Ministry of Education launches English as a second language program in public schools

[Dolores]

President Luis Abinader was present for the launching of the “English for a Better Life” initiative in public education at the Presidential Palace on 16 March 2022. The program introduces teaching of English as a second language in public schools. English will first be taught in 11th and 12th grade in schools that offer the extended school day program. The program eventually calls for eight hours of language instruction per week.

Education Minister Roberto Fulcar says it will benefit more than 74,000 in its first year. Fulcar highlighted that the English language schools will enable the graduates to find better jobs.

According to the project’s general coordinator, professor Miguel Maríñez, the project starts this school year with a nationwide pilot in 10 educational centers. As of the next school year, the plan is to offer the program in 636 public...

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[LindseyKaufman]

My experience reflects that the best years to begin teach English as a second language are in the very early grades. I have 11 and 12 year olds who studied with me when they were 5 and 6 years old. They now speak English without an accent and are better than my Dominican teacher who now teaches beginning English. We hope to improve even more what we do by starting a bilingual kindergarten in August. English will be spoken 50% of the time, but children will learn basic reading/writing skills in Spanish. I anticipate that by the end of their first year, they will have achieved fluency equal to that of Spanish.

 

[NanSanPedro]

My experience reflects that the best years to begin teach English as a second language are in the very early grades. I have 11 and 12 year olds who studied with me when they were 5 and 6 years old. They now speak English without an accent and are better than my Dominican teacher who now teaches beginning English. We hope to improve even more what we do by starting a bilingual kindergarten in August. English will be spoken 50% of the time, but children will learn basic reading/writing skills in Spanish. I anticipate that by the end of their first year, they will have achieved fluency equal to that of Spanish.

Completely agree with you, Lindsey. I'm just thinking that these are baby steps to them implementing a much more comprehensive program down the road. At least I hope so.

Also, this could be based on the limited amount of qualified teachers.

 

[JD Jones]

Starting from 11th and 12th grade seems a little backward to me too. Start them young, and each year add another grade until the reach 12th grade.

Probably a shortage of teachers. I had two teachers for neighbors who both taught English, and neither could have a simple conversation.

 

[playacaribe2]

My experience reflects that the best years to begin teach English as a second language are in the very early grades. I have 11 and 12 year olds who studied with me when they were 5 and 6 years old. They now speak English without an accent and are better than my Dominican teacher who now teaches beginning English. We hope to improve even more what we do by starting a bilingual kindergarten in August. English will be spoken 50% of the time, but children will learn basic reading/writing skills in Spanish. I anticipate that by the end of their first year, they will have achieved fluency equal to that of Spanish.

The studies I have read indicate that age 10 seems to be the cutoff for learning to speak a second language without a telltale accent.

And yes the earlier the better in learning a second language..................11th or 12th grade, while admirable, should be pared back to begin in the primary schools.

Of course this is somewhat wishful thinking as applied to Dominican public school education.

I would settle for reading and writing in Spanish at/near grade level as a larger victory.

Of course that requires knowledgeable people both in the Ministry of Education and at the front line teaching level. And that seems an awful lot to ask.

My stepson arrived in the US lass than three years ago at age 10, spoke little English, (he had institute classes every Saturday in the DR.........but held little value that I could ascertain). Today he speaks almost perfect English.......................a credit to him, his school and the teachers who worked hard to get him where he is today.

Earlier is better...........no doubt about it.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[william webster]

I was part of an experimental educational program - starting in 5th grade.....about 10/11yrs old

They threw everything at us.... Shakespeare, tours of car factories, museums/art galleries.... and French.

I was fluent on in French (incl past, pluperfect passive tense!) and had no accent - so they told me in France
It wasn't Quebec French we learned.

I used it thru 3rd yr college..... never opened a book.

At the time, French was introduced in 9th grade.... after us , they changed it to earlier

Yes- it works and it's a great idea for RD - for all the reasons stated in the article
Felicidades !

 

[bob saunders]

Completely agree with you, Lindsey. I'm just thinking that these are baby steps to them implementing a much more comprehensive program down the road. At least I hope so.

Also, this could be based on the limited amount of qualified teachers.

Well , they have a hard time teaching proper Spanish so good luck with the English program.

 

[bob saunders]

The studies I have read indicate that age 10 seems to be the cutoff for learning to speak a second language without a telltale accent.

And yes the earlier the better in learning a second language..................11th or 12th grade, while admirable, should be pared back to begin in the primary schools.

Of course this is somewhat wishful thinking as applied to Dominican public school education.

I would settle for reading and writing in Spanish at/near grade level as a larger victory.

Of course that requires knowledgeable people both in the Ministry of Education and at the front line teaching level. And that seems an awful lot to ask.

My stepson arrived in the US lass than three years ago at age 10, spoke little English, (he had institute classes every Saturday in the DR.........but held little value that I could ascertain). Today he speaks almost perfect English.......................a credit to him, his school and the teachers who worked hard to get him where he is today.

Earlier is better...........no doubt about it.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

My stepson arrived in Canada at age ten, grade five. He spent about three months in ESL classes then was mainstreamed into regular class. With a year he was fluent in English. He is now 32 and his Spanish friends say he speaks Spanish with an English accent. When he was in Grade ten he passed the mandatory English comprehensive test with higher marks than most native English speakers. I agree with those that say start them early as possible. My nephews get yelled at in Spanish my their Cuban mother and they answer her in English. Pisses her off even more.

 

[rogerjac]

The earlier they start the better. When I took my 5 year old to canada she spoke zero English. I put her in kindergarten and within 3 months she was speaking to me in English with no accent. She only went 3 years to school there and now that we are here in RD she hasn't lost it but wanders to Spanish when talking to me.

 

[bob saunders]

Teachers wages, new buildings that already need repair, and a billion in useless computers and tablets.

 

[rogerjac]

The tablets aren't useless. I know some 9 year old kids that have discovered porn and sexting. The teachers have already given up on these tools.

 

[bob saunders]

The tablets aren't useless. I know some 9 year old kids that have discovered porn and sexting. The teachers have already given up on these tools.

Useless for school education, is that better.

 

[NanSanPedro]

Useless for school education, is that better.

One of the most poorly planned and executed ideas since (fill in the blank).

I am curious what the average Domincano/a (if there is such a thing) thinks about the wisdom of giving out tablets like that.

 

[dulce]

It's about time! I agree with others that it should start at an earlier age, but this is a beginning.
While I was living there, I had a French Canadian friend who had a baby. She was married to a Dominican. As soon as the baby started talking she learned Spanish, French and English ( from me) all at once. She was like a sponge at that age. It was wonderful to see her learn.
On the other hand I was 46 the first time I moved to the DR. I spoke no Spanish. I learned as I went along.

 

[aarhus]

A logical step making the DR something like PR. The best they can hope for.

 

[josh2203]

Well , they have a hard time teaching proper Spanish so good luck with the English program.

I've seen the results of a few persons "graduating" from a private language school (studying English), and I was shocked, so I assume (I hope I'm wrong) that in publich schools, they are not going to do much better... They do like to spend time and money celebrating everything here, but then it's putting the ideas into working practice when things may start falling apart and then everybody just forgets the whole thing... I hope this won't be the case here...

 

[bob saunders]

I've seen the results of a few persons "graduating" from a private language school (studying English), and I was shocked, so I assume (I hope I'm wrong) that in publich schools, they are not going to do much better... They do like to spend time and money celebrating everything here, but then it's putting the ideas into working practice when things may start falling apart and then everybody just forgets the whole thing... I hope this won't be the case here...

There are two private bi-lingual schools in Jarabacoa. The majority of students graduating from them speak and understand English very well.

 

[chicagoan14]

I've always felt they focus on grammar mostly in many of the English programs that are taught by Dominicans. Many of them graduate and speak at a level good enough to read a script over and over again.

I think English is important here and with call centers, it's pushed more people into the middle-class. Most Dominicans who learn English will always have a job here.

 

[Duece]

With all due respect, once again the intention is good but the action is suspect. Already many have commented on what is universally accepted. That is, start language as early as possible. You can debate 2nd grade or 3rd grade but 11th grade and 12th grade is a stretch. It is just like providing students with laptops. The intention may have been good but the result was and is a disaster. Decisions like language lessons and laptops need to be researched from known and legitimate sources and not politicians. Politicians may get the final say so but their decision should be based on facts and the fact is that starting language lessons in the 11th grade is doomed from the start.

 

[Constanza]

This is good, there's no reason to be teaching French over English in this day and age.