WELCOME TO KENTERPRO:
ASSESSMENT OF TEACHERS EFFORTS AT CURBING MOTHER TONGUE INTERFERENCE AMONG JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MIKANG LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the Study

            Language is the most distinctive human quality and attribute. Language is characterized by a set of vocal sounds which can be decoded. Language does not exist in a vacuum. It is always contextualized. There is a relationship between language and society. The importance of the relationship between language and society cannot be over-emphasized in the education of a child. Language is a guide to social reality. English language is one of the languages used in Nigeria.

            English language has become a valuable legacy of the British which has provided Nigerians with yet another means of expressing their culture. English language is Nigeria’s official language (Adedimeji, 2007). English language performs numerous functions in Nigeria. It serves as lingua franca. It is the language of instruction, language of constitution, language of nationalism, media, Government, education among others. This is because Nigeria is a multilingual country and English language serves as a link among the people.

            English language is introduced to a child from the fourth year of primary school up to the university level (Olajide, 2010). This is clearly stated in section 4 paragraph 19, subsection on primary education, 2004 of the Federal republic of Nigeria’s national policy on education. ‘That English language shall be used as a medium of instruction and the language of immediate environment from the fourth year and French shall be taught as a subject’. This means that English language shall be the language of instruction from the fourth year of the primary education.

            In Nigeria, much importance is attached to English language. It occupies a vital role in the educational system, such importance could be seen in terms of the functions English language perform in Nigeria. It is an act of political expedience and in addition, it helps to remove the fear of ethnical domination. The practical oral aspect of English language becomes even more important for the purpose of interaction and articulation in our day to day use of the language.

            Furthermore, the use of English language paved way for participation at national and international levels. To be able to participate in the social, political and economical life of the country, one must be able to understand and use English language effectively and efficiently. English language is used for vertical mobility (Adedimeji, 2007). It enables one to move from a lower social class to higher one. It is the language of prestige not because the users are more intelligent than the illiterates but because they can speak it. So it has become a language of personality (Adedimeji, 2007). The role of English language in Nigeria stresses the need for Nigerians to learn, understand and make use of English language proficiently. There is no doubt that interference is the major effect of mother tongue language on English language.

            Interference has been observed as a cogent influence that mother tongue language has on English language. Sources of the interferences therefore could be phonology- (a science which deals with the study of sounds in language) that is how different sounds or phonemes are combined. Morphology (this deals with the combination of morphemes to form words, morpheme is the smallest indivisible unit of a language that has a significant meaning). Syntax (the arrangement of words in a language according to rules). The concern of this project is on the phonological aspect of English language (oral English).

Mother-tongue interference into English language as it affects the pronunciation pattern of Mangu Learners of English language is very prominent in terms of phonological simplification and syllabic complication. The simplification of sounds basically state that certain words are easier to pronounce than others, so the natural tendency of learners is to prefer the easier ones to harder ones. To make articulation of sounds simpler than the Mwaghavul language, the learners will leave certain complicated consonant cluster. They prefer articulatory simplification and for that reason they are both complex clusters. This is the reason for change in pronunciation. These are all ascribed to the problem Mwaghavl Learners of English language have with the English.

            Also, there could be poor teaching of pronunciation by the teachers. Some of the teachers use grammatical translation method especially in the elementary schools. They often explain meanings of English words using the mother tongue language. The pupils transfer the idea of having explanation of meanings being made in the mother tongue language over to the secondary schools. It is therefore the intention of this study to identify problems that affect the oral English of students in the secondary schools as regards the influence of mother tongue language on it. In addition, suggestions and recommendations would be made on how to reduce the influence of mother tongue language on oral English.

Therefore, learners of English language as a second language are mostly faced with the problem of oral proficiency in terms of appropriate pronunciation of English sounds (phonemes) either by virtue of being a new language or mother tongue or first language interference. And it is in the light of this that the present study seeks to make an assessment of teachers’ efforts at curbing mother tongue interference among Junior Secondary Schools in Mikang Local Government Area.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

            There is no doubt that secondary school students in Nigeria are being faced with the problem of mother tongue language interference in studying English language. The oral aspect of English language is the main focus of this research. The influence of the mother tongue language on the pronunciation of English words is one of the problems. The influence of the home background on the students’ pronunciation of English words is also a problem.

            Hence, series of works have been done concerning the problems of mother tongue language interference on the oral English of secondary school students in English language but it was observed that little or no emphasis has been made on the influence of mother tongue language on the oral English of secondary school students. Consequently, there has been a need to conduct a research work on the influence of mother tongue language on the oral English of secondary school students.

To Bodams (2017) it is not a strange thing to the teachers of English language that students have been erroneous in their pronunciations as a result of mother tongue interference. It is therefore, this phenomenon that has set the research on a quest to make an assessment of teachers’ efforts at curbing mother tongue interference among Junior Secondary Schools in Mikang Local Government Area, Plateau State with the aim of proffering a lasting solution.

1.3.  Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to that the present study seeks to make an assessment of teachers’ efforts at curbing mother tongue interference among Junior Secondary Schools in Mikang Local Government Area. Other specific objectives of the study are to:

1. How teachers in Junior Secondary Schools in Mikang Local Government Area perceive mother tongue interference among their students.
2. Examine strategies teachers employ to address mother tongue interference in the classroom.
3. Discuss the challenges teachers face in addressing mother tongue interference among Junior Secondary School students in Mikang Local Government Area.
4. Find out availability and utilization of teaching resources and materials impact teachers’ ability to address mother tongue interference.
5. Find out how teachers monitor and assess the progress made by students in reducing mother tongue interference over time.

1.4. Research Questions

This work is aimed at answering the following research questions:

1. How do teachers in Junior Secondary Schools in Mikang Local Government Area perceive mother tongue interference among their students?
2. What strategies and methods do teachers employ to address mother tongue interference in the classroom?

• What challenges do teachers face in addressing mother tongue interference among Junior Secondary School students in Mikang Local Government Area?

1. How does the availability and utilization of teaching resources and materials impact teachers’ ability to address mother tongue interference?
2. How do teachers monitor and assess the progress made by students in reducing mother tongue interference over time?

1.5. Significance of the Study

This research work is very important because it is believed that it will be beneficial to education stakeholders which include teachers, students, government, curriculum planners and future researchers.

Teachers: The study will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of their efforts to minimize mother tongue interference among Junior Secondary School students. It will help them understand the challenges and identify strategies to improve their teaching methods.

Students: The study aims to reduce mother tongue interference among students, which can improve their language skills and overall academic performance. Students will benefit from teachers who are better equipped to address this issue and provide a conducive learning environment.

Parents: Parents will be beneficiaries as they will have access to information about the effectiveness of teachers’ efforts in curbing mother tongue interference. This knowledge can help them support their children’s education and encourage the use of the appropriate language in academic settings.

School Administrators: The findings of the study can guide school administrators in implementing policies and providing resources to support teachers in their efforts to curb mother tongue interference. This can contribute to creating a more effective language learning environment within the school.

Education policymakers: The study’s results can inform education policymakers at the local, regional, or national level about the challenges faced by teachers in curbing mother tongue interference. Policymakers can use this information to develop appropriate guidelines, training programs, or curriculum adjustments to address the issue more effectively.

Research community: The study can contribute to the existing body of knowledge on language education and specifically on the topic of mother tongue interference. Researchers and scholars interested in this field can benefit from the study’s findings and methodology, potentially inspiring further research and exploration in related areas.

Community members: The study’s outcomes can foster awareness and understanding among community members about the importance of addressing mother tongue interference in schools. It can encourage community support and involvement in education initiatives aimed at improving language skills among students.

The study shall also attempt to naturalize the learning process in speaking skills. Students will imbibe the habit of pronouncing how they were taught in the classroom – they will not do this only during speaking skills lessons but in all aspects of academic life endeavours. The more students are engaged in oral drills, the more the development of their speaking skills. Results from this study could help students to be able to effectively articulate, stress, observe rising and falling tones and enhance their speaking skills. The low ability learners could also benefit from the findings of this study.

Teachers too could benefit from the findings in that they will make their classroom more learner-centered as against teacher-dominated activities during speaking skills lessons. It is hoped that the findings of this research would help to improve the teaching and learning of speaking skills in secondary schools in Mangu. This can be achieved if textbook writers incorporate these proper teaching methods into oral skills texts. Similarly, teacher trainers like universities and colleges of education would see the need to re-orientate teachers in training on the skills for successful implementation of teaching strategies that will counter influence of mother tongue interference..

In addition, textbook writers could equally benefit from the findings, in that group activity and activities in pairs could be incorporated into speaking skills classes in schools. Through the findings of this study, educators, federal and state ministries of education and other stakeholders would organize conferences and workshops for teachers where they can learn innovative techniques and methods for teaching speaking skills which will overcome the influence of mother tongue.

Although vast literature exists within and outside Nigeria on influence of mother tongue, none or probably a few relates to speaking skills in Mangu Local government Area. Thus, this study could serve as reference source for researchers in the related aspects of English language. 

1.6. Scope of the Study

The researcher is aware of other problem areas of teaching English as a second language, but for the purpose of this study, the study is limited to assessment of teachers’ efforts at curbing mother tongue interference among Junior Secondary Schools in Mikang Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Although there are four language skills in English language which include listening, speaking, reading and writing, the language skill that is the central focus of this study is speaking. The variables considered are components of speaking skills which include, intonation, stress, consonant sounds and vowel sounds. Despite the fact that the study is limited to Mangu Local government Area, its findings will be generalized to other parts of the state and country at large.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Mother tongue: This refers to a language acquired at birth. It could also be referred to as the language of one’s parents.