"WE NEED TO USE BOTH "- THE PLACE OF THE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE IN SCIENCE LESSONS IN WESTERN SAMOA

Student and teacher responses confirmed speculations that the use of the Samoan language in science lessons can be perceived as a hindrance if students ' goals are confined to passing English-language exams and pursuing higher studies overseas. However, when Samoan and English are used in a complementary way in science, Samoan language can significantly assist students to understand scientific concepts and terminology by linking what students are taught in science to what they have experienced beyond the classroom. Western Samoan science classrooms have usually operated on this bilingual basis, even though (until very recently) the Department of Education policy had stipulated English as the medium of instruction in the six years prior to a major English-language science exam. Many science teachers appeared to be unaware of the policy. The implications of a new policy of bilingualism are yet to be addressed