You are invited to participate in our discussion this week, Tuesday, November 23, 2-5pm EST, on “Linguistics and Social Justice: Language, Education & Human Rights” (MIT Linguistics, Graduate Seminar, 24.S96). Please contact Michel <degraff@mit.edu> for information about Zoom link and readings. NB: We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible environment in our seminar. If you need assistance for accommodations or accessibility in order to fully participate, please email degraff@MIT.EDU so that we can work out adequate arrangements.
This Tuesday, November 30, 2021, we discuss Kriolu both in Cabo Verde and in Boston in the context of efforts toward equity in education, with guidance from Marlyse Baptista and Abel Djassi Amado:
Cabo Verdean Creole (Kriolu) in Education:
Variation, equity and representation
Marlyse Neves Baptista
(Linguistics, University of Michigan)
Abel Djassi Amado
(Political Science & International Relations, Simmons University)
November 30, 2021, 2–5pm EST
Seminar: “Linguistics & social justice” (24.S96 @ MIT Linguistics)
This presentation will introduce some of the complex cognitive processes involved in Creole formation and development. This first section will be used as a backdrop for challenging the hegemonic perspectives from which Creole languages have been portrayed in the past (see DeGraff, 2003). The second section will discuss some of the strides that have been made in Cabo Verde in using Kriolu in primary and secondary schools and in higher education. The third section will illustrate the full extent of language variation in Cabo Verdean Creole (based on field work data), as such variation bears on how to represent the language in education. The fourth section will discuss the rise of Kriolu’s visibility and legitimacy on social media. The fifth section will discuss how the Cabo Center for Applied Research is contributing to the inclusion of Kriolu in the Boston Public Schools, adding to the efforts that community members have invested in the past. We will conclude with a discussion of current challenges and next steps.