Mother Tongue as a Tool for Effective Teaching and Learning in Secondary School
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the role of mother tongue as a tool for effective teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria. Specifically, the study aims to:
- Assess the extent to which the National Policy on Education’s provision for the use of mother tongue in secondary education is being implemented in practice.
- Identify the challenges and barriers hindering the integration of mother tongue into the curriculum and instructional practices in secondary schools.
- Examine the availability and adequacy of instructional materials and resources in indigenous languages for teaching secondary school subjects.
- Evaluate the preparedness and training of secondary school teachers in utilizing mother tongue as a medium of instruction and their perceptions towards its effectiveness.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEWED OF RELATED LITERATURE
Concept of Mother Tongue
Mother tongue (first language, native language, or L1) is essential for learning as a part of intellectual ability. Mother tongue is the language human beings acquire from birth. It helps the child in his/her mental, moral, and emotional development. Mother tongue education refers to any form of schooling that makes use of the language or languages that children are most familiar with. This is usually the language that children speak at home with their family. The ‘mother tongue’ does not have to be the language spoken by the mother. Children can and often do speak more than one or even two languages at home. For example, they may speak one language with their mother, another with their father and a third with their grandparents. Encarta DVD (2009) refers to mother tongue as the first language a child learns at home before learning any other language. This may not necessarily include his/her parents’ language, but in most cases it is the language of the parents. In most developing countries, the language spoken by their colonial masters are accepted as a medium of instructions in their schools. This explain why English which is barely understood by some Nigerians is generally used in Nigerian schools for teaching and learning. The mother language is noted as “first” because it is regarded as the most important language spoken by anyone due to its hereditary value as well as its cultural impact on the concerned individuals. Mother tongue is always referencing the language that the child has used from birth and in important and impacting times in the child’s life. For example, there are instances where a child is brought up until school age using a particular language at home spoken by their mother, father or other family members, but due to living in another country begins to adopt the language spoken in their interactions in groups or school. But if the child comes back home continually to another language, this is impact can be lessened. Mother tongue for a child involves more than just language and includes the child’s personal, social and cultural identity. The choice of words and expression carry different meaning across cultures and where in one language asking direct questions is considered intrusive, in another it is inquisitive. This means that the language chosen when speaking is thought about before it is delivered.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some question
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain mother tongue as a tool for effective teaching and learning in secondary school. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing mother tongue as a tool for effective teaching and learning in secondary school
Summary
This study was on mother tongue as a tool for effective teaching and learning in secondary school. Four objectives were raised which included: Assess the extent to which the National Policy on Education’s provision for the use of mother tongue in secondary education is being implemented in practice, Identify the challenges and barriers hindering the integration of mother tongue into the curriculum and instructional practices in secondary schools, examine the availability and adequacy of instructional materials and resources in indigenous languages for teaching secondary school subjects and evaluate the preparedness and training of secondary school teachers in utilizing mother tongue as a medium of instruction and their perceptions towards its effectiveness. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected secondary schools in Ibada. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
It has long been established that Nigeria, being a nation characterized by a diversity of languages, has national language problems. There is a need for a common language that has the capacity of international intelligibility, inter-ethnic intelligibility, and equally the ability to foster peaceful co-existence among the entire people. Choosing this common language has been a very difficult task as there abound a handful of native languages existing alongside English. Several reasons have been cited for this loss of choice among the native languages. Some of the reasons have been described by Bamisaye (2006) as multifaceted controversies which, include; politics, economics, and linguistic questions. Other linguistic groups rightly suppose that the selected language will gain superior prominence and that all other languages will now function in a subordinate capacity. Besides this, our indigenous languages are so incapacitated in terms of human development in all spheres of human interaction, technological advancement, and international value, and also the inability to explain concepts and ideas in science, politics, education, economics, and security-related issues
Recommendation
Nigerian language policy should be revisited; and to actualize this, the researcher recommends that teacher education in Nigeria be revitalised, while adequate training is given to teachers, so as to enable them to comfortably and conveniently teach their subjects in the indigenous languages.
Efforts should also be made to enlighten members of the public on the relevance and benefits of use of mother tongue in education.
Government, on his part, should not adopt the lips-service approach, as many policies have been victims. Monitoring agencies should be setup to ensure that schools, private and public, adhere strictly to the policy.
References
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