Chapter 12: Culturally Relevant Teacher Self-Efficacy Among Preservice and in-Service Teachers in St. Lucia: An Exploration

While many recognize the role of Kwéyòl in the cultural development of St. Lucia (Anthony & Louisy, 1983; Carrington, 1984; Lubin & Serieux-Lubin, 2011; Simmons-McDonald, 1996, 2010), others also acknowledge the relative absence of Kwéyòl in our educational landscape (St. Hilaire, 2011). In many ways, the latter can be perceived as a relegation of Kwéyòl that emerged out of a historical perception of Kwéyòl as the language of resistance and poverty (Zephir, 2010), and, the predominant use of Kwéyòl within rural communities in St. Lucia (Dalphinis, 1985). The persistent ambivalence towards its everyday use also adds to this relegation of the language (Lieberman, 1974; Simmons-McDonald, 1988). To some extent, this historical contempt of the use and significance of Kwéyòl continue to express itself within the corridors of the contemporary education system. In a like manner, this historical indifference has shaped the informality of its use and a noted lack of pedagogical approaches that respond to the specific cultural and language needs of creole speakers and learners in the classroom (St. Hilaire, 2011).