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Factors affecting the teaching and learning
of Haitian Creole in The Bahamas
Photograph shows (l to r): Philip Armbrister, His Excellency Louis Harold Joseph and Frenand Leger.
20 April 2009
The final Research Edge presentation of the 2008 - 2009 academic year was held on Friday 17th April in the Lecture Theatre at The Bahamas Tourism Training Centre and featured Frenand Leger, Lecturer in the School of Communication & Creative Arts, and Philip Armbrister, Assistant Professor in the School of Sciences & Technology. Their subject was Factors affecting the teaching and learning of Haitian Creole in The Bahamas and was a description of the first part of a survey they have carried out on the subject. His Excellency Louis Harold Joseph, Republic of Haiti Ambassador to The Bahamas, was a very interested member of the large audience.
Mr Leger reckons that there are more people learning Haitian Creole in The Bahamas than in any other country in the world and this is what inspired the study. Using a sample of students in public and private high schools (grades 10 - 12) and The College of The Bahamas, the presenters sought to answer the following questions: What are the factors that can explain the interest in learning Haitian Creole in The Bahamas? What factors influence the teaching of Haitian Creole in The Bahamas? What are the challenges for Haitian Creole speakers in The Bahamas?
Mr Leger, who hails from Haiti, began by giving a thorough explanation of why Haitian Creole is a language in its own right with its own grammar, structure, syntax and spelling and not an example of ‘broken' French. Indeed, Haitian Creole, the most widely spoken Creole language in the world, is spoken by 100% of the people of Haiti and has been established by the government of Haiti as one of two official languages - the other is French - in the country since 1983. He gave a number of different examples of Creole expressions and grammar usage that have no exact equivalents in French or English to emphasise the right of Haitian Creole to be considered a language in its own right and suggested that the prejudice against the language has deep rooted racist origins.
In addressing the socio-linguistic situation of Haitian Creole speakers in The Bahamas, Mr Armbrister drew significant parallels between a people's native language and their identity and stressed the psychological and sociological importance of the value placed on a person's language. With Haitians migrants comprising between 20 and 40% of the population of The Bahamas and many of them unable to speak English or speaking it with a heavy accent, Mr Armbrister said that the question of Haitian Creole in The Bahamas is inextricably linked to the Haitian question of the Haitian presence in The Bahamas itself. The facts that Haitians occupy the lowest rungs on the social ladder, they live in some of the worst conditions, they are regarded as a threat to the stability of The Bahamas and they are subject to abuses such as the oppression exercised by employers who use the work permit as means of control all serve to fuel anti-Haitian prejudices and affect the teaching of Haitian Creole in the country.
The questionnaire that Leger and Armbrister gave to high school students and students at The College asked a number of questions but the results were only available from a small number. These asked if Haitian Creole should be taught in schools, should it be the second official language of The Bahamas, should official documents be written in both English and Haitian Creole and should it be granted official status in The Bahamas?
There were some inconsistent responses to these questions but it was clear the public high school students and students at The College of The Bahamas wanted Haitian Creole to be taught in the high schools while the private high school students were not in favour of such a move. High school students were in favour of Haitian Creole becoming the second language of The Bahamas but, strangely, were against it being granted official status. Private high school students were very consistent however, with a large majority against Haitian Creole being taught in schools and against it becoming the second language and being granted official status. Mr Leger hypothesized that these findings could be the result of private school students being secluded more from contact with Haitian students.
After the formal presentation, the floor was opened and a very lively and intense discussion took place. Many deep-seated prejudices and stereotypes emerged, all contributing to the paradoxical attitude to the people of Haiti and their language. Members of the audience seemed quite willing to allow Haitian Creole to be taught in the schools but did not want it to be granted any sort of status in the Bahamas.
At the conclusion, Ms Denise Samuels from the Office of Research, Graduate Programmes and International Relations thanked the presenters and reminded the audience that Research Edge would return in September when the next academic year begins.
Office of Communication
Tel: 302-4304
Email:communication@cob.edu.bs
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