Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
Satirizing 'code-switching' on screen
The comedy film "Sorry To Bother You" satirizes something you probably do without even thinking about it: code-switching. Linguists describe this as the "process of shifting from one linguistic code ... to another." These "linguistic codes" include languages, dialects or even accents and tones of voice. Most of us may not realize it's happening, but we do it to fit in or even help further our careers.
■Class discussion: Do you speak differently in a classroom than you do talking with friends outside of school? Do you speak differently at home with your family? Listen to those around you. Do they speak differently according to their surroundings? Is the whole concept of “speaking correctly” a form of bias? Do we need to accept common forms of speech, grammar and writing to communicate with each other? Can slang or dialect hinder effective communication?