The danger of treating dialect differences as lack of intelligence
Differences between the dialect children speak at home and the dialect taught at school may contribute to difficulties in learning to read. Some people view dialect differences not as regional, social, or speech style variations, but as incorrect English. If such people as a consequence develop low expectations for these students, children are placed at risk because of their unfamiliarity with standard English dialect. Instead, it's more helpful to help the child understand the variations and to know when which version is more appropriate or accepted.
Developing children's awareness of the sounds of words--their phonemic awareness--is a critical step toward helping them learn to read. However, what they need more specifically is an appreciation of the phonemes or sounds of words that are presumed in how the words are spelled.
This is especially hard for dialect-speaking children. A teacher pointing out the "d" sound in the words "sold" or "find" can befuddle the African American child who pronounces these words "sol" and "fine." A child who pronounces the words "deaf" and "death" in the same way is likely to be confused if the teacher uses these words in a lesson on contrasting final consonants.
However, these kinds of confusions in phonemic awareness and reading instruction can largely be avoided by making teachers more aware of dialect differences. A teacher who is sufficiently knowledgeable and sensitive about dialect will prepare materials and lessons that are consistent with the phonology, syntax, and vocabulary of the children's dialect.
