PIRLS 2006 Encyclopedia

Trinidad and TobagoHarrilal SeecharanMervyn SambucharanDivision of Educational Research and EvaluationMala Morton-GittensDivision of Curriculum DevelopmentMinistry of EducationLanguage and LiteracyThe Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has a diverse tradition of language and culture.English, the official language of Trinidad and Tobago, is the language of instruction inschools and universities but is not widely spoken throughout the country. While Englishis typically reserved for formal situations, English-based Creole is the most commonlyspoken language. 1 The English Creole vocabulary draws largely from English withinput from other languages such as French, Spanish, Bhojpuri, and Arabic. Its structure,pronunciation, and grammar are also distinct from English.The government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago officially has recognizedSpanish as the country’s first official foreign language. Spanish, and in some cases French,is available as part of the curriculum in secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. Hindialso is an integral part of the curriculum in all Hindu primary schools.The majority of the population is East Indian and African (40.9% and 40.1%,respectively). One percent of the population is Chinese, European, or Middle Eastern. 2Heritage languages from India and Africa, such as Arabic, Hindi, Sanskrit, and Yoruba,are used mainly during religious ceremonies.Emphasis on LiteracyTrinidad and Tobago’s rich oral tradition dates back to the period of slavery andindentureship and is expressed through various forms of communication, such as robbertalk, folk storytelling, Koranic recitation, panchayat, talk tent, extempo, calypso, andrapso. These traditions are manifested in the richness of the Creole spoken throughoutthe country. 3Since 2004, the Centre of Excellence for Teacher Training has coordinated a literacyinitiative that seeks to develop innovative approaches to reading instruction and promoteaction research to address reading problems. This program focuses on diagnostic andperformance assessments, development of teaching and learning materials, teachertraining, and the use of information technology in the delivery of the literacy curriculum.Sixty-one primary schools are targeted in the program’s initial phase, as well as Infants(grade 1) to Standard 2 (grade 3). 4415