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Speak Ebonics with Confidence: A Respectful Guide to AAVE
Rating: 4.0 out of 5(1 rating)
2 students
Created byJonathan Jones
Last updated 6/2025
English

What you'll learn

  • Learn and practice common AAVE phrases and slang with the correct pronunciation and rhythm.
  • Understand the history and roots of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) and its cultural significance.
  • Recognize and apply key grammar, structure, and flow differences between AAVE and Standard English.
  • Use AAVE respectfully without cultural appropriation by understanding context, tone, and community.

Course content

6 sections • 10 lectures • 34m total length

  • What AAVE Really Means3:14

    Welcome to Learning AAVE with Confident Respect. In this opening lecture, your instructor Jonathan sets the tone for the journey ahead — a course rooted in truth, culture, and clarity.


    This short video gives you a personal welcome, shares what inspired this course, and helps you understand what AAVE is — and what it isn’t. You’ll also learn how the course will unfold, why it matters, and what you can expect to gain if you show up ready to learn, unlearn, and grow.


  • What You Think You Know About AAVE (Pre-Quiz)2:18

    This short quiz is designed to explore your current understanding — or assumptions — about African American Vernacular English (AAVE).


    There are 5 multiple choice questions and 1 open-ended reflection.


    It’s not graded. It’s not a test.


    Just answer honestly. Be curious. We’ll revisit this at the end of the course so you can reflect on how your perspective may have shifted.


  • What You Think You Know About AAVE” – Pre-Course Check-In

Requirements

  • An open mind and a respectful attitude toward Black language, culture, and history.
  • Willingness to practice speaking out loud and learn new flow and rhythm patterns.
  • Basic understanding of English grammar and sentence structure.

Description

Learning AAVE with Confidence & Respect” is an educational experience built to empower learners with the tools to understand and appreciate African American Vernacular English (AAVE) as a legitimate, rich, and deeply rooted linguistic system.


Too often misunderstood or stigmatized, AAVE is not broken English or slang. It is a fully rule-governed dialect with its own consistent grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation patterns, rooted in the historical experiences and cultural identity of Black communities in America.


This course breaks down 10+ core grammatical features—like habitual “be,” double negatives, and tense/aspect markers—while grounding each lesson in the historical, social, and political context of AAVE. You’ll also explore how AAVE intersects with code-switching, identity, linguistic discrimination, cultural pride, and the resilience of Black expression across time.


Whether you’re an educator, ally, student, or native speaker, you’ll walk away with:


  • A deep understanding of how AAVE works

  • Tools to explain and defend it in academic and social settings

  • The ability to reflect on your own language use and privilege

  • Confidence to speak on this topic with truth, pride, and cultural respect

  • Resources to use in classrooms, creative spaces, or professional conversations

  • Awareness of the cultural nuances, regional differences, and evolving use of AAVE today



By the end of this course, you’ll be able to identify AAVE’s structure, challenge stereotypes, and honor the voices behind the vernacular with clarity,compassion,and power

Who this course is for:

  • Anyone who wants to learn and speak African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) with respect and authenticity.
  • Performers, artists, or creators who want to use AAVE in music, acting, or public speaking without misusing it.
  • Educators, allies, and curious learners who want to understand the roots and real-world use of Black American English.
  • Lifelong learners who want to explore a cultural language that shaped music, media, and American speech.

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