This paper first considers the inadequacy of definitions of dialect speech that are too rigid. Some of the ways in which dialect can influence the performance of children in school are discussed, and the notion that dialect is an indication of linguistic deficit is also considered. In the last part of the paper, the attitude of the Schools Council Project toward West Indian children, speakers of an English-based Creole, and their dialect is summarized as follows: (1) Teachers must be as informed as possible about Creole and able to approach language learning problems from the child's point of view; (2) Many West Indian children have a range of severe language learning problems which have little to do with dialect per se. Most of the Project's teaching materials focus on these non-dialect and general language development areas; (3) One unit of the four that make up the Project materials does focus on dialect and is designed to help West Indian Children write standard English and to make teachers more aware of the learning problems of dialect speakers; and (4) The teacher must never attack the student's own language. A positive value should be placed on the dialect in class, and dialect differences must be considered objectively. (Author/PMP)