ABSTRACT
This chapter explores some of the ways that dialect impacts student writing and some ways teachers can respond to students' written language in sociolinguistically informed ways. It considers a range of issues in teaching writing to vernacular dialect speakers in K–12 classrooms. The chapter examines the challenges that are specific to vernacular dialect speakers, it is important to consider this contrast in language modalities that all writers must learn to handle. A key element of the contrast between spoken and written language relates to formality. Although speakers of all dialects have to develop writing skills, writing instruction should not ignore students' dialects. The process approach to writing, which emphasizes language skills that all students can be presumed to have in rich abundance, deals with dialect influence only after the writing is drafted and does so in ways that are linguistically informed. In standardized writing tests, evaluation takes place outside of the classroom teacher's purview.
