The Culturally Relevant Assessment of Ebonics-Speaking Children

Abstract

Professional organizations and federal legislation stipulate that assessments of all students must be fair and unbiased. Although these entities provide guidance, there continues to be a gap between guidelines and practice. This article examines the nature of culturally competent practice with Ebonics-speaking youth. Many school psychologists face challenges such as large caseloads, lack of knowledge about Ebonics, and limited access to culturally appropriate assessment materials. The present article fills this gap by providing practitioners with information on the history of Ebonics, implications for the students they assess, and practical ways to address these issues with limited resources.School psychologists are held to a certain standard of practice. They are charged with the responsibility of serving as an advocate for and promoting the welfare of their clients, typically children. In accepting this responsibility when entering the field, they are prepared with ethical principles and legal guidelines that are designed to help guide decision making. Upon entering practice, however, school psychologists frequently encounter situations that are not directly addressed by existing guidelines. They inevitably discover that the profession's legal and ethical standards do not always fit neatly into the schools in which they must operate.

Perceiving the Problem of Poverty and Schooling: Deconstructing the Class Stereotypes that Mis-Shape Education Practice and Policy

“…This is a particularly dangerous stereotype given the extent to which identity is wrapped in language (Fishman, 1989;Gayles & Denerville, 2007;Grant, Oka, & Baker, 2009;Lippi-Green, 1994;Luhman, 1990). Criticizing students' language can result in feelings of disconnectedness among those who are targeted in this way (Christensen, 2008).…”

“…Criticizing students' language can result in feelings of disconnectedness among those who are targeted in this way (Christensen, 2008). In addition, the assumptions underlying the language deficiency stereotype have been shown to negatively impact assessments of student performance when language is assumed to be a marker of intelligence (Bourdieu, 1991;Grant, Oka, & Baker, 2009). At the base of this stereotype are three shaky assumptions: (1) that poor children do not enter school with the volume or type of vocabulary they need to succeed and that this is a reflection of parent disinterest in education, (2) that the use of particular variations of English reflect inferior language capabilities, and (3) that, for those students who speak languages other than English at home, such as children of recent immigrants, English Language Learner (or ELL) status is, itself, a marker of class.…”

Linguistic hegemony today: recommendations for eradicating language discrimination

“…This was the case in Chicago Public Schools where 129 schools (all located in poorer areas of the city) were scheduled to close for the 2013-2014 school year (Reese, 2013). Grant et al (2009) offer three culturally relevant alternatives which include assessments that are contextualized, ecological and curriculum-based. Contextualized assessment allows for consideration of the context in which a skill is demonstrated (Grant et al, 2009).…”

“…Grant et al (2009) offer three culturally relevant alternatives which include assessments that are contextualized, ecological and curriculum-based. Contextualized assessment allows for consideration of the context in which a skill is demonstrated (Grant et al, 2009). Ecological assessment is typically used within the context of special education and involves assessing the student in the different environments in which he or she operates to determine how different contexts influence the student's school performance (Leach, 2010).…”

The Children Left Behind: The Performance of Young Special Education Students in Mathematics, Reading, Writing, and Science

“…The widespread use of Ebonics, a dialect of American English used among black populations, is also cited as a possible explanation for the over-representation of black students in special education (Grant, Oka, & Baker, 2009). Though Ebonics has complex rules of grammar and syntax, educators often believe that students who speak Ebonics have language deficiencies because their speech does not follow the conventions of Standard English (Kretzschmar, 2008).…”