Educators reveal differing perspectives on ‘Bajan English’ in literacy teaching

Educators remain deeply divided on the role of Bajan dialect in the classroom, a panel discussion hosted by the National Task Force on Literacy Education in Barbados has revealed.

Instructors at the elementary, secondary and tertiary levels gathered for the forum on Thursday to examine the significance of literacy in the success of learners, successes and challenges, and what can be done to improve the reading and writing proficiencies among Barbadian students.  

Insight from the discussion is intended to inform the task force’s comprehensive literacy report aimed at reshaping national education policies.

But the conversation took a slight detour to the issue of integrating Bajan English alongside Standard English in the nation’s school curriculum, with some arguing for its recognition and use as a stepping stone to mastering language. In contrast, others cautioned against the potential drawbacks of not prioritising English from the start.

Kim Davis-Edwards, the principal of Warrens Primary and Pre-School, stressed literacy as a cornerstone of both academic and personal success, noting that the private school takes a proactive approach where literacy begins early, regardless of a child’s age and background, fostering a foundation that supports lifelong learning and growth.

She urged that boundaries be set in teaching literacy, including painting a clear picture of what is expected and then practising and building on it.

“For children to understand how to read, spell and how to excel in English, it needs to be taught, practised and heard,” Davis-Edwards said. “As a country, I really believe that we need to focus on Standard English. Anybody can speak a dialect or broken English. We usually write naturally in how we speak and if a child is accustomed to hearing Bajan dialect, they will write that. So we need to have the right foundational skills so when our children get to tertiary level, they can communicate effectively.”

In sharp contrast with Edwards’ perspective, Dr Korah Belgrave, a lecturer in linguistics at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, argued passionately for recognising and utilising the Bajan dialect as a valuable educational tool.

She maintained that literacy skills are transferable across languages and that students should not be discouraged from using their native tongue. “To say that Bajan is broken English is wrong,” she said. “It is not…. It has its own rules… it’s an established language variety. Research has shown that you can teach literacy in more than one language so you can teach literacy in Bajan and in English at the same time.”

The linguistics scholar emphasised that to deny the structural and linguistic value of Bajan is to underestimate its potential as a bridge to mastering Standard English.

Dr Belgrave warned of the risks of alienation and loss of confidence among students forced to abandon their native dialect: “You can’t ask them to ignore what they know and who they are. They cannot speak English or understand it but you are teaching the classes in English and asking them to answer in English, and each time they start to answer, they become afraid, they stumble, get corrected and they stop talking. So when they come to us at UWI, we have to beg them to respond to a question. They don’t want to engage in discussion because they feel they can’t speak English and will be ashamed if they are interrupted.”.

She concluded by noting that literacy is also about inclusivity, “understanding that you can embrace diversity in language learning and still teach the skills”.

A public primary school principal, Sharon Sealy, advocated for a balanced approach, where nurturing self-esteem through familiar language plays a crucial role in educational development.

“We have students in our primary system that travel from one country to another, and they have to be able to communicate with those persons that they are going to meet,” said the head of St Silas Primary, who revealed one of the challenges many children face. “We have to be cognisant of the fact that when we are teaching them the formal language. . . they have to be able to learn how to code switch – that is, switch from Bajan to English, especially if they go to English-speaking countries. They have to be able to understand the nuances of language.”

Sealy said educators need to help young children develop stronger language skills, teaching them how to communicate effectively in various contexts, and enabling them to express themselves confidently and clearly.

shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb