There are several dialects in the United States, and these dialects are heard in classrooms across the country. It is important that acceptance of different dialects is taught in these classrooms. While it is important to teach in standard English dialect, the dialects and language skills a student possesses when they enter the classroom should not be ignored. Instead, they should be embraced and used to teach about the different cultures present in the classroom and community. Not only is it important to teach acceptance of the multitude of dialects, but it is also critical to help students understand why different dialects exist and that we can learn from the different people they come from. The term dialect is often incorrectly defined. Many times dialect is confused with accent. The documentary American Tongues defines dialect as “the words we use and the way we pronounce them.” Only part of this definition is accurate. This definition confuses dialect and accent. The dictionary defines dialect as “a local form of language”. When we define accent, we look at the pronunciation of words. Accent is also seen as a way of speaking that shows the social identity of the speaker. On the other hand, dialect is often associated with a particular region or subsection of a larger linguistic community. When examining dialects, it is also important to be aware of the differences between the dialects of Non-Standard English and Standard English. According to Ross Burdette in his article, Developing Language in the Classroom, “the language spoken in schools, the media, and government tends to be what is called 'standard English'.” This is what we know as “proper” English. However, while... middle of paper...... they are teaching their students the importance of accepting different dialects within the classroom and are embracing these differences and using them as a tool to culturally enrich the students and possibly the their families too. Works Cited American Tongues. Dir. Louis Alvarez and Andy Kolker. Perf. Polly Holiday, Molly Ivins and Robert Klein. Center for New American Media (CNAM).1988. Online Burdette, R. (2011). Develop language in the classroom. Retrieved from http://developinglingual.weebly.com/index.htmlChristian, D. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/christ01.htmlHazen, K. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0104dialects.htmlWolfram, W. (2000). Everyone has an accent. Teaching Tolerance, (18), Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-18-fall-2000/feature/everyone-has-accent