Authors : Samuel E. Sandy

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 8 - August

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/yuruj7se

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26aug691

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Background: Persistent underachievement in English language examinations remains a major educational concern in Guyana. Although Standard Guyanese English (SGE) is the official language of instruction and assessment, Guyanese Creole (GC) is the primary language of communication for most students. This linguistic disconnect between home and school has contributed to long-standing concerns regarding literacy development, classroom participation, and English language proficiency.  Purpose: This study investigated whether strategically integrating Guyanese Creole into English language instruction improves secondary school students' proficiency in Standard Guyanese English, classroom engagement, and confidence in learning English.  Method: An action research study employing a mixed-methods design was conducted with sixteen Grade 10 students attending a secondary school in Guyana. Students were assigned to either an English-only instructional group or a bilingual instructional group that incorporated planned code-switching between Guyanese Creole and Standard Guyanese English. Data were collected through pre- and post-intervention English assessments, systematic classroom observations, and teacher reflective journals.  Results: Students receiving bilingual instruction demonstrated substantially greater improvement in English language achievement than those receiving English-only instruction. The bilingual classroom also recorded higher levels of voluntary participation, stronger metacognitive engagement, fewer conceptual misunderstandings, and greater learner confidence. The findings indicate that Guyanese Creole functioned as a cognitive scaffold supporting students' transition to Standard English rather than competing with it.  Conclusion: The study provides empirical evidence that bilingual pedagogy can enhance English language learning within Caribbean classrooms where creole languages predominate. The findings challenge monolingual assumptions underpinning English language instruction in Guyana and suggest that recognising students' first language as a pedagogical resource may contribute to more equitable and effective educational practice.

Keywords : Bilingual Education; Guyanese Creole; Standard Guyanese English; Code-Switching; English as a Second Language; Translanguaging; Language Policy; Caribbean Education.

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