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Caribbean Journal of Education

Toward a Policy on Foreign Language Study for the Commonwealth Caribbean

Pages: 
79-93
Publication Date: 
April 1995
Issue: 
Abstract: 

Over the past decade, the number of students studying foreign languages at tertiary level in the Caribbean has declined. The general perception among secondary school students is that there is no real need to study to an advanced level the two major foreign languages taught, because they are not essential to social promotion. In a world where our official language, English, is also the dominant international language, the motivation to master any other is often lacking, particularly in view of the fact that so far, there has been relatively little personal contact with native speakers of Spanish or French. For many, the mastery of English itself poses many problems and consequently there is a belief that more time and effort should be put into the study of English and other subjects considered more useful (for example, Computer Science, Accounts, Natural Sciences, Microelectronics, and so on) than into foreign language study. Furthermore, advanced study of foreign languages appears to limit the vast majority of students to a single profession, teaching, which generally is not well remunerated. 

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