![]() A GROUP of linguists and educationists want the government to standardise the teaching and learning of the English language in early childhood education as it can help improve the preservation of local vernaculars. This was among the topics of discussion at the Papua New Guinea Linguistics Society annual zoom conference which included participants from the University of Papua New (UPNG), National Research Institute (NRI) and international linguist experts. Senior linguistics lecturer at the University of Papua New Guinea, Olga Temple said: “Language acquisition changes with age and younger children absorb language quickly. “If Papua New Guinean children learn English before they do grade one, they can learn to describe their vernacular better and save indigenous language.”
Temple said the country needed native linguist experts. “There should be a preschool in every village that allows young children to be given English learning skills through nursery rhymes, games and cartoons,” she said. “As they enter grade one, they can be exposed to vernacular teachings then and they can be able to describe and communicate the knowledge and explaining their vernacular in English easily, a concept that China uses.” Another educationist and researcher at the National Research Institute, Kilala Devette-Chee said a research done in 2015-2016 in East New Britain showed that the curriculum model needed to include an English-only method. “Teachers in inlands parts of the country do not necessarily speak the native language and even resorting to Tok Pisin confuses the students even more,” she said. “While we have been fighting to use and preserve our vernacular, research shows that teachers and students would rather use English.” The National / PNG Education News Next : Six Primary Schools In Port Moresby To Become Junior High Schools Comments are closed.
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