Everyone comes from different backgrounds with the English language. For example, people from different parts of the country use different generic words when referring to soft drinks. When we come to college and are working in classrooms, there is a standard form of English that we use to navagite the language in both written and verbal communication. This form of English tends to avoid slang words, contractions, and improper grammar mechanics. This is what we have deemed to be standardized English, but this standardization of the English language is completely arbitrary. Dr. Anissa Sorokin invites us to consider language variation in the classroom. Incorporating language variation in the classroom becomes a question of whether or not faculty take into consideration how important it is to have standardized English in the classroom or to allow students the ability to decide how they present their own ideas.
By allowing for language variation in the classroom, faculty are able to focus on making good writing assignments that clearly outline and connect the rationale for using variations of English. Professors are “tour guides” through language and by having clearly outlined and connected reasons for using a variation of English, students will be able to identify what their academic voices are. When taking into consideration variations of English, we are no longer devaluing student’s knowledge of the language. It validates what they have learned previously and makes them feel good about academic writing.