Tag: teaching

Llinos

I’m from Powys, Wales. In the valleys of Maldwyn, we have our own dialect of English, largely influenced by Welsh pronunciation. Obviously, the Welsh language is mercilessly mocked everywhere, online and offline, merely for being different; in fact, it was genocided within the last century with the use of the Welsh Not. But, the Welsh dialects of English, if you’re not from, say, Caerfyrddin, is treated horribly. Having to move to England at a young age, I found this out quite quickly.

Speaking with this dialect in school, I was mocked for the way I talked (often told I was “away with the fairies”), the word choices I’d make (which were often more “archaic”), and more. I was constantly bullied and told to “speak proper English”, even though I wasn’t *that* far from Wales. I got punched, I got ostracised, everything, all because I wasn’t…a Midlander? And this has continued well into my adulthood…because I talk with this slight whimsy and have a lot of vocal fry? Because my name is pronounced with a rare sound? It’s not the easiest to understand, but it’s how I was brought up, y’know?

Wanting to get into teaching one day, I eventually killed my accent. It slips out sometimes, especially if I’m taken by surprise, but in large part, it’s been replaced by a Midlands/RP-like accent. Going into academia to try and become a teacher, I’ve noticed marginal differences; I’m often seen as more intelligent, I find it easier to get my points across, and so on.

Florence

I come from Kingston-Upon-Hull which has a very distinctive accent. At the primary school, we sang a hymn that ends ‘nothing can our peace destroy’. The teacher shouted at us for pronouncing it ‘distroy’ and told us to sing it again ‘properly’. I privately decided to pronounce it as I wanted, as did the other 150-odd children in the room. She practically turned inside out with fury, which we all thoroughly enjoyed. When I was teaching primary I always remembered not to lose my dignity in that way but also never to criticise children’s accents.

I have always seen that as my first act of mass protest.

Teacherfeatures

I was at a coffee machine and the man in front said I could go first as he was retired and didn’t have to go to work. He then asked what I did for a living… I said I’m an English teacher and he roared with laughter and said ‘A Scouser….teaching English!!…they’ve got no chance!’

Nicola

Whilst doing my teacher training, the lead lecturer suggested that I attend lessons so I wouldn’t speak with a Yorkshire accent. I didn’t.

Lisa

Mine started a long time ago. When I started at Oxford in the late 80s someone told me, ‘You can’t possibly be studying English at Oxford with an accent like that!’ This came hot on the heels of a teacher at a study week telling me ‘The northern accent is generally associated with being thick.’ I now teach on the outskirts of Birmingham and it’s lovely listening to some of my A level language students who are really proud of their accent despite the prejudice they encounter. Same kind of things I was getting back then.

Sid

Talking to a hiring manager…You say you’re a Native British Language teacher and student of Linguistics, “how come you don’t sound British”

Michiko

In my first year at uni one of my Lecturers in DaF (German as a Foreign Language) commented: ‘Also Sie kommen aber aus dem Süden, oder?’ (So you must be from the South [of Germany]?) The whole class laughed (I felt at me). NB: My uni was in Munich!!

Anon

A few years ago a girl at my English department at a German university had her final oral exam to become a teacher. Unfortunately this girl spoke English with a very heavy Swabian (southern German) accent/dialect. The external examiner who was from northern Germany was close to failing her. To be honest her English was very difficult to understand. And only after the girl’s supervisor insisted that she’ll only teach English in southern German schools (because that’s how the teacher program used to work in Germany) was the external willing to let her pass with a 4 (the worst possible grade he could give her without failing her).

On a personal level, I’ve lived in the US and UK for about 10 years now but as a German I occasionally still get the v/w distinction wrong. Especially when I’m tired. Saying vikipedia instead of wikipedia always gets a few good laughs in the office.

Brook

When I was 16 years old, I was an exchange student to Germany for a year. I’m American. One of the classes I was taking was English literature. It was early on in the school year, I didn’t know many people. The class was reading the Grapes of Wrath. The teacher was a non-native English speaker but spoke British English. One day we took turns reading from the book aloud. After I read, the teacher said, ‘Too bad you butchered it with your American accent’. It was Steinbeck! But at the time I didn’t stick up for myself.