Cultural syncretisation and racial miscegenation have given birth to the Caribbean as a Creole space. The Creole dialect, a source of contention, has, for decades, remained basilectal while English preponderates in the classrooms. With this reality, several obstacles continue to surface, giving rise to the question of which language should be officialized in classrooms. Dennis Craig, Caribbean linguist, with decades of experience, pioneered work to institutionalize the vernacular in schools.

Against the background of the creole-language situation in Jamaica, the present paper examines the need for a study of language aptitudes. Also examined are the relevance of S. B. Carroll's theory of language aptitudes in the Jamaican situation, and the implications that become evident out of a comparison of children's performance in language-aptitude and learning-potential tests. The findings suggest that performance in both types of test is strongly influenced by social-class factors.

In this paper one specific technique for developing language proficiency in our pupils will be discussed. This technique, role playing, has been found by this writer to be uniquely suited to fostering the development of the many kinds of language skills and attitudes to variations in language use, which our pupils need in order to function confidently in our peculiar language situation.