I often reference to the students I teach the value of knowing the whole dynamic that is understanding that the use of the English Language is “situation specific”.
We talk about public speaking. If I am going to address a 1st grade class about a given topic, I need to use words they understand. I need to talk to them with the appropriate tone so I do not intimidate them or make them fall asleep. If I am going to talk to the school board about a given topic at the school board meeting, I need to use the proper words for that audience and I must use a stronger more forthcoming delivery than what I would use if I was addressing 1st graders.
This whole rattling on about “situation specific” is important. Most students never hear an explanation of how the English language can be used to their benefit in these terms. I think it is very important.
Know this, I am not giving anyone pointers on how not to use the English language properly. There is a time and a place… I try to accentuate HOW SIGNIFICANT… to use language to one’s advantage. It is the answer to the age old school question: WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
If we show students both sides of the equation, they can process the wherefore, how to, and why with much more clarity. It is good for them.
If I play cards with my high school friends, there is chance a word or two may come out that we would not say in Sunday School Class.
If I play football with a bunch of 5th graders, I darn well better be the best example I can be and say good, positive things about the events of the day.
There is a difference.
I learned this many years ago in part from having a great 12th grade English teacher. Mrs. E was awesome. She would talk to us…not down to us. Maybe that was because she only stood about 4’11. No…that wasn’t it. She was the tallest one in the room and we all respected the heck out of her.
Mrs. E and I hit it off. She provided me with one thing most of my high school teachers never achieved as far as I was concerned: motivation. I thought so highly of the lady given her words, deeds, ethos, and sheer honesty…I would have done anything I needed to do to gain her favor and approval…thought I inherently already had both of them from her, I wanted more. I was willing to work to get it. She thought enough of my abilities to draft me to help my own senior classmates with their reading prowess. They were not gifted readers. They were gifted friends. Helping them was an honor and much more important than I ever thought about at the time.
My favorite “situation specific” story I share with my students is from a day in December of 1985 when I gave my “Senior Speech” over an English literary giant. My speech was about the poet Dylan Thomas.
Though no one in the room had a better chance of butchering up the English language in the class like I did…as I did so often…I gave what Mrs. E would call a “letter perfect” speech about the Irish wordsmith.
I stood up in front of my cronies and classmates and told it just like I practiced it. I looked them all in the eye. I threw up a hand in meaningful gesture now and then. I paused for effect. I asked a few questions. I gave wait time. Most importantly, I knew about the poet Dylan Thomas.
After wrapping up my conclusion, shocked as I felt like I was just getting warmed up, I ended my speech and walked to the back of the room where Mrs. E was seated.
I can still see Mrs E’s eyes glimmering behind big brown framed glasses and that huge smile on her face. She held up a paper for me to see. It was her critique of my speech. It had a HUGE “A” circled on it. And believe me, that was one vowel that she did not hand out without you earning it.
I then sat down next to her, glanced at my paper and said the following: “I done good, didn’t I”.
Before the last syllable died, Mrs. E snatched the paper from my hand a put a big -minus sign- next the A on my paper.
Her idea of situation specific did not end when one left the lectern.
I am glad I lived to tell the story.
Speaking the speeching rights…..
Danny Johnson