The Editor, Sir:

The many opinions on whether Jamaican creole has a place within the education system have generated an inexhaustible discussion.

I have tried to read, with tolerance, the views expressed by many that Jamaican creole's usefulness expires in the face of formality.

Consequently, as the Jamaican classroom is considered to be a formal space, many argue that Jamaican Creole has no place there.

However, it has become increasingly necessary for room to be created for creole, within the English language curriculum, in order to facilitate opportunities to correct language-learning problems caused by creole interference and other types of second-language learning problems.

Useful textbooks

Hence, across the region, especially within the last 10 years, many texts have been published that are geared at improving the methodology used to teach students English in Jamaica, as well as in the rest of Anglophone Caribbean.

Notable among these are texts are From Jamaican Creole to Standard English: A Handbook for Teachers (Velma Pollard 2003) and Teaching Language and Literacy to Caribbean Students: From Vernacular to Standard English (Dennis Craig 2007).

The primary aim of these texts has been to provide Caribbean teachers and students with an environment to suit their particular language-learning needs.

It is pertinent that we, as Jamaicans, recognise that English is not the first language a large percentage of Jamaicans learn to speak. The first language for many is Jamaican Creole. English is their second language and they face language-learning problems that many other second language-learners face.

In theory, and reality, many language-learning problems that our students face could be lessened if Jamaican creole is used as a tool, alongside English, to help students understand some problem areas.

In addition, allowing students to see the similarities and differences, between English and Jamaican creole, has proven to be particularly helpful in vocabulary development exercises.

Improve teaching

However, I must add this caveat: Jamaican creole cannot be used to help students understand all the areas of English. Nothing can replace teaching students all the nuances of English. What we, as Jamaicans, need to do - in light of the problems faced with speaking and writing English - is aggressively seek and implement measures that will help our students' English to improve.

Banishing Jamaican creole to the periphery of our classrooms does nothing to solve our problems with English.

I am, etc.,

RHONDA K. HARRISON

rhows21@yahoo.com

St Augustine, Trinidad