Even some enlightened academicians automatically2;and incorrectly2;connect illiteracy to Appalachia, contends Katherine Kelleher Sohn. After overhearing two education professionals refer to the southern accent of a waiter and then launch into a few redneck jokes, Sohn wondered why rural, working-class white people are not considered part of the multicultural community. "Whistlin7; and Crowin7; Women of Appalachia: Literacy Practices since College" examines the power of women to rise above cultural constraints, complete their college degrees, assume positions of responsibility, and ultimately come to voice.

Sohn, a born southerner and assimilated Appalachian who moved from the city more than thirty years ago, argues that an underclass of rural whites is being left out of multicultural conversations. She shares how her own search for identity in the academic world (after enrolling in a doctoral program at age fifty) parallels the journeys of eight nontraditional, working-class women. Through interviews and case studies, Sohn illustrates how academic literacy empowers women in their homes, jobs, and communities, effectively disproving the Appalachian adage: 0;Whistlin7; women and crowin7; hens, always come to no good ends.1;

Sohn situates the women7;s stories within the context of theory, self confidence, and place. She weaves the women7;s words with her own, relating voice to language, identity, and power. As the women move from silence to voice throughout and after college2;by maintaining their dialect, discovering the power of expressivist writing, gaining economic and social power, and remaining in their communities2;they discover their identity as strong women ofAppalachia.

Sohn focuses on the power of place, which figures predominantly in the identity of these women, and colorfully describes the region. These Appalachian women who move from silence to voice are the purveyors of literacy and the keepers of community, says Sohn. Serving as the foundation of Appalachian culture in spite of a patriarchal society, the women shape the region even as it shapes them.

Geared to scholars of literacy studies, women7;s studies, and regional studies, "Whistlin7; and Crowin7; Women of Appalachia" will also resonate with those working with other marginalized populations who are isolated economically, geographically, or culturally.

It's no secret that, in most American classrooms, students are expected to master standardized American English and the conventions of Edited American English if they wish to succeed. "Language Diversity in the Classroom: From Intention to Practice "works to realign these conceptions through a series of provocative yet evenhanded essays that explore the ways we have enacted and continue to enact our beliefs in the integrity of the many languages and Englishes that arise both in the classroom and in professional communities. Edited by Geneva Smitherman and Victor Villanueva, the collection was motivated by a survey project on language awareness commissioned by the National Council of Teachers of English and the Conference on College Composition and Communication. All actively involved in supporting diversity in education, the contributors address the major issues inherent in linguistically diverse classrooms: language and racism, language and nationalism, and the challenges in teaching writing while respecting and celebrating students' own languages. Offering historical and pedagogical perspectives on language awareness and language diversity, the essays reveal the nationalism implicit in the concept of a "standard English," advocate alternative training and teaching practices for instructors at all levels, and promote the respect and importance of the country's diverse dialects, languages, and literatures. Contributors include Geneva Smitherman, Victor Villanueva, Elaine Richardson, Victoria Cliett, Arnetha F. Ball, Rashidah Jammi Muhammad, Kim Brian Lovejoy, Gail Y. Okawa, Jan Swearingen, and Dave Pruett. The volume also includes a foreword by Suresh Canagarajah and a substantialbibliography of resources about bilingualism and language diversity.