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"... the political, social and economic realities of our times emphasise the absolute necessity of not only learning a foreign language, but even more so of being able to use it for some real world purpose" (p. 2). Omaggio- Hadley, 2002

The above quotation embodies the philosophy of the Primary Spanish Programme at Church Teachers’ College. Previously, world language education was considered to be merely an intellectual and elitist luxury, which entailed the study of grammar and literature. However, with the advent of globalisation, there has been dire need for the effective interaction between countries of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds; this has propelled nations into accepting the critical role of world language competence. The proximity of Jamaica to our Latin American neighbours, coupled with the potential benefits to be derived in areas such as tourism, trade and communication, have played a major role in the recognition of Spanish as an important language to Jamaica. As such, Spanish has been officially declared the country’s second language. It is the intention of the Ministry of Education that every child is exposed to Spanish from the Primary level, as this early introduction will promote adequate preparation to participate in this dynamic, and pluralistic global village. The Programme, therefore, aims to train competent teachers who will facilitate this preparation, through nurturing the linguistic competence and socio- cultural awareness of our Jamaican children.

General Objectives:

The curriculum of the Primary Spanish Education is designed to equip students with the following:

  1. An adequate knowledge base of grammatical structures, vocabulary and communicative skills for the study of the language beyond their level.
  2. High levels of motivation to the study of the Foreign Language through the use of communicative methodology and technology.
  3. The ability to engage in interactive activities.
  4. Essential language skills to communicate effectively and appropriately in a variety of practical and real- life situations.
  5. An adequate knowledge and understanding of other cultures.
  6. The ability to further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
  7. The ability to use the language both within and beyond the college setting.
  8. An understanding of the nature of the language through comparisons of the culture of the language studied and their own.

Entry Requirements:

click here to see general enrty requirements