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Maudib, Gamma, Mosiah et al,
The patois issue has really intrigued me. After reading as many of the comments as I could I’ve relented on some points but, but so far I have not backed off the position that: making patois the language of instruction will not benefit students in the short or long run.
However, my first conclusion from all of this is that the problem is not the language of instruction but the educational system itself. I will agree that patois is the first language of many if not most Jamaicans. And since many of us (I include myself) have been in denial that patois is the first language, the system that kids enter assumes that they are native speakers of English. And so the wheels have already started to fall off before they even open an ABC.
My position is that we should approach the teaching of kids in the kindergarten and early years as if they were ESL kids and immerse them in the English language actively, and not passively which is the status quo. Why English immersion? Why bother instructing them in patois for anything when they will HAVE to learn English if they want to go as far as possible academically? They already know patois. They have no earthly reason to need to read or write it. People on this board write patois, yes the orthography is inconsistent but we communicate and that’s the important thing. What we need is an intensive immersion programme that saturates them with English from day 1. They should hear and read English every day. As soon as possible they should begin to write it. Besides the basic ABCs the teachers have to be teaching the kids English as the non-native speakers that they are.
It’s important to begin this immersion at the very earliest of age, since research shows, according to one article I read, that children by the age of 18 months have begun to filter out sounds that are non-native to them. The rationale is that all babies are born able to recognize the “phonetic contrasts” of all languages, but soon begin to shift focus to language specific sounds. Therefore, as they age certain sounds are not recognized or are recognized as foreign.
The good news is that research also demonstrates that non-native KINDERGARTNERS learn vocabulary at a faster rate than native speakers, given that a proper immersion course is being delivered. And being in Jamaica there is no lack of reading, writing and listening material in English, that is, English immersion opportunities abound.
We should not assume as we have been doing that when a child who is not a native speaker of English in Jamaica, will necessarily know the difference between the pronunciation for example of “ed” in the past tense; we have to actively teach them that there is a difference between “wanted” (id), “looked” (kt)” and turned” (d).
Now before anyone crucifies me, I said there is no earthly reason to learn to read or write patois. That is not entirely true. Since we recognize that patois is a first language we should give it is rightful place in the study of language arts, drama, music, social studies, Jamaican studies. I believe that once kids see the distinction between the two languages from an early age, they will have a much better chance at developing good English language skills.
The big problem is having an education system that has properly qualified teachers to deliver and ESL/English Immersion curriculum. God help us.
I don't know if this means I've been convinced but this is where I now stand.
unuh walk good' yu 'ear
pr
The patois issue has really intrigued me. After reading as many of the comments as I could I’ve relented on some points but, but so far I have not backed off the position that: making patois the language of instruction will not benefit students in the short or long run.
However, my first conclusion from all of this is that the problem is not the language of instruction but the educational system itself. I will agree that patois is the first language of many if not most Jamaicans. And since many of us (I include myself) have been in denial that patois is the first language, the system that kids enter assumes that they are native speakers of English. And so the wheels have already started to fall off before they even open an ABC.
My position is that we should approach the teaching of kids in the kindergarten and early years as if they were ESL kids and immerse them in the English language actively, and not passively which is the status quo. Why English immersion? Why bother instructing them in patois for anything when they will HAVE to learn English if they want to go as far as possible academically? They already know patois. They have no earthly reason to need to read or write it. People on this board write patois, yes the orthography is inconsistent but we communicate and that’s the important thing. What we need is an intensive immersion programme that saturates them with English from day 1. They should hear and read English every day. As soon as possible they should begin to write it. Besides the basic ABCs the teachers have to be teaching the kids English as the non-native speakers that they are.
It’s important to begin this immersion at the very earliest of age, since research shows, according to one article I read, that children by the age of 18 months have begun to filter out sounds that are non-native to them. The rationale is that all babies are born able to recognize the “phonetic contrasts” of all languages, but soon begin to shift focus to language specific sounds. Therefore, as they age certain sounds are not recognized or are recognized as foreign.
The good news is that research also demonstrates that non-native KINDERGARTNERS learn vocabulary at a faster rate than native speakers, given that a proper immersion course is being delivered. And being in Jamaica there is no lack of reading, writing and listening material in English, that is, English immersion opportunities abound.
We should not assume as we have been doing that when a child who is not a native speaker of English in Jamaica, will necessarily know the difference between the pronunciation for example of “ed” in the past tense; we have to actively teach them that there is a difference between “wanted” (id), “looked” (kt)” and turned” (d).
Now before anyone crucifies me, I said there is no earthly reason to learn to read or write patois. That is not entirely true. Since we recognize that patois is a first language we should give it is rightful place in the study of language arts, drama, music, social studies, Jamaican studies. I believe that once kids see the distinction between the two languages from an early age, they will have a much better chance at developing good English language skills.
The big problem is having an education system that has properly qualified teachers to deliver and ESL/English Immersion curriculum. God help us.
I don't know if this means I've been convinced but this is where I now stand.
unuh walk good' yu 'ear
pr
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