ABSTRACT
For many people, English teachers are associated with “proper” grammar, spelling, mechanics-and a lot of red ink. It is a primary job of the English teacher to teach students to speak and write in Standard English, isn’t it? The answer to this question isn’t a simple one and neither are the CCSS related to language, grammar, and usage. In this chapter we discuss current theory and research on language variation, vernacular dialects, and English language learning with the goal of making sense of this complex issue. At the same time, we consider what the CCSS ask of English teachers with regard to the teaching of language, grammar, and usage, highlighting ways that you can both meet and exceed these standards as you acknowledge and build upon students’ language and literacy practices.
