Language and education in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao
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Marta Dijkhoff
Abstract
Although the Spanish/Portuguese-based Creole Papiamentu is widely used on Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, its role in education continues to spark highly emotional debates. Except for four Dutch-medium schools, most schools in Curaçao and Bonaire use Papiamentu in the lower grades of primary school and some schools employ both languages in higher grades. In secondary and vocational education Papiamentu is taught as a subject and widely used to support Dutch-medium education. In Aruba, the medium of instruction is Dutch and Papiamentu is taught as a subject in the lower grades of secondary education. This paper critically reviews the process that led to Papiamentu becoming established in education and discusses current problems that hamper further expansion of its use in education. Keywords: education in Papiamentu; language and education; language and politics in the Dutch Antilles
Abstract
Although the Spanish/Portuguese-based Creole Papiamentu is widely used on Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, its role in education continues to spark highly emotional debates. Except for four Dutch-medium schools, most schools in Curaçao and Bonaire use Papiamentu in the lower grades of primary school and some schools employ both languages in higher grades. In secondary and vocational education Papiamentu is taught as a subject and widely used to support Dutch-medium education. In Aruba, the medium of instruction is Dutch and Papiamentu is taught as a subject in the lower grades of secondary education. This paper critically reviews the process that led to Papiamentu becoming established in education and discusses current problems that hamper further expansion of its use in education. Keywords: education in Papiamentu; language and education; language and politics in the Dutch Antilles
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Creoles in education 1
- Raising critical language awareness in Hawai‘i at Da Pidgin Coup 31
- Chabacano for everyone? 55
- The Teaching of Creole in Guadeloupe 81
- Integrating local languages and cultures into the education system of French Guiana 107
- Kriol in Caribbean Nicaragua schools 133
- Swimming against the tide 167
- Introducing French Creole as a language of instruction in education in St. Lucia 183
- Bilingual education among the Karipúna and Galibi-Marwono 211
- Language and education in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao 237
- Cape Verdean in education 273
- Trilingual education 297
- Bibliography 323
- Biographical sketches of contributors 351
- Index 355
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Creoles in education 1
- Raising critical language awareness in Hawai‘i at Da Pidgin Coup 31
- Chabacano for everyone? 55
- The Teaching of Creole in Guadeloupe 81
- Integrating local languages and cultures into the education system of French Guiana 107
- Kriol in Caribbean Nicaragua schools 133
- Swimming against the tide 167
- Introducing French Creole as a language of instruction in education in St. Lucia 183
- Bilingual education among the Karipúna and Galibi-Marwono 211
- Language and education in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao 237
- Cape Verdean in education 273
- Trilingual education 297
- Bibliography 323
- Biographical sketches of contributors 351
- Index 355
