There are several dialects in the United States and these dialects are heard in classrooms across the country. It is important that different dialects are accepted in these classrooms. While it is important to teach with 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 essential to help students understand why there are different dialects and that we can learn from the different people they come from. The term dialect is often poorly defined. . Dialect is often confused with accent. The documentary American Tongues defines dialect as “the words we use and the way we pronounce them.” Although part of this definition is accurate, it also confuses dialect and accent. The dictionary defines dialect as “a local form of a language”. When defining accent, we look at the pronunciation of words. Accent is also considered 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 speech community. When looking at dialects, it is also important to be aware of the differences between non-standard English and standard English dialects. According to Ross Burdette in his article Developing Language in the Classroom, "the language spoken in schools, media, and government tends to be what is called 'standard English'." This reference attempts to rid the spoken and written language of regionalism and...... middle of paper ......also be established. Establishing differences allows students to learn standard English, while also learning to accept other dialects. Education and dialects coincide with each other like pieces of a puzzle. There are many dialects all over the world, throughout the United States, and in many classrooms across the country. Dialects are important for education because they can be used to teach students about the different cultures that may exist in the community and that there might be cultures that they are not aware of. By coming together and exploring different dialects, teachers teach their students the importance of accepting different dialects within the classroom, embrace these differences, and use them as a tool to culturally enrich students and potentially their families..