Pidgin not a substitute for well-rounded skills

Without a doubt, the acceptance of pidgin has receive quite a boost in its level of prestige over the past 20 years.

Whereas writers, speakers, and educators were once marginalized in Hawai`i for their use of pidgin as a mode of communication, it is now recognized as a legitimately useful language.

Yet pidgin, in educational circles, must be used carefully. In an age characterized by the growing use of MTV slang, it would be inappropriate to sanction its use in schools for teaching purposes.

Pidgin may be useful in elementary schools for explaining difficult concepts, but a school's literature class should be focused on developing English skills useful in later years.

Only later, after English skills have been developed, should the use of pidgin be encouraged as a method of expression. Pidgin represents a great tie to Hawaii's past, and should be preserved, but it should not become a substitute for well-rounded communication skills.