ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author shows that continuing fascination with the diversity of language with older primary children in the light of developments in England in this area of the English curriculum during his teaching career. He describes and evaluates a particular language project he carried out with children aged 9–10. The author presents the groups poems that highlighted features of accent and dialect. He introduces the metaphor of 'a wardrobe of voices' to provide the children with an accessible analogy for their experiences of linguistic variation. Some people have larger wardrobes than others, but we all have a range of clothing from casual to formal. The author also describes the activities of register, accent, dialect and standard English, is the most effective way of developing their own repertoire of spoken and written varieties. The school had an English language programme based on the use of commercial schemes, including Mind Your Language and Exploring Language.
