01 — Understanding comes first

A child arrives at school with ideas, questions, stories, and a language for making sense of the world. In Haiti, that language is usually Haitian Creole, or Kreyòl. Teaching through a language children understand helps them explain their thinking, ask for help, and connect lessons to everyday life.

In a 2015 MIT News interview, linguist Michel DeGraff explains why literacy depends on connecting written symbols with familiar sounds and meanings. When children must decode an unfamiliar language while learning a subject, repeating words can replace understanding. Kreyòl gives teachers a stronger starting point for meaningful learning.

02 — Build literacy on a familiar foundation

DeGraff’s study, “Mother-tongue books in Haiti: The power of Kreyòl in learning to read and in reading to learn”, examines an intervention supporting early reading and writing. It argues for systematic classroom use of Kreyòl, especially in the early grades. The research offers a practical lesson: children need books and instruction that connect reading with language they already use.

Language alone cannot solve every educational challenge. Schools also need prepared teachers, accessible materials, and reliable support. A familiar language makes these investments more usable. A story in Kreyòl can become a conversation, a drawing, a question, and a piece of a child’s own writing.

03 — Make room for reasoning and dignity

Kreyòl belongs in science and mathematics as well as storytelling. DeGraff describes the MIT-Haiti Initiative’s use of Kreyòl resources to support reasoning and communication in these subjects. He also challenges the idea that Creole languages cannot express complex concepts. His work supports treating students’ home language as an intellectual resource.

Teaching in Kreyòl can coexist with careful teaching of French, English, and other languages. The aim is to give children a secure foundation from which to expand their opportunities. Students should be able to investigate a problem, defend an answer, and develop confidence without feeling that the language of home prevents them from belonging.

04 — Turn the principle into everyday practice

For educators and supporters of education in Haiti, the next steps can be concrete: provide engaging Kreyòl books, support teacher preparation, invite families to share local knowledge, and create lessons that let children discuss and explore. Teachers can ask learners to explain how a seed grows, compare quantities at a market, or write about their community.

Progress should be judged by what children understand and can do: reading with comprehension, explaining a solution, asking thoughtful questions, and applying knowledge. DeGraff’s work gives us a compelling reason to put Kreyòl at the center of that effort. Every child deserves an education that begins by listening to their voice and helps it grow.

Further reading: Michel DeGraff, Mother-tongue books in Haiti, PROSPECTS, vol. 46, pp. 435–464, DOI: 10.1007/s11125-017-9389-6; Peter Dizikes, MIT News interview with Michel DeGraff, July 20, 2015.