Literacy at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1

c. Standard English

There is widespread confusion about what the term Standard English means; many student teachers think that standard English and received pronunciation are the same and that Standard English is the correct version. They have been brought up with a notion of speaking ‘properly’ and have never considered their own linguistic repertoire and how adept they are at suiting their own language to the demands of the social situation they are in. Making this explicit through discussion of their own experiences can help; role playing how they would ask the bank manager for a loan and then how they would describe this incident to a friend in a text message will open up a discussion of their own language versatility.

Exploring the history of the English language and how language has changed can also be an interesting topic. We have found that using Sandy Brownjohn’s book (Spotlight on the English Language) not only extends student teachers’ knowledge of the language but also provides cross curricular opportunities.

Our student teachers come from diverse linguistic backgrounds and often experience difficulties with their own language variety in the classroom. A student from Northern Ireland may have problems working on phonics and phonological awareness in a predominantly Estuary English area of the UK: similarly student teachers have been criticised by their schools for the way they pronounce words in their own home dialect.

We have found that reflecting on their own language profiles can help them to deal with confusions about dialect, accent and correctness. At the same time, they become aware of wider language varieties and the issue of appropriateness. The unpublished LINC (Language in the National Curriculum) materials provide some excellent ideas for activities which student teachers can carry out in class or on their own. (Your library will almost certainly have a copy of this document).

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Further ideas and suggested activities