The University of the West Indies, Mona

Background

The Jamaican Language Unit is conducting a pilot project in Bilingual education for primary school students enrolled in Grades One to Four. The Bilingual Education project is aimed at determining the most effective means of encouraging full bilingualism for primary level students at the Grades 1 – 4 in Jamaican (Jamaican Creole) (JC) and Standard Jamaican English (SJE). 

The Project is designed to meet the needs of the large numbers of students who are native speakers of Jamaican and who enter Grade One without attaining mastery in three out of four key areas of “readiness to begin instruction at the level demanded by the Grade One National Curriculum” (NAP Final Report 2000 p.38 in Draft LEP 2001, p. 9). The Project also targets the majority of students who do not attain full literacy in English by Grade Four. Recent results for the Grade One Readiness Inventory show that over half the students leaving pre-primary do not achieve the requisite skills and 58% of the Grade Four cohort for the same year were categorized as either “At Risk” or “Questionable” on the Grade Four Literacy Test (NAP Final Report 2000 in Draft LEP 2001, p.11). 

It is also critical for us to note that the Ministry of Education Youth and Culture (MOEYC) has set out in this draft policy document five possible options for bilingual education in Jamaica. The first 3 of which are detailed here:1.   

Declare the Jamaican Language situation bilingual ascribing equal language status to SJE and JC. Tailor instruction to accommodate this status and permit instruction and assessment in both languages. Produce printed materials in both languages, and permit teaching in both languages using appropriate instructional strategies.

    2.     While retaining SJE as the official language, promote the acquisition of  basic literacy in the early years (eg. K – 3) in the home language and facilitate the development of English as a second language.

    3.     Maintain SJE as the official language and promote basic communication  through the oral use of the home language in the early years (e.g. K – 3) while facilitating the development of literacy in English. (Draft Language Education Policy, 2001 p. 20).