Language Variation in Elementary Students’ Writing
Implications for Teacher Reflection and Education
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22414765 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Brandy Gatlin-Nash (University of California System, corresponding author), Chelsie Davis (Gwinnett County Public Schools, Gwinnett County, Georgia.), Young-Suk Grace Kim (University of California System), Yuyoung Kim (0000-0003-2309-8058, University of California, Irvine) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 35-46 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Topics in Language Disorders (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0271-8294 • E-ISSN: 1550-3259 |
| Publisher | Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1097/tld.0000000000000385 |
| OpenAlex | W7155196021 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
Language varieties such as African American English and Southern American English are well-established dialects of English with historic importance and modern cultural capital. While features of language varieties, such as nonmainstream dialects, are well documented in children’s spoken language, less has been studied about child dialect speakers’ writing in academic settings. In this study, we explored the features and frequency of use of African American English and Southern American English in a sample of 250 second- and third-grade students located in the southeastern part of the US. We analyzed and compared nonmainstream dialect production in an oral narrative task and between 2 different written language samples, one elicited by a narrative prompt and the other by an expository prompt. Importantly, we discuss implications for teachers and other practitioners to consider when working with diverse students.
African american · American English · English language · First language · Narrative · North American English · Language Development and Disorders · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Multilingual Education and Policy
| Highly cited | No |
|---|