Dear Editor,

The abysmal results of the 2012 sitting of the CSEC English language examination reflects our students’ perennial struggle with acquiring proficiency in Standard English. Evidently, we must revamp our approach to the teaching of English within our schools.

For years, many language pundits have promoted a bilingual approach to the teaching of English. Certainly, bilingual instructions can create an inclusive language classroom setting, while positively affirming our Jamaican Creole. However, with only 46 per cent of our students passing this year’s CSEC English examination, and given the substandard performance of students in English in previous years, we must insist on implementing a system of total language immersion in our schools.

A total immersion language approach in our schools would see our students being fully engaged in a strictly English-speaking environment. This means that all formal and social discourses in our schools would be in Standard English. This practice would, of course, help to buffer our students’ use of Standard English from the possible interference of their highly Creole-based interactions elsewhere.

Indubitably, most of our students are from predominantly Creole-speaking backgrounds. This means that they are already fluent Creole speakers. They therefore need no further stimulation or instruction in their native tongue. Teaching them Standard English is what should hence be accentuated.

Our preparatory schools have, to a large extent, immersed their students in interacting in Standard English. Most of these students have generically attained remarkable fluency in English, even if they are from a Creole-speaking upbringing. We can gradually achieve same in our public schools if we practise total immersion.

In order for total language immersion to work, we must also ensure that all our teachers, regardless of their specialisation, are competent in Standard English so that they can consistently model the language well for our students. We must therefore emphasise comprehensive language instruction for our teachers during their training.

The Jamaican Creole or Patois is not inherently flawed or inferior, but English is an internationally accepted language that is widely readable. Consequently, we must endeavour to advance our students’ capacity to use Standard English to effectively communicate with a global audience.

Shawna Kay Williams

The Mico University College

Shawna201@gmail.com