When kids be talkin’ Black: White educators’ beliefs about the effects of African American English on young children's achievement

Abstract

• Having a graduate degree was associated with more favorable beliefs about AAE. • Higher levels of cultural/diversity training predicted more positive views of AAE. • Thirty or more years of teaching experience predicted more negative AAE beliefs. • Perceived competence to support child AAE speakers was a key aspect of AAE beliefs. • Linguistic equity initiatives should include Black children who speak AAE. The purpose of this study was to investigate White early childhood educators’ beliefs about the effects of children’s use of African American English (AAE) on children’s academic performance. The study investigated the extent to which educators’ background and training, knowledge of AAE, and perceived competence predicted their beliefs. Two-hundred and nine White early childhood educators, working in preschool through third-grade settings, completed a survey on their perceptions of AAE, knowledge of AAE, and perceived competence when serving children who speak AAE. Results indicated that educators with less education had more negative beliefs about AAE on children’s performance. Training on cultural/linguistic diversity was associated with educators having more positive beliefs about AAE. Educators’ perceived competency about their capacity to serve AAE speakers moderated the associations between knowledge of AAE and beliefs about AAE. These findings highlight the imperative of professional learning experiences on the socio-political history, cultural significance, and linguistic features of AAE to counteract negative beliefs and promote pedagogy that leverages African American children’s language in ways that affirm their identities and support academic success.

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