CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
One of the principles of Education
in Nigeria is to equip every citizen with such knowledge, skills, attitudes and
values that will enable him derive maximum benefits from his membership of
society, have a fulfilling life and contribute towards the development and
welfare of the community (FRN, 2004). Unfortunately academic achievement of
Nigerian students in school subjects including Home Economics at secondary
school level has remained poor over the year (Obika, 2005).
In 1953 the United Nations
Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report
arguing in favour of mother tongue (First language) instruction. UNESCO noted
that the benefits of mother tongue instruction are along many dimensions.
Psychologically, mother tongue
language is the system of meaningful signs that in his mind works automatically
for expression and understanding.
Sociologically, it is a means of
identification among member of the community to which he belongs.
Educationally, he learn more quickly through it than through an unfamiliar
linguistic medium (UNESCO, 1953, p. 11).
However many countries with multiple
languages, have allowed a single languages to dominate their education sector.
In developing countries the language of choice is very often the language of
their historical colonizer or the language of a dominant ethnic group. The use
of a single language is often mentioned as an important source of low education
attainment in these countries.
Bala (2010) observed that there is a
general misinterpretation of the nature of science and science education which
has attributed to poor understanding that generally result to poor teaching
which leads to low performance in science as well as a general lack of interest
from the students. For effective communication to occur in human beings,
language has to be used be it a sing languages belongs to the society and all
human languages is acquired and learnt by the member of society. Language came
in different forms, it could be the mother tongue official language or lingua
franca. Chuckwu (2011) explained that the use of mother tongue as a medium of
instruction in schools can broadly impact students’ achievement in all area of
learning.
1.2
STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
The high rate of failure in Home
Economic secondary schools shows that teaching and learning.
1.3
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The main
objective of this study is to deduce the effect of mother tongue interference
in the study of Home Economic. It is thought that foreign language. Employed
fir communicating in Home Economics increase abstraction which results in poor
understanding of the home economics concepts, these abstraction may be
minimized by the use of familiar language as proposed and tested in the study.
1.4
PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are:
1.
Assess the effect of mother tongue (MT)
interference in the study of Home Economics.
2.
Assess the effect of mother tongue (MT)
in enhancing student interest and participation in Home Economic and classroom
activities.
1.5
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The following question will be used
in:
a.
Does mother tongue interference have influence
on the study of Home Economics in secondary schools?
b.
To what extent would the student parents
and home environment explain the influence of mother tongue on Home Economics?
1.6
SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
This
research project will cover most of the area needed to justify the effect of
mother tongue interference in the study of Home Economics the Yewa North
Secondary School.
1.7
DEFINITION
OF TERMS
1. Equip:-
This is to supply with necessities such as tools or provision.
2. Linguafranc:-
this is any language that is widely a means of communication among speakers
3. Linguistic:-
this is the scientific study of human language from sound and gestures of
speech up to the organization of words, sentences, and meaning.
4. Abstraction:-
this is the concepturer process by which general rules and concept are derived
from the wage and classification of specific example, signifiers, first
principles, or other methods
5. Interference:
this is the act or an instance of hindering obstructing or impeding