ABSTRACT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i Approval age ii Dedication iii Acknowledgment iv Table of Contents v CHAPTER ONE Introduction 1-2 1.1 Background of the Study 3 1.2 Statement of the problem 4 1.3 Objectives of the study 4 1.4 Research Question 4 1.5 Scope of the study 4 1.6 Significance of the study 5 1.7 Definition of Terms 5 1.7.1 Mother Tongue 5 1.7.2 Dialect 5 1.7.3 Primary School 5 1.7.4 Education 5 1.7.5 Relation 5 1.7.6 Child 5 CHAPTER TWO Literature Review 6 2.1 Introduction 6
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2.2 An Overview of Mother Tongue 6 2.3 Dialect 8-9 2.4 Mother Tongue Education 9-10 2.5 Importance of mother tongue education 10-11 2.6 The Significance of one’s Mother Tongue 11 2.7 Increasing intellectuals through language 12 2.8 Why Mother Tongue is taught 12-13 2.9 How to Encourage Mother Tongue in the School 13 2.10 Importance of using Mother Tongue as a Medium of Instruction in Primary School. 14 2.11 The Role of Mother Tongue in Child Education 14-17 2.12 Role of Mother Tongue in the Learning Science and Technology. 17 CHAPTER THREE Research Methodology 20 3.1 Introduction 20 3.2 Research Design 20 3.3 Population 20-21 3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques 21 3.5 Instrumentation 21-22 3.6 Method of Data Analysis 22 CHAPTER FOUR Data Analysis 23 4.1 Introduction 23-24 4.2 Presentation of Data 24-41
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4.3 Discussions 42-47 4.4 Summary of major findings 47-48 CHAPTER FIVE 5.1 Summary 49 5.2 Conclusion 49 5.3 Suggestion/Recommendation 49-50 References 51 Appendix ‘A’ Questionnaire for classroom teacher 52-54 Appendix ‘B’ Educational Questionnaire for Administration 55-57
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study Mother tongue as the first language of instruction in schools is an essential tool in whatever field we may find ourselves, without it any meaningful form of intellectual pursuit will be hindered. As we all know that most children who begin their education in their mother tongues make a better start as they demonstrate increased self confidence, and continue to perform better than those who start school in a new language (English). (Cummins,2000) The outlook of the education is brighter when the school builds on the foundation of mother tongue in teaching a second language. It is therefore important that one understand the functions of mother tongue, particularly pupil’s learning through it as a-medium of instruction in school. This has been given a tremendous support by both educational authorities and the general public. (Baker, 2000) This support however, rests on the general belief that the mastery of mother tongue assists in the understanding of other subjects like Art, Social Studies and Primary Science etc. The numerous studies in all parts of the world shows that the effective use of mother tongue tends to the better knowledge of a second or foreign language when it is acquired in a comparative short time. (Skutnabh, 2000) It is commonly known that children who lack the knowledge of mother tongue, that is children who only know how to speak English language as their first language without the knowledge of the language of their immediate environment, usually perform lower in academic work. (Baker, 2000)
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In Nigeria, almost every parent wants their children to acquire the knowledge of a second language as their first language at the expense of their immediate environment. [Modernization has affected the acquisition of mother tongue in this regards. Now the way children perform in school, is no more like before, their performance had greatly dropped down almost to zero point. In a situation where children are being introduced to the language of their immediate environment at their early age, when they begin schooling, their performance in academic “work will improve. That is why this research is been conducted in order to address the role of mother tongue as it relates to child education, but at the lower level of primary school. Primary one to three are the focus of the research with a case study of some selected Model Primary School in Sokoto metropolis 1.2 statement of the problem It has been observed that the rates at which primary school pupils of nowadays are performing poorly is very alarming. This might not be unconnected with the fact that mother tongue as the first language of instruction in school and which had been stipulated in the National policy on Education (NPE, 2004) had not been use for instruction as required. And in line with this, therefore Pupils are facing a lot of challenges today with regards to their educational attainment or progress. Education, as we all know, is inevitable if one really wants to make it in life, though one may become somebody in life without it, yet it is generally believed that if one really wants to make it, education cannot be left behind. Now it is a problem for students to have good grade. This problem does not only affect the children in lower classes and upper classes of primary school, even students of secondary schools are being affected. When one considers the performance of students writing S.S.C.E Exam this day, is far lower than the way
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students perform in the past. This is the reason why the researchers decided to consider the roles of mother tongue in education, most especially as it relates to child education in primary school that is primary one to three with special reference to some selected Model Primary School so that this problem can be addressed and solutions to be proffered. 1.3 Objective of the study The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of mother tongue on children learning at the lower level of primary education. However, other specific objectives include 1. To find out ways by which pupils could be helped to solve the problem they have in learning new things in other language (English) 2. To find out whether the language teachers are applying the children mother tongue in the process of teaching and learning. 3. To find out ways of motivating of the pupils towards the uses of their mother tongue in communicating with their colleagues and teachers in primary one to three. 4. To find out ways of helping pupils to develop their linguistics competence as they are growing in life. 1.4 Research Questions 1. What are the ways by which pupils could be helped to solved the problems the have in learning new things in other language? 2. Are the language teachers applying the children’s mother tongue in the process of teaching and learning? 3. How can the pupils be motivated towards the use of their mother tongue in communicating with colleagues and teachers?
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4. What are the ways by which pupils could be helped to develop their linguistic competence as they grow in life? 1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY This research is officially planned to address the roles of mother tongue in relation to child education in the lower level of primary school (primary one to three) with a case study of some selected primary schools in Sokoto metropolis. The research is limited to lower classes of some selected of primary schools in Sokoto metropolis due to the financial and time constraints coupled with the perceived administrative problem associated with some schools. Nevertheless, the findings are applicable to all lower levels of primary school across the country. It should be noted that mother tongue does not only affect the learning of pupils of a particular school but all the children at lower classes of primary school across the country. In addition, the mother tongues we are going to examine are Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. 1.6 Significance of the Study Mother tongue (dialect) as the language of our immediate environment plays significant role in the life of our pupils, especially those in the lower classes. It gives them the appropriate skill that they need to acquire the knowledge of a second language (English). English language as the second official language in Nigeria has become an essential tool to acquire the knowledge of other subjects taught in the lower classes and even in upper classes of our educational settings. It is therefore our conviction that the study will be of great use to all educationalist and language teachers in coming to term with pupil’s ability to acquire the knowledge in mother tongue.
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1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS 1.7.1 Mother Tongue: This is the language that one first learns when one is a child. It is the language in which the speaker has the greatest number of vocabulary, that is to say that it is the language the user can use with all ease and competence. 1.7.2 Dialect: This is the form of language that is spoken in one area with grammatical word and pronunciation that may be different from other forms of the same language. 1.7.3 Primary School: This is a school for children between the ages of five (5) and eleven (11) 1.7.4 Education: This is the process of individual development in which the abilities of a person are brought out and practiced so that one becomes capable of useful behaviour. 1.7.5 Relation: This is the way in which two or more things are connected.
1.7.6 Child: Refers to a young human being who is not yet an adult. Example a child of three/a three year old child.
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