The importance of learning foreign languages in Trinidad and Tobago

Date

2008

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine

Abstract

By learning a foreign language, students are exposed to a new and exciting world and get close to other people and to cultures that possess different systems for explaining and understanding world phenomena. This experience broadens the learners' minds and makes them appreciate other lifestyles that are neither better nor worse, but different. Tolerance and respect for others are highly valued in the world today and we all need to be educated in these values. In this respect, the Centre for Language Learning (CLL) has an important role to play for the university and the larger community of Trinidad and Tobago. These are issues addressed in this paper, which presents and analyses data from questionnaires distributed to CLL students at the beginning of Semester 2, 2006-2007. The purpose of the survey was to have a better picture of our students so that we could design programmes that meet their needs and expectations

Description

Table of Contents

Keywords

Language education, Foreign languages, Centre for Language Learning, UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Citation

Kawecki, R., and Gea-Monera, M. P. (2008). The importance of learning foreign languages in Trinidad and Tobago. In L. Quamina-Aiyejina (Ed.), Reconceptualising the agenda for education in the Caribbean: Proceedings of the 2007 Biennial Cross-Campus Conference in Education, April 23-26, 2007, School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago (pp. 465-476). St. Augustine, Trinidad: School of Education, UWI.