions, topics, and possible solutions with each other; however, all final work appearing on your examination should reflect individual effort; that is, collective answers submitted by two or more students is unacceptable.

February 19: The Resurgence Sociopolitical Controversies. Selected readings from various authors, including some highly controversial writings, will be distributed. These works challenge many of the prevailing assumptions contained in the Creole Hypothesis or traditional educational orthodoxy and we shall explore their social, political, and educational relevance.

February 26: Additional Educational Insights: Please read Baugh: "Lingusitics, Education, and the Law." (to be distributed) and Beyond Ebonics, pp. 87-131. Other selected readings from Sociocultural and Historical Contexts of African American English (Sonja Lanehart, ed.) will also be distributed. They evolve from the Ebonics controversy and attempt to place educational debates about African American education within a linguistic context.

March 4: Student Presentations

March 11: Student Presentations

Final term papers are due at 5PM on the day that is regularly scheduled for the final examination for this class. Please submit papers by email to jbaugh@stanford.edu. If email delivery is not possible hard copies can be submitted to John Baugh's mail box in Cubberley Hall Room 101.

Office Hours: by appointment, please email (jbaugh@stanford.edu) or by phone (725-1249).

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