The purpose of this research was to determine the perceptions of English/language arts (ELA) teachers concerning Black English (BE) usage in students' oral and written expression. Eighty-eight ELA teachers across the United States completed a 26-item survey questionnaire. Two major findings from the study revealed statistical significance at the p <.05 level. First, the findings suggested that male ELA teachers were more apt than female teachers to agree that teaching Standard English to Black English speakers is a challenging task. Findings also implied that younger, less experienced teachers were more compelled than older, more seasoned teachers to constantly correct BE usage.

Implications from the study suggested that it may be beneficial for ELA teachers to research the culture of African American students and Black English dialect in order to correctly decipher between dialect differences and language deficits. Furthermore, teacher education programs should provide more courses which focus on linguistics and culturally responsive pedagogical techniques for the instruction of nonstandard English speakers. Recommendations for future research include mixed-method studies focused on ELA teachers with high populations of BE speakers in inner city and at-risk schools.