7.b Education and Language Diversity

Introduction:

As of October 2021, Saint Lucian educational statistics noted 25840 students, 2015 teachers, and 1644 trained teachers (“Homepage \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training,” n.d.) on the island; however, no information currently existed on the language capabilities of teachers in an increasingly multilingual environment. The importance of language diversity and vitality in society was recently highlighted in the observance of the 2021 International Mother Language Day, and that year’s theme for the annual UNESCO celebration was “Fostering Multilingualism for Inclusion in Education And Society” (Joseph, 2021). The latter focused on the significance of an ‘individual’s first language, indigenous language, native language emphasizing that instruction of such languages should begin in the early years’. This theme was said to be the impetus for further development of the Saint Lucian Nation Language Policy, and can also support efforts to monitor, preserve, and examine this language (Joseph, 2021).

Therefore, I am currently attempting to utilize surveys and data science tools to investigate and establish foundational truths about the linguistic environment in Saint Lucia, with particular attention to the vitality status of the local heritage language of Saint Lucian Creole (Antillean Creole/ Kwéyòl/ Patois/ Patwa). These surveys will be executed with close consideration of the articles present in the ‘Charter on Language Policy and Language Rights in the Creole-Speaking Caribbean’ (ICCLR, 2011; Harris, 2011; Pousada, 2011). Conducting a series of surveys will not only aid my educational pursuits but will also serve to bolster the execution of the upcoming Saint Lucian national language policy (Lucia, 2021; CAMDU, 2018; of Education, 2017; Satney, 2021; Harris, 2011; of Education, 2021; Joseph, 2021). This survey will focus on the crucial providers of education in Saint Lucia.

Goals:

Some academics have suggested that despite the ongoing social change in attitude towards the creole culture and language in local communities ‘formal school instruction in Creole-speaking communities has seen comparatively little change’ (Migge et al., 2010). This undertaking will finally enact Carrington’s wishes from 1999 (missing reference) - the creation of quantifiable data on the current status of the language, by investigating its usage among some of the most crucial members of Saint Lucia’s labor force. The work of teachers, medical workers, lawyers, and law enforcement, are valuable to this study as they are respected pillars of society whose tasks typically require frequent interaction with the Saint Lucian public. It is hoped that this quantifiable data will aid in allocating teaching and learning language resources to these crucial members of society; perhaps the subsequent association of Kwéyòl with these respected professions will assist in its recognition and elevation (Hutchinson, 1998). I am inclined to believe that connecting Kwéyòl with elite members of society may be yet another necessary step towards recognizing it as an official language of Saint Lucia.

As of 2013, one academic did attempt to investigate the Teachers’ and Teacher Educators’ Linguistic Diversity in Saint Lucia (as part of obtaining a degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Childhood Education and Literacy Studies) (Smith, 2013). However, this was focused on an individual ‘English-speaking Caribbean multilingual educator’s response to linguistic diversity’ and therefore focused on this one person’s perceptions and attitudes (Smith, 2013). Soley basing a linguistic study on one person’s perceptions seems inadequate in a multilingual multiracial environment; such investigations may benefit from questions geared to assessing facts and genuine experiences (as studies on opinions and perceptions appear to be numerous yet non-progressive).

As of September 2021, the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training hosted an online National Language Policy Implementation Planning Conference through the Curriculum and Materials Development Unit (CAMDU) (Satney, 2021; Lucia, 2021). The updated policy was stated to have four main goals for Kwéyòl; to recognize it as an official language, to utilize it as a language of instruction, that all students should become bilingual upon primary school completion, and that students will become bi-literate upon secondary school completion (Joseph, 2021).

Notably, during the conference, Professor Hubert Devonish provided an impassioned discussion on the difference between national language policy and an education language policy, and also highlighted the importance of ‘The Charter on Language Policy and Language Rights in the Creole-speaking Caribbean’. Professor Hazel Simmons-McDonald Evidence-Basedementing Kwéyòl Instruction’ using ‘Evidence Based Approaches’; she noted that integrating Kwéyòl in the classroom may assist with improving student’s ability to grab crucial concepts and that observing teachers’ Kwéyòl competency levels may support this effort.

Ultimately, the goal of the current National Language Policy would be to ensure full literacy in Kwéyòl. It was reported that CAMDU Specialists, working on a language policy for the teaching of the Kwéyòl language in schools on the island, are hoping to have the completed implementation plan and already formulated draft policy presented to the Government of Saint Lucia by January of 2022 (Satney, 2021). Mention was made of the ongoing works to survey crucial members of society and their roles in the linguistic environment of Saint Lucia (Edu Saint Lucia Plus, 2021; Satney, 2021).

Thus far, all of these attempts have been pivotal yet incremental steps towards raising the status of the Kwéyòl language. Unfortunately, it has yet to become recognized as an official language of the country, nor is it recognized by most modern translation systems. Language death can be associated with language shifts where an ethnic group’s members no longer learn their heritage language as their first language; these surveys are at the very least are geared towards determining if Kwéyòl is still being used as a first language on the island (Maffi, 2002; Edwards, 2003; Tonkin et al., 2003). Overall, these past efforts highlight the crucial need to quantify, monitor, and digitize the language to effectively preserve it for future generations.

Methodology:

By clicking the submit button, I agree to the terms & conditions:

Participation Consent Agreement:

This demographic and linguistic research study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU). This research study is led by Laurel Lord, a Ph. D. candidate in Data Science Department at HU. The faculty advisors for this study are Dr. Kayla Jordan, Assistant Professor of Social Analytics, and Mark Newman, Corporate Faculty of Analytics.

This study is being conducted in compliance with the standards and guidelines given by the HU IRB. The Collaborative Institution Training Initiative (CITI) Programme has certified the researcher, Laurel Lord, for human-subject research.

Purpose of the Study:

The purpose of this research is to gather general demographic data of Saint Lucian medical professionals and identify their patterns of linguistic interactions with the public on the multilingual island of Saint Lucia. There will be a specific focus on the second most prevalent language - Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa). The responses of participants will be run through textual analytical tools to provide insight into the medical environment that Saint Lucians, particularly Kwéyòl speakers, experience.

Participant Tasks:

Each participant is asked to fill out an anonymous online survey to provide their basic demographic details, statements on their multilingual capacities, and statements on the language diversity of patient interactions. The form contains ten (10) questions that each participant should be able to complete in less than twenty minutes.

Participant Risks and Discomforts:

There is no anticipated risk for the participant in this research. All information will be protected, and the confidentiality of the data will be maintained throughout this research.

Survey Benefits:

The collection of profession-specific labour statistical data is uncommon in Saint Lucia. Additionally, there appears to be low societal consideration of the increasing multilingual environment; therefore, data collection and analysis of this specific profession could serve as a template for job-specific data collection and improve the medical care offered to the inhabitants of Saint Lucia.

Participation is Voluntary:

Survey participation is voluntary, and individuals may choose not to participate if uncomfortable with answering any of the questions after signing the consent form; this can be done by withdrawing from the survey at any time without penalty. To withdraw, close the form window without hitting the “Submit” button.

Participant Compensation:

There is no compensation for participation as this research will be distributed internally by the St. Lucia Medical and Dental Association.

Privacy/Confidentiality/Data Security:

Based on the survey’s design, there is no overt identifying material being collected; there is no data on one’s exact location, email addresses, phone numbers, or government-issued personal identification numbers. All submitted data will be gathered into a password-protected main document. This data will be saved on a standard thumb drive for three years after the publication of the report.

Non-identifiable data, and a report, will be submitted to the St. Lucia Medical and Dental Association. The Central Statistical Office of Saint Lucia, and the Saint Lucia Folk Research Centre (FRC).

Enquires/Questions:

Any questions may be directed to Laurel Lord at lalord@my.harrisburgu.edu. Questions or concerns regarding your rights as a subject in this study may be directed to HU IRB via 717-901-5100 or their website at harrisburgu.edu/irb.

Question Design:

Survey questions were designed based on various past surveys and investigations of educators (Dockrell et al., 2017; Martins et al., 2019; Vivash et al., 2018; Dockrell et al., 2017; Knudsen et al., 2021; English language General Teacher Questionnaire, 2016; Dolcy, 2019; Chitolie-Joseph, 2008; Knudsen et al., 2021; Migge et al., 2010). Demographic questions included questions on Age, Gender (with the option to self-describe), Ethnicity/Race (with the option to self-describe), and Highest Level of Education as those may add additional context to one’s linguistic background; the list of Ethnicity/Race options was inspired by historical settlement data specific to the region, as well as recent immigration data (PM, 2015; Team, 2021; CIP, 2020). An enquiry is also made about one’s Citizenship, as this may give additional details as to whether locals or foreign nationals are more likely to be exposed to diverse linguistic backgrounds that benefit the teaching field.

Questions into the number of years one has been employed by the Saint Lucian Government as a teacher, level(s) of education taught, and courses taught may reflect one’s experiences and one’s likelihood of exposure to multilingual situations; salary questions may speak to possible future incentives for utilising or acquiring additional language skills. Location details on the current teaching districts of participants may also reveal details about language hotspots on the island (“Homepage \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training,” n.d.); which locations might have high numbers of certain languages, as well as reflect the number of teachers capable of addressing those needs. One report indicated that ‘the majority of tourists visit Saint Lucia as part of a cruise. Most of their time is likely to be spent in Castries, although Soufriere, Marigot Bay, and Gros Islet are popular locations to visit’ (MH, 2016). Language hotspots may be determined by gathering such details.

It should, however, be noted that districting in the educational system is different from other districting frameworks on the island; for example, this system has only eight (8) districts, whereas the 2001 census noted ten (10) districts (stats.govt.lc, n.d.). In some cases, districts acknowledged in the census are combined in the educational system; for example, ‘District Five’ serves the 2001 census districts of Dennery and Micoud (“District Five \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training,” n.d.). It is said to stretch from ‘Grande Riviere in Dennery to Anse Ger in Deruisseaux’ and encompasses about thirteen (13) schools - only one being a private) (“District Five \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training,” n.d.). Other Educational Districts can share coverage of larger census districts, like the capital city of Castries. District Two’s office is located in Sans Souci, (‘approximately five minutes away from the Ministry of Education’) and serves ‘thirteen schools, eleven (11) of which are public and two (2) are private institutions’ (Vernor, n.d.); District Three is said to span ‘the Southern extremes of the city centre from Tapion to a belt encompassing the immediate suburbs stretching into the hills of Forestiere’ (Polius, n.d.). District Two and Three may be of particular interest since they fall within the city area laden with commerce and tourism traffic; therefore, these districts may present valuable language hotspot information.

Linguistic questions enquired into participant awareness of non-English language assistance programmes in their work environment, if multilinguals’ skills were ever a useful asset, and if they perceived language barriers while executing their required tasks; it is hoped that such data could lead to improved training on currently available resources, or inspire improved resource allocation towards language needs.

Like the list of Ethnicity/Race options, language list options were inspired by historical settlement data specific to the region, and recent immigration and tourism data (PM, 2015; Team, 2021; CIP, 2020). Options were included for survey participants that may have encountered various forms of sign language, languages that were not represented within the scope of the survey, and languages that they could not readily identify (‘unrecognised languages’).

Additionally, linguistic questions focused on gathering details on one’s first language, and if they spoke additional languages. There was also a focus on the frequency with which one encountered various languages; this was an attempt to see if the current language environment truly reflected historical settlement, immigration, and tourism data. It is hoped that the information gathered from these questions may better enable the resource allocation to the language needs of works and the people they serve.

Future Works:

Ultimately, the survey may not be perfect and may have room for improvement in the future. It is hoped that these works will serve as a template for annual assessments moving forward. With the current iteration, the window for describing linguistic experiences was deliberately not rigid; it allowed participants to consider and comment on relevant linguistic experiences encountered throughout the entirety of their professional life. To avoid overlapping data points in the future, the next survey interval will need to be about a year from the last launch; this would allow better annual trend tracking of these professionals’ experiences. Future studies may include surveying other educators that may not be directly employed by the local government.

Preliminary Written Report: 37 Responses

‘Kwéyòl Focus’ Summary:

So far, the results appear to confirm the assumption that Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl) is the second most spoken language among teachers and students; however, there is room for improvement in literacy levels as most are unable to read and write the language.

Demographics:

The youngest participants’ ages range between 18-24; 55-59 being the oldest. The most common age ranges were 30-34 and 35-39 (tied). Mostly female-identified persons have responded; only one male-identified response was recorded. Additionally, all participants indicated that ‘By birth (birthplace of Saint Lucia)’ they were citizens. Most respondents identified as Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, etc.); others identified as having ‘Mixed Parentage (two or more races)’. Most persons had Bachelor’s Degrees. This was followed by those with Master’s Degrees, then Community College/ Associate’s Degree. Respondents with Post-secondary non-university education were the rarest.

Most have served 11-15 years employed by the Saint Lucian Government as a teacher. Most respondents were from District Seven, followed by District Four; District One and Five were tied. Primary School/ Elementary Schools had the highest number of participants. This was followed by Secondary School/ Middle & High School; English was the most commonly taught subject at this level. Most persons preferred not to discuss their student loan debt. However, the respondents that did, had debt ranging from .01 XCD - 5,000 XCD to above 100,000 XCD; most were on the lower end of the range.

Linguistics:

Most indicated that their workplace did not directly offer students any formal non-English language assistance programmes; that external interpreter services would be recommended.

Most (more than half) respondents have not encountered language barriers. Those that did mostly encountered obstacles with Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl); this was followed by French and Spanish in similar numbers. Mandarin Chinese was also mentioned.

English is the most common first language reported, however, there were instances where participants indicated Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl). The former indicated high ‘speaking’, ‘reading’, ‘writing’, and ‘understanding’ levels. The latter had high ‘speaking’ and ‘understanding’ levels, yet, had fairly low reading and writing levels (writing being the lowest). The majority of all languages (including Second and Third) were acquired through formal education.

Most participants that indicated an ability to speak more than one language positively indicated that their multilingual skill has been a useful asset to educating students. Most do speak a second language; Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl) was the most common; followed by English. Spanish and French were the most common third languages. Most indicate that they are able to speak Kwéyòl ‘well’ or ‘very well’ and understand it at those same levels. However, very few noted the ability to read the language ‘very well’, and none were able to write it at that level. It should also be noted that there were respondents that indicated an inability to speak it at all; however, there was at least an ability to either read, write or listen, with skills ranging from ‘not well’ to ‘well’.

Student interactions in English occur ‘Frequently’, but mostly ‘Very Frequently’. Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl) is the next highest frequency; this ranges from ‘Occasionally’ to ‘Very Frequently’ (but mostly ‘Occasionally’). French is most often encountered ‘Occasionally’. Guadeloupean and Haitian Creole somewhat mirror responses; the frequency ranged from ‘Never’ to ‘Occasionally’, however, Guadeloupean encounters are more frequent than Haitian.

Spanish had a significant number of ‘Very Rarely’, ‘Frequently’, and ‘Occasionally’ occurring encounters (but was most noted as ‘Never’). Portuguese (or any Romance language not mentioned) somewhat mirrored the type of encounters but had a lower frequency, levels. A significant number of participants encountered Arabic ‘Very Rarely’ (but was mostly ‘Never’ encountered). ‘Any form of sign language’ also had a significant number of ‘Rarely’ and ‘Very Rarely’ occurring encounters (but was mostly ‘Never’ encountered). While Dutch was also mostly noted as ‘Never’, yet it had a significant number of ‘Very Rarely’ occurring encounters. Japanese had a notable number of ‘Very Rarely’ and ‘Occasionally’ occurring encounters but was most noted as ‘Never’; Mandarin Chinese somewhat mirrors this pattern, with notable numbers of ‘Rarely’ and ‘Very Rarely’ occurring encounters but was most noted as ‘Never’.

Most of the remaining languages have encounters that are less frequent than the aforementioned ones above. For example, the Korean language was only noted twice where their highest rating occurred ‘Occasionally’. Most ‘Never’ encounter ‘Unrecognised language(s)’; only two responses noted that this would occur either ‘Rarely’ and ‘Occasionally’. Amerindian languages were only encountered by one participant, where it occurred ‘Very Rarely’. Russian (Armenian or any Balto-Slavic language not mentioned) and Swedish (or any North Germanic/ Uralic language not mentioned) were not encountered by any participant.

References:

1. Homepage \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. In https://www.education.gov.lc/. https://www.education.gov.lc/
2. Joseph, L. (2021). National language policy underway for Saint Lucia. In Saint Lucia - Access Government. Government of Saint Lucia. http://www.govt.lc/news/national-language-policy-underway-for-saint-lucia
3. ICCLR. (2011). The Charter on Language Policy and Language Rights in the Creole-speaking Caribbean. In International Centre for Caribbean Language Research Working Group (ICCLR). ICCLR. http://caribbeanlanguagepolicy.weebly.com/charter.html
4. Harris, R. M. (2011). Dame Pearlette presents paper pertinent to language policy. In Saint Lucia - Access Government. Government of Saint Lucia. http://www.govt.lc/news/dame-pearlette-presents-paper-pertinent-to-language-policy
5. Pousada, A. (2011). Linguists in the resolution of Caribbean language problems. Paper Presented at the College English Association: Caribbean Chapter Conference Held on April, 15, 16. https://tinyurl.com/kxmc8866
6. Lucia, C. A. M. D. U. S. (2021). National Language Policy \textbar Camdu St. Lucia. In National Language Policy. https://camdu.edu.lc/curriculum-guides-i/language-arts-curriculum-guides/national-language-policy/
7. CAMDU. (2018). Draft Saint Lucia National Language Policy. In Draft Saint Lucia National Language Policy. CAMDU. https://camdu.edu.lc/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Draft-Saint-Lucia-National-Language-Policy.pdf
8. of Education, M. (2017). Language education policies to be developed in Saint Lucia. In Saint Lucia - Access Government. Government of Saint Lucia. http://www.govt.lc/news/language-education-policies-to-be-developed-in-saint-lucia
9. Satney, C. (2021). National language policy underway. In Saint Lucia - Access Government. Government of Saint Lucia. http://www.govt.lc/news/national-language-policy-underway
10. of Education, M. (2021). Virtual national language policy IMPLEMENTATION planning Conference, today. In govt.lc/news. Saint Lucia - Access Government. http://www.govt.lc/news/virtual-national-language-policy-implementation-planning-conference-today
11. Migge, B., Léglise, I., & Bartens, A. (2010). Creoles in education. A discussion of pertinent issues. John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.36.01mig
12. Hutchinson, P. (1998). Linguistics conference. In Saint Lucia - Access Government. Government of Saint Lucia. http://www.govt.lc/news/linguistics-conference
13. Smith, P. (2013). Crossing cultural boundaries: Explorations in multilingual teaching and learning. University of South Florida. https://www.proquest.com/openview/ad48158b951fcb737834f87adeaa7fc6/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750
14. Edu Saint Lucia Plus. (2021). Saint Lucia National Language Policy Implementation Conference: Future Surveys. https://youtu.be/L3T9MMHqq0Y?t=12097
15. Maffi, L. (2002). Endangered languages, endangered knowledge. International Social Science Journal, 54(173), 385–393. https://doi.org/abs/10.1111/1468-2451.00390
16. Edwards, J. (2003). Language and the future. Language in the Twenty-First Century: Selected Papers of the Millenial Conferences of the Center for Research and Documentation on World Language Problems, Held at the University of Hartford and Yale University, 1, 35.
17. Tonkin, H., Reagan, T. G., & others. (2003). Language in the 21st century (Vol. 1). John Benjamins Publishing.
18. Dockrell, J., Llaurado, A., Hurry, J., Cowan, R., Flouri, E., & Dawson, A. (2017). Review of assessment measures in the early years. Language and Literacy, Numeracy, and Socialemotional Development and Mental Health. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julie-Dockrell/publication/321429882_Early_Years_Measure_Database/links/5a218b8c0f7e9b71dd0331b4/Early-Years-Measure-Database.pdf
19. Martins, M. A., Sousa Otı́lia, Castro São Luı́s, Dockrell, J., Papadopoulos, T., & Mifsud, C. (2019). Views from Portuguese teachers on multilingualism and educational practices in multilingualclassrooms. Analise Psicologica, 37(4), 493–506.
20. Vivash, J., Dockrell, J., & Lee, F. (2018). The re-alignment of educational psychologists in supporting primary schools to enhance provision for children with speech language and communication needs. Educational and Child Psychology, 43–59.
21. Dockrell, J. E., Howell, P., Leung, D., & Fugard, A. J. B. (2017). Children with speech language and communication needs in england: challenges for Practice. Frontiers in Education, 2, 35.
22. Knudsen, H. B. S., Donau, P. S., L. Mifsud, C., Papadopoulos, T. C., & Dockrell, J. E. (2021). Multilingual classrooms—danish teachers’ practices, beliefs and attitudes. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 65(5), 767–782.
23. English language General Teacher Questionnaire. (2016). The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/pisa2015/questionnaires/General_Teacher_Q_English.html
24. Dolcy, T. J. (2019). Preservation & revitalisation of marginal languages: a study of Creoles and adult learning and education. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/49930
25. Chitolie-Joseph, E. (2008). The development and state of the art of adult learning and education (ALE): national report of Saint Lucia \textbar VOCEDplus, the international tertiary education and research database. In National Report of Saint Lucia. Ministry of Education and Culture. https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A41296
26. PM, S. L. U. (2015). Citizenship by Investment starts January. In Saint Lucia - Access Government. http://www.govt.lc/news/citizenship-by-investment-starts-january
27. Team, I. M. I. (2021). Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program Statistics. In Investment Migration Insider. Investment Migration Insider. https://www.imidaily.com/datacenter/saint-lucia-citizenship-by-investment-program-statistics/
28. CIP, S. L. (2020). CIP FAQs. In Citizenship By Investment. cipsaintlucia.com. https://www.cipsaintlucia.com/faqs
29. MH, S. L. U. (2016). Saint Lucia’s Biennial Chief Medical Officer’s Report 2012-2014. In Ministry of Health. Ministry of Health and Wellness. https://untobaccocontrol.org/impldb/wp-content/uploads/saint_lucia_2018_annex-1_chief_medical_officer_report_2014.pdf
30. stats.govt.lc. A “Basic Needs” Index for St. Lucia at the level of Small Areas for the 2010 Population and Housing Census). In The Central Statistical Office of Saint Lucia. https://stats.gov.lc/publications/
31. District Five \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. In https://www.education.gov.lc/. https://www.education.gov.lc/school-supervision/district-five/
32. Vernor, J. District Two \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. In https://www.education.gov.lc/. https://www.education.gov.lc/school-supervision/district-two/
33. Polius, L. District Three \textbar Ministry of Education, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. In https://www.education.gov.lc/. https://www.education.gov.lc/school-supervision/district-three/

Appendix:

Questions:

Online Survey of Saint Lucian Teachers

1. Please indicate which of the following best describe (s) you.

Age:

Less than 18

18-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75 or older

Prefer not to respond

Gender:

Man

Woman

Prefer not to respond

Prefer to self-describe (1. Self-describe gender:)

Citizenship:

By birth (birthplace of Saint Lucia)

By birth (parents)

By birth (other)

By naturalisation (ordinary)

By registration (citizenship by investment)

By registration (adoption, marriage, parental legacy, residency status, administrative discretion)

Non-citizen (OECS national)

Non-citizen (other)

Prefer not to respond

Ethnicity/Race

Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, etc.)

White/ North European (English, French, German, Irish, Polish, etc.)

Amerindian (Arawak/ Taino, Carib, etc.)

American Indian/ Alaska Native (Aztec, Mayan, Navajo Nation, etc.)

East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Tibetan, etc.)

Hispanic/ Latino/ Spanish Origin (Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Central/ South American, etc.)

Indian Subcontinent/ South Asia (Afghan, Bangladeshi, Indian, Jordanian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, etc.)

Middle Eastern/ North African (Algerian, Bahraini, Lebanese, Arab, Moroccan, Syrian, Yemeni, etc.)

Native Hawaiian/ Other Pacific Islander (Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Fijian, Tongan, Marshallese, etc.)

Southeast Asian (Burmese, Filipino, Indonesian, Laotian, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, Vietnamese, etc.)

Mixed Parentage (two or more races)

Not known

Some other race, ethnicity, or origin (self-describe) (1. Self-describe ethnicity/race:)

Prefer not to respond

Highest Level of Education:

Secondary School/ Middle & High School

Vocational/ Tertiary Education

Post-secondary Non-University Education

Some College Courses

Community College/ Associate’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s Degree

Doctoral or Professional Courses (e.g., PhD, M.D., J.D.)

Prefer not to respond

2. Please indicate the number of years you have been employed by the Saint Lucian Government as a teacher. Round up to whole years regardless of part-time, full-time, or certification status.

Less than 1

1-5

6-10

11-15

16-20

21-25

26-30

31 or more

3. Please indicate the option(s) that best describes your current teaching district; please check all that apply.

District One

District Two

District Three

District Four

District Five

District Six

District Seven

District Eight

Island-wide

4. Please indicate the level(s) of education that you teach. Check all that apply.

Early Childhood Development

Multi-grade Education (students from different grades in the same classroom)

Special Education

Primary School/ Elementary School

Secondary School/ Middle & High School

Vocational/ Tertiary Education

Post-secondary Non-University Education

Community College/ Associate’s Degree Courses

Bachelor’s Courses

Master’s Courses

Doctoral or Professional Courses (e.g., PhD, M.D., J.D.)

4b. If you teach courses beyond primary school, what courses do you teach? Check all that apply.

Business (Accounting, Consumer education, Marketing, etc.)

Computer Science/Information Technology (Computer programming, Graphic design, Music production, etc.)

Culture and Heritage Language Education (Saint Lucian Kwéyòl Studies) English (Creative Writing, Humanities, Literary Analysis, etc.)

Family and Consumer Science (CPR Training, Home Economics, Nutrition, etc.)

Foreign Language (French, Japanese, Spanish, etc.)

Mathematics (Algebra, Quantitative Literacy, Statistics, etc.)

Performing Arts (Choir, Drama, Theatre Technology, etc.)

Physical Education (Dance, Football, Lifeguard Training, etc.)

Science (Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, etc.)

Social Studies (Geography, History, Religious Studies, etc.)

Visual Arts (Digital Media, Drawing, Photography, etc.)

Vocational Education (Cosmetology, Plumbing, Hospitality and Tourism etc.)

5. Please indicate your current student debt level.

None

Prefer not to respond

.01 XCD - 5,000 XCD

5,001 XCD - 15,000 XCD

15,0001 XCD - 25,000 XCD

25,001 XCD - 35,000 XCD

35,001 XCD - 45,000 XCD

45,001 XCD - 55,000 XCD

55,001 XCD - 65,000 XCD

65,001 XCD - 75,000 XCD

75,001 XCD - 85,000 XCD

85,001 XCD - 95,000 XCD

95,001 XCD - 100,000 XCD

Above 100,000 XCD

6. Please indicate if your workplace directly offers students any formal non-English language assistance programmes.

Yes, internal interpreter services are available to students.

No, external interpreter services would be recommended.

7. Please indicate if a perceived language barrier has ever limited any of your teacher-student interactions.

Yes

No

7b. If ‘yes’, please indicate the language(s) you encountered; please select all that apply.

English

Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa)

French

Guadeloupean Creole

Haitian Creole

Spanish

Portuguese (or any Romance language not mentioned)

Papiamento

Amerindian (including Arawakan, Cariban, etc.)

Arabic (or any Afro-Asiatic language not mentioned)

Dutch (including Afrikaans)

Hindi (or any Indo-Iranian/ Dravidian language not mentioned)

German (or any West Germanic language not mentioned)

Greek (or any Hellenic/ Armenian/ Albanian language not mentioned)

Indonesian (or any Austronesian/ Austroasiatic/ Kra-Dai language not mentioned)

Irish (or any Celtic language not mentioned)

Japanese

Korean

Mandarin Chinese (or any Sino-Tibetan language not mentioned)

Russian (Armenian or any Balto-Slavic language not mentioned)

Swahili (or any Niger-Congo/ African language not mentioned)

Swedish (or any North Germanic/ Uralic language not mentioned)

Turkish (or any Turkic/ Altaic language not mentioned)

Any form of sign language

Another language not represented

Unrecognised language(s)

8a. Please indicate the language you use most often to communicate and your proficiency. Note: “Listen/ Understand” can include scenarios where you can comprehend but not converse in a language. (Very well, Well, Not well, Not at all, Not applicable)

English

Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa)

French

Guadeloupean Creole

Haitian Creole

Spanish

Portuguese (or any Romance language not mentioned)

Papiamento

Amerindian (including Arawakan, Cariban, etc.)

Arabic (or any Afro-Asiatic language not mentioned)

Dutch (including Afrikaans)

Hindi (or any Indo-Iranian/ Dravidian language not mentioned)

German (or any West Germanic language not mentioned)

Greek (or any Hellenic/ Armenian/ Albanian language not mentioned)

Indonesian (or any Austronesian/ Austroasiatic/ Kra-Dai language not mentioned)

Irish (or any Celtic language not mentioned)

Japanese

Korean

Mandarin Chinese (or any Sino-Tibetan language not mentioned)

Russian (Armenian or any Balto-Slavic language not mentioned)

Swahili (or any Niger-Congo/ African language not mentioned)

Swedish (or any North Germanic/ Uralic language not mentioned)

Turkish (or any Turkic/ Altaic language not mentioned)

Any form of sign language

Another language not represented (Please manually list language(s):)

8b. Please indicate which technique best describes how you came to learn the aforementioned language; please select all that apply.

First Language [Formal education (requirement/elective); Informal education (hobby); Informal education (family & friends)]

9. Please indicate any secondary languages you use to communicate and your proficiency. Note: “Listen/ Understand” can include scenarios where you can comprehend but not converse in a language. (Very well, Well, Not well, Not at all, Not applicable)

[Second Language (2nd most often used at home & elsewhere)]

[Third Language (3rd most often used at home & elsewhere)]

I do not speak additional languages

I do not speak a third language

English

Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa)

French

Guadeloupean Creole

Haitian Creole

Spanish

Portuguese (or any Romance language not mentioned)

Papiamento

Amerindian (including Arawakan, Cariban, etc.)

Arabic (or any Afro-Asiatic language not mentioned)

Dutch (including Afrikaans)

Hindi (or any Indo-Iranian/ Dravidian language not mentioned)

German (or any West Germanic language not mentioned)

Greek (or any Hellenic/ Armenian/ Albanian language not mentioned)

Indonesian (or any Austronesian/ Austroasiatic/ Kra-Dai language not mentioned)

Irish (or any Celtic language not mentioned)

Japanese

Korean

Mandarin Chinese (or any Sino-Tibetan language not mentioned)

Russian (Armenian or any Balto-Slavic language not mentioned)

Swahili (or any Niger-Congo/ African language not mentioned)

Swedish (or any North Germanic/ Uralic language not mentioned)

Turkish (or any Turkic/ Altaic language not mentioned)

Any form of sign language

Another language not represented

9b. Please indicate which technique best describes how you came to learn each of the aforementioned languages; please select all that apply.

Second Language

[Formal education (requirement/elective); Informal education (hobby); Informal education (family & friends)]

Third Language

[Formal education (requirement/elective); Informal education (hobby); Informal education (family & friends)]

9c. If you do speak more than one language, please indicate if your multilingual skill was ever a useful asset to educating a student.

Yes

No

10. Please indicate how often you encounter each of the following languages during typical student interactions. This question requires one response per row.

English

Saint Lucian Creole (Kwéyòl, Patois, Patwa)

French

Guadeloupean Creole

Haitian Creole

Spanish

Portuguese (or any Romance language not mentioned)

Papiamento

Amerindian (including Arawakan, Cariban, etc.)

Arabic (or any Afro-Asiatic language not mentioned)

Dutch (including Afrikaans)

Hindi (or any Indo-Iranian/ Dravidian language not mentioned)

(Continued)10. Please indicate how often you encounter each of the following languages during typical student interactions. This question requires one response per row.

German (or any West Germanic language not mentioned)

Greek (or any Hellenic/ Armenian/ Albanian language not mentioned)

Indonesian (or any Austronesian/ Austroasiatic/ Kra-Dai language not mentioned)

Irish (or any Celtic language not mentioned)

Japanese

Korean

Mandarin Chinese (or any Sino-Tibetan language not mentioned)

Russian (Armenian or any Balto-Slavic language not mentioned)

Swahili (or any Niger-Congo/ African language not mentioned)

Swedish (or any North Germanic/ Uralic language not mentioned)

Turkish (or any Turkic/ Altaic language not mentioned)

Any form of sign language

Unrecognised language(s)