In the Caribbean, there is an island called Jamaica, with a total population of two and half million people. Jamaica’s official language is English. All instruction in schools and most business is given in English. In the capital of Kingston, most church services are given in English. Industries in Jamaica require English of their workers. English is the language of the Jamaican government and all of its documents. However, every native-born Jamaican understands and speaks Jamaican Creole; that’s the name of their language, otherwise known as Patois. Comedy theater performances, dramatic poetry, some newspaper columns all use Creole. Historically, those who speak Creole have earned that honor. Jamaican Creole language is learned only with human contact. There is no formal effort in Jamaica to teach the country’s Creole as a foreign language. But most Jamaicans are truly bilingual and can select at any moment which language they want to use. Jamaican teachers teach in Standard English, to encourage students to speak English to improve their language skills. They use grammar books to teach Creole side by side with English.
Kuck, Mary Hills. "The Outsider in Jamaica." Essential Teacher Oct. 2009: 18-19. Web. 28 Sept. 2010.
