Pedagogy Oct 2017

Why Front?

Kyle Grady

Abstract

This essay considers the importance of nonstandard English to fostering a more inclusive and incisive Shakespeare classroom. Grady focuses on his experience as the instructor of a Shakespeare course that occasionally employed African American Vernacular English in its analysis of texts. His reflection considers how taking such language seriously encourages more genuine participation from a wide range of students. While this pedagogical approach offers one manner in which the field of early modern studies might expand points of access and foster cross-cultural dialogue, it also stands to deepen the analytic possibilities of the Shakespeare classroom. Grady uses the example of African American Vernacular English to demonstrate that nonstandard English can offer particularly nuanced means through which to investigate and discuss Shakespeare's works.

Journal
Pedagogy
Published
2017-10-01
DOI
10.1215/15314200-3975639
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
writing pedagogy race and writing
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References (8)

  1. Bell (2007)
    “Diversity in Everyday Discourse: The Cultural Ambiguities and Consequences of ‘Happy Talk.’”
    American Sociological Review  ↗
  2. Curzan (2009)
    “Says Who? Teaching and Questioning the Rules of Grammar.”
    PMLA
  3. Greenblatt (2008)
    The Norton Shakespeare, Based on the Oxford Edition
  4. Howard (1996)
    “The Great Wall of African American Vernacular English in the American College Classroom.”
    JAC
  5. Lee (2006)
    “‘Every Good-Bye Ain't Gone’: Analyzing the Cultural Underpinnings of Classroom Talk.”
    International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education  ↗
Show all 8 →
  1. Liston (1997)
    “Paraphrasing Shakespeare.”
  2. Thompson (2016)
    Teaching Shakespeare with Purpose: A Student-Centred Approach
     ↗
  3. Thorpe (1967)
    “Riddling Confession Finds but Riddling Shrift.”
    Improving College and University Teaching  ↗
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