Citation: Salisu Alhaji YUSUF, Abba BABA & Jawi Mai LADANBE B (2020). The Effect of Using Vernacular Language on Learning English in Central and Arikime Primary Schools in Potiskum. Yobe Journal of Language, Literature and Culture (YOJOLLAC), Vol. .8 Department of African Languages and Linguistics, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria. ISSN 2449-0660
THE EFFECT OF
USING VERNACULAR LANGUAGE ON LEARNING ENGLISH IN CENTRAL AND ARIKIME PRIMARY
SCHOOLS IN POTISKUM
Salisu Alhaji YUSUF
Abba BABA
Jawi Mai LADANBE B
Abstract
This research is
design with the sole purpose of exploring and examining the effect of using
vernacular on learning English in some selected primary schools in Potiskum
area of Yobe State as a case study. It also looks at its effect on the
students’ academic performance. With regard to this, the study bears survey
research design. The survey research is a method of using design research
instrument such as questionnaire and interview to generate fact and idea. The findings revealed that the fifty-two percent
(52%) of the English language teachers are holders of T.C II while 48% of them
are NCE holders. In this study, the most significant part of the work is the
identification of the problem areas which the researchers deemed as associated with
the teaching/ learning of English language as a second language in the area of
study. The finding of this research revealed the following items as factors
responsible of learning English Language; Bilingualism, Poor attitude of
parents, the size of the classes, lack of sufficient knowledge of English
language by the teacher, the method of teaching adopted by the teachers in
teaching, poor background of English language by the pupils, lack of
Motivation, frequent change of textbook, inadequacy and sometimes outright lack
of materials for teaching/learning of English language in our schools and lack
of encouragement of pupils to speak English language in their classrooms.
1.1 Introduction
As Nigerian
official language since independence on 1st October, 1960, English
has been in use in schools as the language of instruction and also the lingua
franca that links Nigerian people with different linguistic backgrounds.
Consequently, English is spoken alongside local Nigerian languages throughout the
country. This has brought a significant linguistic contact among different
languages while Hausa is a dominant language in northern parts of the country
as well as universal lingua franca among the different ethnic groups in the
north. This research is designed
with the sole purpose of exploring and examining the effect of using vernacular
on learning English in some selected primary schools in Potiskum local
government area of Yobe State as a case study. It also looks at its effect on
the students’ academic performance. In view of this, this present study bearded
survey research design. The survey research is a method of using design
research instrument such as questionnaire and interview to generate facts and
ideas.
1.2 The
Aim of the Study
The aim of this research is to find out the effect of using vernacular on
learning of English as a second language.
2.1 The Importance
of Learning English Language in Nigeria
English language
belongs to the West Germanic branch of the Indo-European family of languages.
English language is one of the major languages in the world with a role not
only as official language in fifty-five sovereign States but also as lingua
franca in virtually all continents.
English language is a useful language to the African Union. Many of its
members use English as official language or lingua franca; the Anglo-Phone and
the franca-phone countries both speak English language at the African union
meeting, thus English facilitate intercourse among various African countries
and served as a bond of union for its members. (Geoffery, 1978).
2.2 Problem
of Mother Tongue in Learning English Language
Instead of the mother tongue being the medium of instruction at the
pre-primary school level as stipulated in the national policy on education
(1981), the usual practice is that, most of the schools in Nigeria do not use
the mother tongue as a medium of instruction. Instead of foreign language such
as French and English language are used for instruction.
As regard to primary education, where the national policy on education
stipulated that the mother tongue or language of the immediate community should
be as a medium and “later” English language, the effect is either
non-implementation in most Nigerian primary schools. The result is haphazard
and non-uniform implementation of the policy (1977) maintains:
"The implementation of the new national language policy in education
is that the zero mother tongue medium (MTM) will have to go both pre-primary,
primary school level of education.” In the Nigerian context, however, the
pre-primary schools are privately owned institutions are mostly located in
urban centres where children of the rich people from different linguistic and
cultural backgrounds are taught mainly in English language. Thus the teacher in
the nursery or any other fee-paying private schools, operating under the
conditions aptly discussed would naturally find it difficult to comply with the
national policy on education policy statement.
At the primary school level, it is also a well-known fact to find the
divergence between policy and practice. Here, teachers and confused as when to
switch over from vernacular as a medium of instruction in the “Initial” years
and to standard English “Later” as stipulated in the policy.
2.3 Problem
of Multilingualism in Learning English in Nigeria
There are so many
countries in the world, and every country has its own unique language. Although
Nigeria has English as its official language, many other local languages are
still alive and spread widely across the country. It is common knowledge that Nigeria is a multilingual society in fact,
linguist estimates that there are more than 400 languages spoken in the country
(Bambose 1970). Olagoke (1975) states the issue of multilingualism is one of
the effect to the use of vernacular on teaching English language becomes clear
and obvious because when one at the requirements of the national policy on
education, where it is interest that the mother-tongue be used in educating the
child especially at the earlier stage, specifically according to the policy
even at the Junior Secondary School level.
3.0 Analysis
The information
contained for this data collected through the use of questionnaire. The
questionnaire distributed to the teachers in two (2) schools that is Arikime
and Central primary schools Potiskum. The data collected
are analyzed and tabulated below.
In item one of the
questionnaire, there is an indication that bilingualism is one of the problems
of teaching/learning English language. This is evidenced from the responses
received as shown in the table below:
Table
1 Problems of Bilingualism
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
23 |
02 |
0 |
|
92% |
08% |
0% |
In this table, 23
respondents representing 92% agreed that bilingualism is a problem in the
teaching/learning English language as a second language. It has been stated
earlier that the area of study has about six (6) different ethnic groups
speaking their distinct languages.
This problem is
created as a result of a child coming to school having acquired two or more of
these languages and to use them with others in the school. In an attempt to
find out whether the problems of teaching English language as a second language
has any effect on the method of teaching English language skills, the following
responses were received:
TABLE
2
Does English Language Teachers Have a Poor Knowledge in English Language?
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
11 |
12 |
02 |
|
44% |
48% |
08% |
As can be seen in
the table above, 12 out of 25 of the respondents which stand for 48% disagreed
that the teachers have poor knowledge of English language. The fact is that; no
one would accept having a poor knowledge of this discipline. Thus there is a kind
of prejudices in this situation. In addition, the two respondents, which are 8%
of the total respondents who could not decide to agree or disagree, could
highly be place on the “agree” side.
TABLE
3 Lack of Good English Language
Background by The Pupils
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
21 |
03 |
01 |
|
84% |
12% |
04% |
In the above table
as can be seen, 84% of the respondents agree that one of the problems of
teaching English language as a second language is that pupils come to the
primary school with virtually no knowledge of English language which would have
been used as a background.
This becomes obvious
because not all pupils going to primary schools in the area when to some of the
nursery schools in the area. Besides, all the nursery schools in the area are
private fee-paying school and have their own primary schools, which mean most
of their nursery products, are absorbed into their primary classes on
graduating from the nursery school level.
TABLE
4
Teachers Motivation:
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
20 |
05 |
0 |
|
80% |
20% |
0% |
Even without being
asked, the teaching profession is the most looked down upon of all professions.
Thus, in the table 4.6 the indication that teachers are not motivated to do
their job by the 20 respondents out of the 25 respondents, which accounted for 80%,
is not surprising. One will only wonder why the remaining 5 respondents
disagree that teachers are not motivated; probably they have their own
motivators.
TABLE
5
The Effective Teaching of the Four (4) Basic Language Skills:
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
13 |
07 |
05 |
|
52% |
28% |
20% |
In the table
above, 52% of the respondents agree that the four (4) basic language skills are
effectively taught in their schools. The four (4) basic language skills are
listening, speaking reading and writing.
TABLE
6
The Implementation of the Language Policy
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
12 |
05 |
08 |
|
48% |
20% |
32% |
The language
policy as stipulated by the national policy on education table where 48% of the
respondents agree with the questionnaire. However, the 32% of the respondents
and 20% who could not decide whether agree or disagree respectively is very
important. One would be tempted to assume that many of the staff do not know
what the language policy is all about, otherwise the 32% of the respondents
would have decided to agree or disagree.
TABLE
7
Speaking of English Language by Pupils Outside the Classroom
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
19 |
05 |
01 |
|
76% |
20% |
04% |
In the above
table, there is an indication that pupils are not encouraged to speak English
language outside their classrooms this is evident from the responses received
where 19 of the 25 respondents which is 76% agree with the researcher
statement.
This does imply
that the pupils speak the language they best know where they speak English
language is when in the classroom perhaps during English language lesson alone
sometimes, even in the classroom. Some teachers make it compulsory for pupils
in upper classes of the primary school to speak English language and pupils
caught speaking vernacular are usually fined.
TABLE
8
Unavailability and Inadequacy of English Language Materials:
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
22 |
03 |
0 |
|
88% |
12% |
0% |
In the above
table, 88% of the respondents agree that materials for teaching of English
language are inadequate and sometimes even not available.
These materials
include; English language textbooks, audio-visual materials and other related
to them. The absence of these materials or their inadequacy has great impact on
the effective learning and teaching of English language.
TABLE
9
Effective of Instructional Materials
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
08 |
14 |
03 |
|
32% |
56% |
12% |
Instructional
materials provided for the teaching and learning of English languages are not
effectively used, this is indicated by 56% of the respondents these responses
is in line with item13 in table 4.13 where 88% of the respondents confirm that
the instructional materials for the teaching and learning of English are either
inadequate or not available at all.
Thus, where
something is either inadequate or non-available at all, it is no need of being
effective.
TABLE
10
Teachers Effectiveness in the Teaching of Spoken English Language
|
AGREE |
DISAGREE |
UNDECIDED |
|
12 |
10 |
0 |
|
60% |
40% |
0% |
In this case of
study where the pupils cannot communicate in English language, it is not the
fault of their teachers. The teachers are up and doing in the teaching of the
spoken English language. This is indicated by 60% of the respondents who agree
that teachers are effective in the teaching of the spoken English language.
4.1 Summary of the Study
In this study, the
most significant part of the work is the identification of the problem areas
which the researchers deemed as associated with the teaching/ learning of
English language as a second language in the area of study. The problem areas
include: Bilingualism, Poor attitude of parents, the size of the classes, poor
knowledge of English language by the teacher, the method of teaching adopted by
the teachers in teaching, poor background of English language by the pupils,
lack of Motivation, frequent change of textbook, inadequacy and sometimes
outright lack of materials for teaching/learning of English language in our
schools and lack of encouragement of pupils to speak English language in their
classrooms.
4.2 Conclusion
Based on the
findings, in this research, it could be concluded that the effect of using
vernacular on teaching English language are constituted based on the following;
in table 1, 23 respondents representing 92% do agree that bilingualism is a
problem in the teaching/learning English language as a second language. As can
be seen in the table 2, 12 out of 25 of the respondents, which stands for 48%
disagreed that the teachers have poor knowledge of English language. In the
table 3 as can be seen, 84% of the respondents agreed that one of the problems
of teaching English language as a second language is that pupils come to the
primary school with virtually no knowledge of English language which would have
been used as a background.
Thus, in the table
4, the indication that teachers are not motivated to do their job by the 20
respondents out of the 25 respondents, which accounted for 80%, is not
surprising. In the table 5, 52% of the respondents agreed that the four (4)
basic language skills are effectively taught in their schools. The table 6,
shows that the language policy as stipulated by the national policy on
education where 48% of the respondents agreed with the questionnaire. However,
the 32% of the respondents and 20% who could not decide whether agree or
disagree respective. In the table 7, there is an indication that pupils are not
encouraged to speak English language outside their classrooms; this is evident
from the responses received where 19 of the 25 respondents which is 76% agreed
with the researcher statement.
In the table 8,
88% of the respondents agreed that materials for teaching of English language
are inadequate and sometimes even not available. These materials include;
English language textbooks, audio-visual materials and other related to them.
The absence of these materials or their inadequacy has great impact on the
effective learning and teaching of English language. In this case of study
where the pupils cannot communicate in English language, it is not the fault of
their teachers. The teachers are up and doing in the teaching of the spoken
English language. This is indicated by 60% of the respondents who agree that
teachers are effective in the teaching of the spoken English language.
4.3 Recommendations:
Based on the study
undertaken and findings made, the following recommendations are proffered:
Teachers should enforce students/pupils to speak English language both in their
classroom and outside when they are trying to express their ideas.
Schools should be
made to have constant parents’ teachers’ association meetings in other to get
the forum for the discussion of such issues as parents’ attitude towards
English language speaking by their children at home, by providing the necessary
atmosphere and fulfilling the necessary conditions for effective learning of
English language.
Government should
provide adequate and relevant of English language textbooks and should be made
to stand the test of time before they are changed.
Teachers should be
encouraged to make provision of instructional material to supplement those
provided by government. In other words, there should constant workshop for
English language teachers on how to improve teaching material.
Government should
as a matter of urgency improve the conditions of service of teachers by
providing incentives both financially and academically.
Teachers of
English language should encourage attending seminars/workshops to create
awareness of effects of using vernacular on teaching of English Language as a
second language.
Government should
encourage teachers by sending them on courses/in-service training to improve
their academic standards in order to teach English language as a second
language adequately.
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