What's an Ethnolect? And Why Does It Belong in Your ELA Classroom?

As middle school educators, we know the moment when a learner comes alive in class. Maybe they're debating a character's motivation or crafting a narrative that captures their authentic voice. But too often, I've watched that spark dim when learners believe their language—the way they actually speak—has no place in our classrooms.

Let me be direct: if we're not honoring the ethnolects our learners bring to school, we're missing one of our most powerful teaching tools.

Want to learn more? Register for Dr. Berry's webinar "Beyond Translation - Valuing and Leveraging Ethnolects in the ELA Classroom" now! 

Understanding Ethnolects

An ethnolect is a variety of a language associated with a particular ethnic group. In America’s middle school classrooms, we most commonly encounter African American English (found across the country), Chicano English (primarily in the Southwest and West Coast), and Nuyorican English (rooted in the Northeast)—all three fully developed, rule-governed language systems with their own grammatical structures, pronunciation patterns, and rich expressive traditions.

African American English features unique grammatical patterns like copula absence (she my sister instead of she is my sister), habitual ‘be’ to indicate recurring actions, and distinctive pronunciation features.

Chicano English, influenced by contact between English and Spanish, includes characteristic prosody patterns, th-stopping (where the 'th' sound in 'this' becomes a 'd' sound), and specific intonation rises that carry meaning.

Nuyorican English (also called New York Latino English), which originated with Puerto Ricans in New York City, shares many features with African American English while also incorporating syllable-timed rhythm from Spanish, dental pronunciation of /t/ and /d/ sounds, and unique melodic intonation patterns that distinguish it from both mainstream American English and African American English.

Here's what matters most: these are not "broken English" or "incorrect grammar." They're sophisticated linguistic systems that our learners have mastered. When we treat them as deficits rather than assets, we send a devastating message about who belongs in academic spaces.

Why Validation Matters

Learner engagement hinges on identity affirmation. TESOL standards emphasize honoring learners' home languages and linguistic resources, and this principle extends to ethnolects. Research consistently shows that when learners feel their linguistic identity is under attack, they resist adopting features of School English.

Walk in their shoes for just a moment. If you walked into a classroom speaking the language of your family, your community, your cultural identity—and the teacher immediately marked it as wrong—what has that teacher told you about yourself? About your family? About whether you belong in that space?

The data tells us this matters profoundly. Learners whose linguistic and cultural identities are validated show higher classroom engagement, a stronger sense of belonging, and improved academic outcomes.

Now flip it! When we ignore or stigmatize ethnolects, we create psychological barriers that block learning.

From Code-Switching to Linguistic Repertoire

Rather than demanding learners abandon their home language, culturally sustaining pedagogy asks us to expand their linguistic repertoire. This means teaching learners that they possess multiple language varieties—each valuable in different contexts.

Teach code-switching as a strategic skill. In my own classroom and in the thousands of classrooms I've coached across the country over the last twenty-odd years, I've explicitly taught learners and coached educators to analyze when and why authors use different language varieties, explore how characters shift their language based on audience and purpose, and practice moving fluidly between the rich expressiveness of African American, Chicano, or Nuyorican English and the expectations of academic writing.

When we promote multilingualism—honoring both ethnolects and heritage languages—we practice truly asset-based instruction.

Connections: Literature supports this approach by providing diverse, authentic texts that reflect learners' lived experiences. When learners see their language varieties represented in literature, they understand that their voices have always belonged in academic spaces.

Practical Classroom Moves

Start by expanding your own knowledge. Learn the linguistic features of the ethnolects your learners speak. Recognize patterns like habitual ‘be’ or th-stopping as grammatical structures, not errors.

Create Cultural Bridges that honor learners’ ethnolects as entry points to literary analysis. Help learners understand that all languages naturally vary by region, ethnicity, and context. Frame School English as an additional tool in their communication toolkit, not a replacement for their home language. This approach immediately increases engagement while building sophisticated code-switching skills.

Most importantly, validate learner expression. When a learner uses African American, Chicano, or Nuyorican English in discussion, respond to their ideas—not their grammar. Save language variety instruction for writing workshops where you can teach code-switching and translanguaging as sophisticated skills, not deficits to fix.

Join the Conversation

This work requires ongoing reflection and community. That's why I'm excited about our upcoming webinar, "Beyond Translation: Valuing and Leveraging Ethnolects in the ELA Classroom." We'll explore specific instructional strategies, examine model lessons from Connections: Literature, and build a community of educators committed to honoring every learner's linguistic gifts.

Because here's the truth I've learned after thirty years in this work: our learners don't have language barriers. They have language abundance.

The question is whether we're ready to see it.

Dr. Almitra L. Berry serves as the content expert for multilingual development in Perfection Learning's Connections: Literature program for middle school. Her latest book, The Culturally Competent Educator, guides educators in implementing equitable practices for diverse learners.