Abstract
This study sought to investigate the perceptions of Barbadian primary school teachers regarding the use of home language (HL) in the acquisition of Standard English (SE). To this end, 42 teachers completed questionnaires. The data revealed that teachers (87%) considered SE as the language of prestige, education, commerce, and upward mobility. Conversely, teachers (89%) agreed that there was a place for HL in the SE classroom. However, teachers held contradictory views on whether HL hinders the acquisition of SE. The data also indicated that teachers use HL in the SE classroom to help students grasp and understand difficult concepts, to act as a bridge between the two languages, for translation, and to facilitate code-switching. In contrast, some teachers believed that HL limits the SE vocabulary, contradicts SE rules, and hinders SE speech and writing. These findings are significant to consider when examining HL use in the SE classroom.
TopIntroduction
The use of home language (HL) in the classroom continues to be controversial in many respects. On the one hand, the exclusivity of Standard English (SE) can hinder collaborative interaction and metatalk as well as hold back natural learning strategies (Scott & de la Fuente, 2008). Alternatively, Sampson (2012) claimed that “prohibiting L1 use in English classrooms might be detrimental to L2 development” (Mohebbi & Alavi, 2014, p.58).The debate also surrounds the issue of whether HL is a viable and respected language for classroom use and its utility in SE acquisition. Several questions, inclusive but not limited to the following, therefore arise: Is there a legitimate place for HL in the classroom? Should Standard English be the only mode of language instruction? How do teachers’ ideologies affect the use of HL in the classroom? These are but a few questions which engender numerous perspectives on the utility of HL in SE language instruction.
Is There a Legitimate Place for HL in the Classroom?
Regarding the legitimacy of HL in the classroom, Simmons–McDonald (2014) contended that home language (Creole) should be incorporated into the formal education environment and that the failure to do so, results in academic underachievement. With specific reference to creole use in the St. Lucian context, Simmons–McDonald further noted, “it is the exclusion of the creole from the education context that denied several intelligent individuals from realizing the achievement and fulfillment that can be derived from bilingual literacy” (p.50). Similarly, Simmons–McDonald cited De Graff (2005) who posited, “the non-use or limited use of Haitian Creole in Haitian schools violates the pedagogically sound principle that “education is best carried on through the mother tongue of the pupil” (p.51). Further, with specific reference to Haitian Creole, De Graff (2005) explained that “the exclusion of Haitian Creole in the schools and other formal spheres effectively makes monolingual Haitian Creole speakers second class citizens” (p.51).
Contrary to the view, which acknowledges the benefits of HL in classroom instruction, there is still the perception that HL is an inferior language variety and inappropriate for language instruction. As such, Jones (2011) referred to (Wheeler & Swords, 2006, p. 32) who pointed out that “in many cases, teachers believe students’ home languages are simply “degraded, inferior, failing attempts at hitting the Standard English target” (p.15). Siegel (2006b) further explores the marginalization, denigration, and exclusion of non-standard language varieties from the schools' curriculum. Hence, Siegel (2006b) posited that “the standard variety is praised as being pure and logical; marginalized varieties are denigrated as being incorrect or sloppy”(p.159). Moreover, “varieties close to the standard are shown to be appropriate for education, high-level employment and formal occasions; marginalized varieties, if recognized at all, are shown to be appropriate only for casual conversation, joking and informal occasions” (Siegel, 2006b, p.159).
Concerning the utility of home language in SE acquisition, Carpenter and Devonish (2007), indicated that using Jamaican Creole as the language of instruction in the governmental Bilingual Education Project had no adverse effects on the students' competence in English. Similarly, Siegel (1999a) cited the research of Thomas and Collier (1997) which showed that “children learn better in a variety of language that they are familiar with” (p.701). Additionally, Simmons–McDonald (2014) presented evidence which confirms that a child's home language, whether creole or not, “promotes the acquisition of literacy in the second language and this bilingualism leads to cognitive flexibility” (p. 58).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Creole: In Caribbean context, it is a native language developed during slavery as a means of communication between slaves.
Code Switching: A means of switching between Standard English and Bajan Dialect in the same conversation.
Language Arts: A term, which encompasses subjects such as grammar, spelling, writing, and poetry.
Perceptions: The way one thinks or understands something.
Dialect: A non-standard vernacular usually spoken in the home and often used interchangeably with the words ‘creole’ and ‘mother tongue’.
Language Ideology: Beliefs about a language, which justify its structure and use.
Standard Language Ideology: The belief that the standard variety of language is superior and is the only appropriate language for the classroom and internationally.
Attitudes: The feelings, beliefs, and opinions about something.