The teachers expressed two views about the importance of Pijin/vernacular languages in education. They either affirmed the strong positive outcome of students using vernacular in the English classroom, or they felt that other languages should only be used in early childhood and primary school level education. At the same time, however, six teachers acknowledged the place of Pijin in the classrooms.
When the teachers were asked about how they viewed their students’ language practices TU1 explained that allowing their students to use their vernacular assisted in their use of English.
TU1: Some students, when they learn in their own vernacular and they translate to English their writing is accurate.
TU2 expressed a similar view. She mentioned noticing students in the rural school writing more effectively than those in some of the urban schools. When asked why this might be, she explained that the students used their vernacular to translate and interpret the English content. She saw this as an enabling process.
TU2: What I find with vernacular is the students understand it better. From vernacular they are able to interpret in English and their English is written well in comparison to students using Pijin in town.
Furthermore, TU2 felt that there was an advantage for students using their vernacular.
TU2: So what I see is that from [vernacular] language to English is easier with the connection. The way they think enables them to connect themselves and express themselves in their writing. Although in their speaking it is a bit difficult, especially with the accent and pronunciation. But when they organise their thoughts and put it on paper, [it] is far better than those students who use Pijin and English and put it on paper.
TU2 saw the importance of the vernacular but not Pijin in the learning of the English curriculum.
TU2: I think they should improve the English curriculum by involving other languages in the Solomon Islands for the students to learn. Why not have one in the Solomon Islands, for example the Guadalcanal language because it is the main language [dialect]. We teach it as well as use it. I think it will help the students avoid sentences they make up because of the influence of Pijin.
TU2 had the view Pijin was having a negative impact to the learning of English, but did not state why. This may have been a result of the negative views commonly held about Pijin.
TU4 and TU1 reiterated TU2’s view on this subject when talking about language transfer.
TU4: I tend to think that the students who come to school think in a local language but they write in English.
TU1: When the students do this, the meaning of their writing is okay and their essay is similar in meaning but written well in English.
TR2 felt that Pijin/vernacular language should be used because of the benefits of being able to tap into the students’ stronger language to support learning in English.
TR2: I think there is a role for other languages in the English curriculum. It helps especially the slow learners to understand what you are saying, then you use other languages to explain it to them, simplify it to them.
One teacher, TU3, offered the view that the use of Pijin/vernacular in education is appropriate, provided that it occurs only in childhood and primary levels.
TU3: While some may argue that you need to switch back to vernacular, I think it is more relevant in the very lower forms, very young students, because they do not have that background, so you need to get back to what they can understand in order to develop their concepts….But as the students develop, and the higher you become especially the secondary, I think there should be the need to emphasise the English language.
The teachers were further questioned about what language the students felt most comfortable using. The majority of teachers felt that Pijin was their preference. TU1 and TU2 stated the following.
TU1: These students are more comfortable to speak Pijin rather than English inside the classroom. I mean to express their views inside the classroom, their answers, and express themselves. They are comfortable with using Pijin.
TU2: If I have them speak in English they are not expressive. But if I allow them to speak in Pijin the expressions come out very clearly. Their creativity is displayed very well.
Four teachers mentioned that students articulated their views well when they used Pijin because it helped them to clearly understand concepts. They emphasized the importance of providing an avenue for the students to do so. One teacher’s comment illustrates this clearly.
TU4: It is good to have someone express his or her idea in the language in which he or she is confident.
The teachers’ views demonstrate that while they favoured English-only instruction in the classroom, they also accepted the use of other languages. The teachers articulated their beliefs about the place of Pijin/vernacular in the English curriculum and the positive attitudes related to L1 use. It was felt that Pijin was the strongest language of the students in the classroom. Sometimes this was at odds with what they had earlier stated.
6.3.2 Teachers’ perceptions about the place of code-switching in