Agreed. All our nieces and nephews learned English, after school programs. Even in our campo, the kids have English classes, our ex-caretaker’s three sons used to like to stop after school to practice their English (and get a snack, lol!) with me.
There are two bilingual schools in Jarabacoa , Duolos Discover and Jarabacoa Christian school. The majority of children at these two schools are fluent English speakers within a few years, although they are overdosed in religious dogma. The majority of Dominican parents that can afford it try to give their children English classes.
As I said, the public school where we live teaches English, but I’m afraid it’s a lot of parroting back words. If I had a dollar for every time one of the boys asked me “Que significa..........?” They could pronounce the words, even short sentences, in English, but didn’t have a clue what they meant. The youngest wanted to know what “Good morning teacher” meant, and he said it clearly. It’s a start.
The kids are lost clearly because of incompetence. From what I have witnessed in the DR from teachers who call themselves English teachers is scary. One is a good friend of mine. She has been teaching English in SD since I have known her twenty years and counting. Her English is absolutely rudimentary and she has yet to speak to me in English. I always tell her you should speak to me in English to practice. No way. That tells me something.
Teaching a language is not easy. I have a student that I teach privately and he started from scratch. The only word he knew when he started with me was ‘uno’. Well, after a year of lessons with me he has jumped 4 levels in Spanish at school. His Spanish teacher at school asked him ‘who is teaching you? It’s unbelievable’
-MP.
Bateman's is Rudyard Kipling's former home in Burwash. It was bequeathed to the National Trust and has been a public museum dedicated to the author for quite some time. Being an admirer of the man's works, I was wondering if you had ever visited yourself.
I have nothing to add
My comments are based my own experience of bilingual school students and graduates so this is also anecdote and not evidence.
My son is in 12th grade in a bilingual school in Punta Cana. Most of his classmates as well as his friends from other bilingual schools in the country have mastered English to a high level, including those from 100% Spanish-speaking backgrounds. Some have gone/will go on to study in US and UK universities.
Many of the Dominican adults we know went to good bilingual schools in Santo Domingo, Bonao and La Romana. They can hold a conversation and express themselves well in English. Some are almost indistinguishable from native US English speakers.
One of my husband's nieces and two of his nephews - with no English whatsoever in the family background - went to good bilingual schools in the capital (New Horizons and MC School). Their spoken and written English is so good that in the US they would probably not stand out as foreigners.
I also know several Dominican adults who did not go to bilingual schools but learnt English in evening classes/are self taught. Their written and spoken English is better than many native English speakers. For example: when my son was in kindergarten the teaching assistant was a young Dominican woman who spoke fluent English. I assumed she had grown up in the US. Turned out she had never been out of the DR and her self-effacing explanation was "Disney Channel". Another example is former DR1er Pib whose English is so good that she occasionally introduces me to new words. In fact, as with the teaching assistant, when I first met Pib I automatically assumed she'd lived in an English-speaking country but her answer was "Nope - MTV."
Of these friends and relations, most if not all of those who read have a preference for reading in English. I belong to a book club for English-speaking women and three of our members are Dominican; they also prefer reading in English. This is why some educated Dominicans are opposed to sending their children to bilingual schools - they fear that the Spanish language and Dominican culture are being displaced by the English language and US culture.
You ain't kidding: the first time I came across 'repartee' was by way of Pib, as she moderated one of the forums a few years ago.
Pib is also a killer Words With Friends player in English. It’s been awhile since we had a game, I think I’ve recovered sufficiently to try again. :rambo: