Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Language Attitudes And The Learning Environment: The Effects Of Regional Dialect On Perceptions Of Teacher Credibility, Marissa C. Mcgillis

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate how differences in regional dialect affect students’ perceptions of teacher credibility. In a broader sense, the research aimed to improve teacher-student interactions by identifying communication barriers created through cultural differences. 109 students at the University of Southern Mississippi who identified as natives to the American South participated in the study. 52 of the participants listened to a lecture given by a Standard American English speaker, and the other 57 participants listened to the same lecture delivered in American Southern English. Both groups completed a survey with twelve seven-point semantic differential scales, measuring …