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“UTILIZING BOTH LANGUAGES”

Dear Editor,

 

I think it’s time to clarify to the public that one of the important functions of the Department of Education is to collect data and seek educational research to answer important questions. In the coming school year, the Dual Language program will be piloted.

 

The Dual Language program is a strategy or an instructional approach utilizing Samoan and English Language back to back. You’re probably thinking, “Haven’t we been utilizing Samoan language in the past for clarification? Yes we have, but this time, it’s standardized, with the same vocabulary words being used by teachers in teaching English, are the same words used in the Samoan language. Our children come to school speaking Samoan or English and few with both, so the Dual Language approach would be most appropriate for them to understand concepts being taught.

 

As the Department moves to “pilot” this research, some members of the community have already misconstrued the essence of this language approach, because of a lack of understanding. In doing research there’s process, and we are going through a process, as we have always done to pilot and then implement an educational program: Pilot first to get results.

 

All educational issues in the US Department of Education are conducted in this manner, to find what works well in educating students in the classroom.

 

Why are we piloting this program?

 

For years local student achievement in reading comprehension and math has been a major problem. Utilizing both languages should improve comprehension in both languages. Collecting data from this pilot program will help and direct our decision in making more improvements, such as setting up workshops to improve teacher knowledge and provide data to see if the strategy helps student ability to comprehend when both languages are used. 

 

You may be thinking, “Our students are able to speak the English language” — but 60%- 70% of them are reading below the basic level, 3 or 4 grades below level and lack comprehension in reading.  They also lack skills to comprehend college level and local government exams. (Remember the police academy examination — a basic English and Math test.)

 

We understand it’s not a law yet, but we are trying to find supporting evidence in our research to support that change. And it’s only to change the law to state that our Samoan language be used as the other medium of instruction, not just for clarification, but as standardized curriculum in utilizing both languages in the teaching approach. Other nations use their own language to ensure that students are able to conceptualize and comprehend in their own language first, so that learning another language becomes easier.

 

I must say that our society has been influenced with westernized ways, and we have to realize the fact that we are bi-lingual, bi- cultural, as a means of survival. And we have been misguided in thinking that we can only be successful in learning English. In essence, mastering both languages is much more beneficial and rewarding to our community, to our culture and to our government. 

 

I keep hearing people saying “we want to maintain our culture”, but how can we maintain our Samoan culture, if we don’t teach our Samoan language? Where is the pride in our language, if we don’t have the passion for it and teach it to our children, so that they can speak for themselves, and not let others speak for them.  

 

As an educator, I don’t want to look back and say, well, we should’ve done more in preserving our Samoan language.

 

 Taligalu Robert Lufilufi Soliai