ABSTRACT
A keynote of reader-response theory is the individuality of the response, that is, the affective influence of personal experiences, attitudes, and backgrounds. Among these are culture and language. The focus of this chapter is a cultural marker, particular body language used by many African American students as part of their response process. Research in the area of culture and reader-response tends to focus on outcomes. The emphasis has been on what a student says, writes, or draws during or after the reading of certain texts. Most commonly seen in animated conversation, body punctuation is a culturally specific part of Black English. Regardless of who used body punctuation in oral presentation or simple conversation, all of the African American students understood the meaning of the movements. Body punctuation, the art of physically punctuating speech, is a part of the African American urban dialect. Teachers must recognize body punctuation as a valid response, acknowledge the occurrences, and ask for expansion when appropriate.
