Language for the Global Economy: Some curriculum fundamentals and pedagogical practices in the colonial educational enterprise

Abstract

The paper provides an example of contrivances undertaken to establish English as the language of the global economy. Trinidad and Tobago is the location chosen, and the late colonial period is the time frame used to demonstrate how the 'project' worked. The paper focuses upon some curricular and pedagogic practices used to transmit and fortify English as the language of communication, and is classroom based. What took place at ground level, so to speak, and within the framework of a major formal institution, the colonial elementary school, is examined. Three theoretical frames are engaged: selected aspects of language learning theory as these relate to reading in particular, pedagogical content knowledge and hermeneutics. The analysis reveals that classroom practices were orchestrated to cement and fortify an English language base in Trinidad and Tobago during the period under study, and to guarantee the use of English for all time. The strategies used included appropriate packaging of content, exclusiveness in selection and use of textual (British) material, pre-occupation with the 'grammar syndrome', indoctrination into British culture, and transmission of the ideology that success in 'school English' was a touchstone for induction into 'the good life'.The paper concludes that the job of securing the already established English-language base in Trinidad and Tobago was a diligent masterpiece. The colonizer 'played a good number' upon the colonized in Trinidad and Tobago, so much so that the present exclusive use of English in that country is seen as irreversible, unlike the situation in some other post-colonial states.

An investigation of possibilities and limitations of ‘education borrowing’ in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago

“…Yet the principles of child study were not so faithfully followed in the colonial world as the "aspects of the doctrine selected for implementation could not yield the liberation or conscientization that observers...claim would provide a panacea for the oppressed 'other'" (London, 2002: 115). Curriculum individualism was yet another feature that was based on variations such as achievement and gender, which determined the limits of the child's capacities (London, 2002). Similar to the present day situation in the Caribbean, colonial notions of curriculum individualism lead to curricular and instructional differentiation and as a result to streaming" (London, 2002: 107).…”

“…London (2001: 403) points to the myth of the lazy native and the view that "the colonized were seen as 'indolent and sun-loving', a group of people easier to dominate than 'those nurtured in a colder climate'..." Thus, the school was viewed to be a better agent in the socialization process than the home to ensure "the habits of obedience to an external law" (Ross, 1901cited in London, 2002. London (2001) argues that this was made possible with the establishment of the English language in the colonies which forced a bond with British Empire. Thus, the diffusion of the language "ensured a special bond with things…”

“…The work of London (2001London ( , 2002) also provides insight into education during colonial Trinidad and Tobago, which is reflected in the present day education system. He identifies four ideological positions borrowed from Imperial Britain, namely "mental disciplinarity, humanism, child study and social efficiency" (London, 2002: 103).…”

“…He identifies four ideological positions borrowed from Imperial Britain, namely "mental disciplinarity, humanism, child study and social efficiency" (London, 2002: 103). Mental discipline is based on the notion that aspects of the mind such as memory, attention, observation, reasoning and will could be trained as muscles to function more effectively (London, 2002) which may be likened to Brookfield's (1975, cited in London, 2002 description of colonization as a "struggle for the mind". Humanism, on the other hand, contributed to the content studied as it placed emphasis on promoting western values in the curriculum such as "(k)nowledge of 'the truth', love of 'beauty' and cultivating the habit of doing 'good'" (London, 2002: 105).…”

“…Humanism, on the other hand, contributed to the content studied as it placed emphasis on promoting western values in the curriculum such as "(k)nowledge of 'the truth', love of 'beauty' and cultivating the habit of doing 'good'" (London, 2002: 105). Humanism also involved the 'five windows of the soul (Harris, 1886 cited in London, 2002) namely "arithmetic, geography, history, grammar, literature and art"…”