PM Golding Says the Debate on Teaching Patois Signifies ....

[Gamma]

this is indeed a relevant issue.....good observation, ben j.

[Mosiah]

It's the very reason why so many schools in the Bronx that cater to people from Puerto Rico and the Dom. Republic have stopped trying to conduct classes totally in English. It's okay for them to have classes in Spanish because that is what the students know. The transition to English is therefore made easier and most, if not all, do learn and speak English as well as anyone else, in a less stressful environment that, prior to this thinking, had forced many to drop out of school.

[Bricktop]

we can be jamaican, embrace our jamaicanness and STILL continue to excel out there in the world at large!

Of course but what does that have to do with studying in patois?

[Mosiah]

I think some among us are holding out for some, well, emotional reasons. It's like everything else on this site - if you thought Tappa was a great player, you will still think he should make the team when is 54 years old.

The evidence is overwhelming to me that we should embrace our mother tongue. We need to start loving ourselves, people!

[Bricktop]

If you want to keep them in the inner city then patois I guess..

[Mosiah]

gamma, looks like a case study right here as to why we should have learnt patois in school. i say that, of course, with all due respect, Bricktop!

[Mosiah]

Understand the argument, Brickie. We are not saying we should never expose them to English!!!!!

[Bricktop]

No, and why do you think that's the case?

By the way, the two kids that were reading from the patois book yesterday spoke some of the best english i have ever heard spoken by a student of that age in years! Maybe they were just bright or maybe the patois instruction helped them, as they said it did. Or maybe it's just maybelline.

Because of their inability to learn whether it's due their environment or just their lack of intellectual capacity. Hold up patois taught them how to speak English?

[Lazie]

It's the very reason why so many schools in the Bronx that cater to people from Puerto Rico and the Dom. Republic have stopped trying to conduct classes totally in English. It's okay for them to have classes in Spanish because that is what the students know. The transition to English is therefore made easier and most, if not all, do learn and speak English as well as anyone else, in a less stressful environment that, prior to this thinking, had forced many to drop out of school.

Really? My wife have students with spanish background in her 1st grade class... I very much doubt she teach in Spanish.

This has gone from a comedy to a tragedy.

[Bricktop]

Understand the argument, Brickie. We are not saying we should never expose them to English!!!!!

What is the argument? Break it down for me. When they go to Kindergarten or 1st grade should they be taught English or patois? What language were the nost succesful among us taught in?

[Muadib]

Maybe I should have said SOLELY in English..

"Unlike other states that offer children a choice over the medium of instruction, Goa's education system emphasizes the use of an Indian language"

What does Japan GDP have to do with their language of instruction ??

[Bricktop]

The evidence is overwhelming to me that we should embrace our mother tongue. We need to start loving ourselves, people!

So if I speak English I hate myself?

[Gamma]

you have to provide the answer to that question for yourself. we are jamaican, not BRITISH...we have our own language why should we continue to shun it.

if as yousay it makes no difference then all the more reason to embrace it! if it is to be detrimental, then make that argument. so far i am hearing "why".....but from my perspective it is why not.

we can agree to disagree bricky...no love lost and respeck same way.

[Mosiah]

If you shun patois, you hate yourself. Or put another way, you are not 100% Jamaican!

[Bricktop]

What does Japan GDP have to do with their language of instruction ??

You can't be serious?