DEVELOPING TWO-WAY
BIDIALECTAL EDUCATION
Some responses to Strategy 3
On page 55 of Solid English a language game is described where students and an AIEO switch from one dialect to another. Teachers might consider using this game when:
- they have a tendency to want to "correct" their students' Aboriginal English;
- they want their students to practice two codes, ie, code-switching between Aboriginal English and Standard Australian English;
- they want the class to understand the differences between Aboriginal English and Standard Australian English;
- they want to let students know that speaking Aboriginal English is okay.