THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MOTHER TONGUE POLICY IN RELATION TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY THREE (SS3) STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study Language, as both a human and social construct, continues to garner significant scholarly interest across disciplines, particularly within and beyond the field of linguistics (Maduekwe, 2007, p.1). Its role as a medium of communication is indispensable to human interaction. Language serves as a binding force that unites people within communities, states, and nations. The Webster Encyclopedia defines language as “any set of symbols used for communication by a people.” In the same vein, Abdulwaheed (1998) describes language as a coded system comprising signs and symbols that carry meaning within a particular linguistic group. Throughout human history, individuals have often learned and used languages other than their native tongue to engage with members of other linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In many regions across the globe, bilingualism and multilingual educational models that incorporate the use of two or more languages have become standard educational practice. These innovative approaches are often implemented to promote competence in international languages of wider communication while also sustaining proficiency in indigenous and regional languages. The UNESCO report (2002) highlights that, due to the growing pressures of globalization, education systems worldwide have been prioritizing foreign languages, with English taking precedence. Decisions about the language of instruction are increasingly influenced by global labor market demands, especially in sectors such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and scientific research. In fact, the dominance of English globally is both a consequence and a driver of globalization. Babajide (2002) observes that rapid technological advancement has essentially erased geographical boundaries, resulting in a globally interconnected world where the economy, education, governance, and information dissemination are increasingly interwoven. Within this context, English has emerged as the primary medium for international communication. He further argues that for any country, particularly those in the Global South, to remain relevant and fully benefit from these global opportunities in various spheres of life, proficiency in English is essential. English has been widely recognized as an international lingua franca (Fazal & Lingard, 2010), becoming the leading language in scholarly publications, technical documentation, international forums, and digital technology. Acknowledging the global importance of English, it has become necessary for individuals to attain a reasonable level of proficiency in the language. Consequently, educational systems worldwide have adjusted their language policies to reflect the rising dominance of English by introducing it as a compulsory second language from an early stage of schooling. For example, in countries like Fiji, the local language is used as the medium of instruction in the first three years of primary education but is gradually replaced entirely by English. Similarly, in Polynesia, English is introduced as a subject in the first or second year of primary school, although instruction initially takes place in the native language (Lynch & Mugler, 2004, as cited in Fazal & Lingard, 2010). In countries like China and South Korea, the age at which English is introduced in the school curriculum has recently been reduced from 11 and 12 years to as early as 9 (Kaphan & Baldauf, 2003, as cited in Fazal & Lingard, 2010). Nigeria, a country characterized by linguistic diversity, follows a similar trend. English enjoys an elevated status as the nation’s lingua franca and is a core subject within the educational curriculum. It functions as a prerequisite for obtaining the Senior Secondary Certificate, admission into tertiary institutions, and is often a requirement for employment. English also serves as Nigeria’s primary channel for international communication. As such, it is essential that students attain a satisfactory level of competence in English in order to thrive in this era dominated by science, technology, and global interaction. In pursuit of this goal, the Nigerian government integrated the teaching of both English and indigenous languages into the National Policy on Education (NPE). The policy explicitly states: “The medium of instruction in the primary school shall be the language of the environment for the first three years. During this period, English shall be taught as a subject. From the fourth year, English language shall progressively be used as a medium of instruction, while the language of the immediate environment and French shall be taught as subjects.” (NPE, 4th Ed., 2004, p.16). Furthermore, to strengthen efforts to improve English language proficiency, the English curriculum was revised and restructured as part of broader educational reforms. These reforms were developed with the understanding that any effective curriculum aimed at enhancing students’ command of English must account for the unique status English holds both in Nigeria and globally (Maduekwe, 2004). 1.2 Statement of the Problem Given the adoption of the mother tongue language policy and the reform of the secondary school English language curriculum, it would be logical to expect substantial improvements in students’ performance in English, particularly in their final school examinations. Unfortunately, despite these strategic interventions, student proficiency in English remains alarmingly poor. Academic performance across various levels of the Nigerian education system continues to decline, as evidenced by the consistently low pass rates recorded in external examinations taken at the end of secondary school. The average credit pass rate in English fluctuates around 10%, and Nigerian students often perform significantly below the average of their counterparts in other West African countries (Ikonta, 2010, p. iv). Obanya (1982) and Obemeata (1984) both captured this disappointing trend when they lamented that: “Every year… the performance has tended to be worse than the previous year, but this year there has been a noticeable decline in general, and there is certainly grave cause for concern about the standard of English teaching and learning in our country.” This situation has become a major concern for parents and the wider public. The alarm expressed by parents is justified considering the critical role English plays in both Nigeria’s development and global integration. If this issue remains unaddressed, it may not only hinder students' academic and social advancement but also negatively affect national development in political, economic, and technological spheres. Given that English functions as both a gateway and a barrier to participation in global discourse and opportunities, its effective acquisition is essential. These troubling trends have prompted the need for this research, which seeks to critically assess the level of implementation of the mother tongue education policy and its impact on students’ proficiency in English—the global language of communication. This study also aims to identify both successes and limitations of the policy, and to propose practical strategies for improving English language outcomes among Nigerian students. 1.3     purpose of the Study The main purpose of the study is to assess The Implementation of Mother Tongue Policy in Relation to English Language Proficiency Among Senior Secondary Three (SS3) Students. The specific objectives are to: 1.  Ascertain if students’ reception of initial literacy in the mother tongue has any influence on their English language proficiency skills. 2.   Examine the extent to which parents’ attitude towards the use of the mother tongue for initial literacy influences the level of the mother tongue language policy implementation. 3.   Establish the extent to which teachers’ perceptivity of and attitude towards the mother tongue education policy has influenced the implementation level of the mother tongue policy. 4. Establish if parents’ perceptivity of the mother tongue education policy and preferences for the use of language at home has any influence on their attitude towards the use of the mother tongue for initial literacy. 5.   Investigate the level of Government’s commitment to the mother tongue language policy implementation by providing adequate human and material resources. 1.4     Research Questions The following research questions were answered in this study. 1.     Will students’ reception of initial literacy in the mother tongue influence their English language proficiency skills? 2.     To what extent will parents’ attitude towards the use of the mother tongue for initial literacy influence the implementation level of the mother tongue language policy? 3.     Will teachers’ perceptivity of and attitude towards the mother tongue education policy have any influence on the implementation level of the mother tongue policy? 4.     To what extent will parents’ perceptivity of the mother tongue education policy and preferences for the use of language at home influence their attitudes towards the use of the mother tongue for initial literacy? 5.     To what extent committed is the government committed to the mother tongue policy implementation by providing adequate human and material resources? 1.5     Research Hypotheses The following statistical hypotheses will be tested in this study. 1.     There is no significant influence of the students’ reception of initial literacy in the mother tongue on their English language proficiency skills. 2.     There is no significant influence of parents’ attitude towards the use of the mother tongue for initial literacy on the implementation level of the mother tongue language policy. 3.     There is no significant influence of teachers’ perceptivity of and attitude towards the mother tongue policy on the implementation level of the mother tongue policy. 4.     There is no significant influence of parents’ receptivity to mother tongue policy and preferences for use of language at home on their attitude towards the use of mother tongue for initial literacy. 5.     There is no significant influence of the Government’s commitment to the mother tongue policy implementation by making available adequate human and material resources on the level of implementation. 1.6     Significance of the Study a.     The outcomes of this study will form a database for further researches on this or a similar topic. b.     The results will serve as an eye opener to the respective stakeholders regarding what they are expected to do to facilitate the implementation of the mother tongue education policy. c.      The study will enable policy makers to understand the difficulties teachers and students encounter in the classroom which contributed to the failure of the mother tongue education policy implementation. The outcome of the study will reveal whether there is a correlation between mother tongue education and English language proficiency. d.     The study will also broaden people’s understanding of other possible factors that are militating against the effective implementation of the mother tongue education policy. e.      The result of the study will also reveal other factors that are contributory to students’ poor performance in English language proficiency. 1.7 Scope of the Study The study was limited to Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area within Lagos state. From this one local government area, ten (10) Senior Secondary schools were randomly selected for the study. 1.8 Operational Definition of Terms The following terms are hereby defined for better understanding as used in the study: Language Proficiency Language proficiency refers to a person’s ability to use a language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary for a variety of purposes including speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Language competence Language competence is a broad term which includes linguistic or grammatical competence, discourse competence, sociolinguistic or sociocultural competence and what might be called textual competence. The specific learning outcomes under “Language Competence” deal with knowledge of the language and the ability to use that knowledge to interpret and produce meaningful texts appropriate to the situation in which they are used. Language competence is best developed in the context of activities or tasks where the language is used for real purposes, in other words, in practical applications. Learning Strategies Learning strategies are any sets of operations, steps, plans, routines, used by the learner to facilitate the obtaining, storage, retrieval, and use of information. They are intentional behaviours and thoughts used by learners during learning so as to better remember new information. It is an attempt to develop linguistic and sociolinguistics competence in a target language (Stern, 1992: 261) Limited English Proficiency Limited English Proficiency refers to a student who is not fully capable in English, who speaks a language other than English at home, and does not demonstrate English language skills of comprehension, speaking , reading, and writing at a level that would place him/her in a class where English is the only medium of instruction. Mother tongue (First Language/Native Language) Mother tongue or first language is language a person has learned from birth or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity. In most cases, it is the language a person acquires in early childhood because it is spoken in the family and /or it is the language of the region where he/she lives. Home Language Home language refers to language (s) spoken in the home by significant others (e.g. family members and caregivers) who reside in the home; sometimes used as a synonym for the first language, primary language or native language. Second Language Second language is the language one speaks other than one’s first language. English as Second Language (ESL) Programme English as Second Language (ESL) Programme is an instructional program for students whose dominant language is not English. The purpose of the program is to increase the English language proficiency of eligible students so they can attain academic standard and achieve success in the classroom. Official language Language adopted by the state for administrative and institutional use, often including schools Receptivity Receptivity is the ability to accept something as authority or truth or learn of something and react towards it. Languages are instrumental in our receptivity to reality. They influence the way we perceive things in our environment, the way we think, the way we act and speak as well as the way we behave in any given social context. Perception Perception is the attempt to understand those aspects of observations of the world of things and people that depend on the nature of the observer. It also consists of a series drawing out from events in the material world external to the perceiver, through the translation of those events into patterns of activity within the perceiver, culminating in the perceiver’s observed and behavioural reactions to those events. L1/L2 Contemporary linguists and educators commonly use the term L1 to refer to a first or native language, and the term L2 to a second language or a foreign language that is being studied. Lingua franca Lingua franca is a language that is used among people of various different languages.  For the purpose of this study, English language is the lingua franca. Medium of Instruction The language used in teaching and learning curricular content. Bilingual Education Bilingual Education is a program that involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and second language, with varying amount of each language used in accordance with the education program model. Immersion bilingual education Immersion bilingual education is a program in which the usual curricular activities are conducted in a foreign language. Transitional bilingual education  Transitional bilingual education refers to a program that involves the child’s native language for no more than three years. It typically begins in Kindergarten or Elementary school by using the students’ first language as the media of instruction but the aim is to leave the students’ L1 capabilities behind and develop only their L2 linguistic and academic proficiencies. Maintenance Bilingual Education Maintenance bilingual education programs do not involve development or extension of the minority language. They are limited to maintenance of the minority language. Maintenance bilingual education aims at enhancing students’ native language while they acquire a second language. Comprehensive Inputs Comprehensive Inputs refer to stored material of information capable of being understood. In other words, it is the language that is understood by the learner. It focuses on meaning first and then uses simplified speech. For the purpose of this study, comprehensible inputs refer to the contribution made by a person’s learning in the first language (L1) to his/her competence in other languages. Literacy Literacy for the purpose of this work is defined as the ability to read, write and communicate. It is consciously and deliberately taught and learned. Biliteracy Biliteracy means ability to speak read and write in two or more languages