MOTHER TONGUE INTERFERENCE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY OF YORUBA ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, YOLA, ADAMAWA STATE

Abstract

This study examines the interference issue in Yoruba English Bilingual context among the final year students of English Education of University of Maiduguri in affiliation with Federal College of Education Yola. The study was guided by three research objectives which include to; determine whether mother-tongue has any effect on academic performance of students of English Language; identify factors that can make mother tongue to have negative effects on students’ academic performance; and also, to determine the factors that can minimize the mother tongue effects on academic performance. The study randomly sampled 100 Yoruba speaking students offering English Language in FCE Yola. The study used questionnaire to obtain data and analyzed the data using simple percentage, frequency and average. The study found that mother tongue affected academic performance of students in English Language. Also, the study indicated that factors leading to poor influence of mother tongue on students’ academic performance are poor teaching methods, low parental educational background, peer group influences, lack of school facilities and over-population. Also, it was indicated in the study that the environment of learning, interest, appropriate educational technology, early child education as well as standard schools are factors that can be used to minimize mother tongue effects on students’ performance in English Language. The study recommends that the governments should discourage the use of mother tongue to teach English Language. Also, government should ensure that the required learning facilities were provided promptly to all schools. The seminar, workshop and public awareness should be made to intimate the parents, students and teachers towards students’ academic performance in English language