The leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are cognisant of the many neighbouring Spanish-speaking countries and believethat in order to foster better Caribbean integration, consideration must be given to facilitating and encouraging the teaching of Spanish in the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean.

Hence, in 1997, CARICOM mandated the enhancement ofthe teaching of Spanish in schools at the Primary Level in its member states. Each member state was expected to execute this mandate in its individual territory. In response, the Ministry of Education in Jamaica launched a pilot programme in thirteen (13) schools at the Primary Level, the Primary Level Spanish Pilot Programme (PLSPP) in 2004.

A Philosophical Framework was created to guide the enhancement of the teaching of Spanish at the Primary Level in CARICOM member states. The Philosophical Framework states that the teaching of Spanish should begin at Kindergarten or Grade 1, depending on the school’s offerings. However, Jamaica’sLanguage Education Policy documentstates that the teaching of Spanish should commence at Grade 4 at the Primary Level.

In addition to this disparity, six (6) teachers who were involved in the PLSPP and were not aware of the dictates of the Language Education Policy, indicated by way of questionnaire, that the teaching of Spanish at the Primary Level should commence at Grade 4. These teachers were teaching in schools where Spanish was taught from Grade 1, in accordance with CARICOM’s Philosophical Framework.

The reasons for their particular stance include the younger students’ lack of world knowledge and the interference of the Jamaican vernacular. These varying positions regarding the Grades in which the teaching/learning of Spanish should commence are examined through the literature regarding best practices in early foreign language learning.