While I think this thread is really about whiteness
and "Englishes" as categories that have an impact on
practitioners of color, in the case of our students,
class will become a real important part of the
equation.  And, then, most likely it will, indeed,
have an impact on linguistic competence.  To an
extent, I feel that the narratives of practitioners of
color reflect the experience of students.  

If my English is American or British, and I am a
middle class white practitioner, chances are I will
have more opportunities than if I speak Nigerian
English and I am black (not even counting class), or
if I am not a native speaker, I have an accent and I
am a "Mestizo" Mexican.  

If opportunities in the job market are decreased
because of appearances and accents then salaries might
be affected as well. We all know class and race tend
to correlate.

My experience is that it might be a bit more difficult
to succeed in Graduate School if you do not have the
linguistic (which implies, partly, the social skills)
ability that Caucasian students have.  I think one has
to go the extra mile.  It is not impossible to succeed
but it is definitely a challenge to prove you are
capable, as well.  To my knowledge, until last year,
only one African American woman had got her PhD. in
Political Science at the Graduate Center from the City
University of New York(ever since the program was
established a couple of decades ago).  Does this tell
us something?
   
On the other hand and because of those institutional
excluding practices, it is a gift when you come across
professionals that go beyond appearances and 
political correctness. I am lucky to have had European
descendant academic mentors, supervisors, and
therapists that have offered their support and
expertise when I needed it the most.  

I understand the colleague that wants to go beyond
appearances.  We all do.  I just think that from the
point of view of Sociolinguistics, these appearances
are read, shall I say, misread?  It works both ways.

Personally, I think this issue can only be approached
institutionally.  The fact that national conferences
address issues of this nature leaves a lot of room for
hope.
  
Michel Foucault believed that research was always a
political statement.  I agree completely.  A lot of
practitioners will welcome the resources and insight
that these presentations provide.

Nadia Quiroz-Colby
   
--- Janet Isserlis <Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu> wrote:


> Because it is our outward appearance that gives some

> of us (Caucasians, for

> the most part) unearned advantage over people who

> aren't Caucasian (Asian,

> tan, brown, non-white) - because many employers,

> educators and students ­

> both within and outside the US perceive whiteness as

> an indicator of

> linguistic competence.

> 

> 

> 

> From: Sandy Wagner <sandy_wagner at sbcglobal.net>

> Reply-To: The Adult Literacy Professional

> Development Discussion List

> <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 07:05:26 -0700 (PDT)

> To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development

> Discussion List

> <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 945] Re: TESOL and

> COABE

> 

> While I havent yet perused the discussion posting,

> just the title indicates

> a distinction between teachers of color and the rest

> of the TESOL

> professionals.  Why not change to teachers of

> culture and stop identifying

> our levels of experience, expertise, and even

> research as related to an

> outward appearance.

> 

> Janet Isserlis <Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu> wrote:

> > all – with apologies to those who may have just

> read this on the NIFL ESL

> > list.

> > 

> > as well, below, the word "unsettling" should be

> replaced by "unacceptable."

> > 

> > 

> > 

> > All

> > A session of critical importance, described,

> below.  While it can come to no

> > surprise to any of us that racism is alive and

> well amongst language learners

> > and practitioners, the ways in which subtle – and

> not so subtle – forms of

> > racism manifest themselves is always unsettling,

> and something that we need to

> > work against constantly.  Assumptions about who

> speaks English, who 'can'

> > teach it, what 'native speaking' is – and where

> and what Englishes are spoken

> > and how they are valued are all pieces of this

> very complex set of narratives.

> > I don't work for or with any of the contributors

> or their publisher; I

> > strongly encourage you to read the collection

> (cited, below).

> > 

> > Janet Isserlis

> > 

> > 

> > Personal development , Sociolinguistics/culture ,

> Sociopolitical concerns :

> > Narrative Inquiry and TESOL Professionals of Color

> > Search by IS: Intercultural Communication

> > 

> > Thursday, March 22       9:30 AM - 11:15 AM

> > 

> > Session Number/Code: 2062

> > Room:  Seattle/Washington State Convention Center

> – Seattle - Washington State

> > Conv Center/Room604

> > 

> > Mary Romney M.Ed.

> > Ms., Quinebaug Valley Community College

> > Andy Curtis 

> > Consultant for International Education

> > Donna Fujimoto 

> > Osaka Jogakuin College

> > Carmen Chacón Ph.D.

> > Dr., Universidad de los Andes Tachira

> > Shondel Nero Ed.D.

> > Dr., St. John's University

> > Suhanthie Motha Ph.D.

> > Dr., University of Maryland, College Park

> > 

> > In this colloquium, we present a summary and

> overview of a 5-year project

> > involving 13 TESOL professionals of color from

> different linguistic and

> > cultural backgrounds responding to the question,

> What does it mean to be a

> > TESOL professional of color?

> > 

> > 

> > While being able to listen to and ask questions of

> the panelists was

> > remarkable, their work (and that of others) is

> also available through an

> > edited collection of narratives

> > 

> > Color, Race, and English Language Teaching

> > Shades of Meaning

> > by Andy Curtis (ed.) and Mary Romney (ed.)

> >

>

http://www.erlbaum.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=28807ECF50FE49F0837125BE640E681F&nm=

> >

>

&type=eCommerce&mod=CommerceProductCatalog&mid=CD22EA0F118949C09A932248C040F65

> >

>

0&tier=3&id=F33D8F71C3A84D5F964AEF9E78610037&itemid=0-8058-5660-9

> >

>

<http://www.erlbaum.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=28807ECF50FE49F0837125BE640E681F&am

> >

>

p;nm=&amp;type=eCommerce&amp;mod=CommerceProductCatalog&amp;mid=CD22EA0F118949

> >

>

C09A932248C040F650&amp;tier=3&amp;id=F33D8F71C3A84D5F964AEF9E78610037&amp;item

> > id=0-8058-5660-9>

> > 

> > 

> >   

> > 

> >  

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> > Professional Development section of the Adult

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> >

>

http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development

> 

> 

> 

> Sandy

> 

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

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>

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> nt

> 

> >

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