THE KEAUKAHA MODEL FOR MAINSTREAM DIALECT INSTRUCTION*

Abstract

This article is a detailed description of the procedures, together with some of the rationale underlying those procedures, that were designed into the treatment variable of a research project on language acquisition. The treatment variable to which the experimental Ss are being exposed is the pedagogical “model” mentioned in the title. This model for imparting proficiency in the target dialect to the Ss, although clearly an adaptation of audio‐lingual methodology for second language teaching, is described for the most part from the standpoint of educational psychology. The article delineates the various aspects of language pedagogy which were determined to be essential to the most effective model; namely, teacher training, classroom dynamics, dialect analysis, contrastive analysis (between the nonstandard and standard dialects), and lesson writing.The research hypothesis states that the effect of the treatment, or model, will be a greater gain in the acquisition of proficiency in standard oral English by the experimental Ss than by the control Ss, who are exposed to only traditional procedures for teaching English. All of the Ss are youngsters who come to school with their native dialect only, commonly known as Pidgin English. The article characterizes the target dialect as mainstream English.