Amid growing concern over the weak literacy skills of our students and the implications for crime and violence in the society, the Government has announced its intention to greatly increase the number of specialists dealing with the problem in our schools.

It is a commendable move, particularly in light of the current economic constraints. However, I have a question. It concerns the methodologies (referred to in the Government's report) which these literacy specialists will be teaching the teachers. My question is: Are these methodologies based on an understanding of linguistic principles as they relate to literacy? In other words, will the teachers be learning tried-and-proven methods of dealing with a situation where the language of instruction is different from the mother tongue of the majority of the students?

Use of methodologies

Our long-standing failure to make our people fully literate stems largely, I am convinced, from the use of methodologies designed for a monolingual situation; that is, one in which children enter school at age four or five years, already fluent in the language used in school.

Most four-year-old Jamaican children are not fluent in Standard English, which is the language of instruction in our schools. That is where the problem lies, especially where learning to read is concerned.

Not unique

Jamaica is not unique in this regard. Several countries have faced a similar situation in Africa, in the Caribbean region, in parts of Europe and elsewhere. Moreover, there are well-documented cases where the problem has been researched and addressed with significant success.

The question is: Are we making a serious effort to understand our language situation and to learn from those who have discovered the principles by which to achieve maximum literacy in such a situation?

If not, our special efforts, though producing some improvement, will certainly not achieve the 96 per cent quality literacy which should be our aim.

I am etc.,

Faith Linton

cranbrookflowerforest@gmail.com