Perceptions on Mother-tongue Use in Nigerian Mathematics Classrooms: A Qualitative Inquiry

The Use and Functions of Mother Tongue in EFL Classes

The use of mother tongue (L1) in foreign language classrooms at Language Center is obvious. In this paper, the use and functions of it in various classes have been analyzed and discussed. The purpose of the present study was to find out to what level the instructors use mother tongue in their classes. We attempted to find out whether their mother tongue use changes according to different variables, for which functions they use it, whether they are aware of the amount and the functions, whether the instructors are satisfied with the amount of L1 they use, and whether their students are satisfied with it, and whether this satisfaction differs according to the amount used by their instructors. The study was conducted in the Language Center of South East European University in Tetovo, Macedonia, and it was based on both qualitative and quantitative research designs. The participants were 20 English teachers working in the Language Center and their 167 students. The data were collected through classroom recordings, questionnaires that were administered both to the instructors and the students, and interviews were conducted with all of the teachers and randomly chosen 49 students. The data have revealed that mother tongue is an indivisible part of language teaching, and it actually has different functions like “building up relations”, “making the topic/meaning clear (by giving examples, explaining, making extra explanations, etc.)”, “explaining difficult concepts or ideas”, etc. It was also found out that both the instructors and the students were aware of the importance of using the target language as much as possible in the classes, however, they could not disagree with the need of mother tongue from time to time.

Mathematics is one of the critical subjects studied worldwide and is a major for all science faculties and careers. However, it is 1 of the subjects in which performance is poor in all educational phases and bands. Therefore, with this research we aimed to consider the use of mother tongue in the learning and teaching of mathematics in schools. This qualitative research was a descriptive case study conducted in the OR Tambo Inland district, which comprises 2 satellite towns, Mthatha and Qumbu in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The focus area for the study was the Qumbu satellite. Twenty-four participants were selected through purposeful sampling. Participants were grouped in 4 focus groups with 6 members in each. An interview schedule guide with semi-structured and open-ended questions was used to collect data. A thematic approach and facts were used for data analysis and presentation. Research shows that the use of mother tongue is beneficial for all learners in all subjects, however, this is not what many teachers believe. We conclude with the recommendation that the broad South African community should be schooled in the value and impact of the use of mother tongue in education or consideration of mother-tongue-based bilingual education (MTBBE). There is a need for South Africans to understand the concept of MTBBE better. It provides advantages such as providing learners with an increased ability to think deeply, to express themselves clearly and to improve academic performance (Stoop, 2017).

The use of mother tongue (L1) in teaching English has always been a debatable issue as there are multiple opinions of the teachers regarding it. They are not sure to either use mother tongue in English language teaching or avoid it for effective teaching. The primary purpose of this phenomenological study of qualitative research was to find out the university teachers' perception on the use of mother tongue along with their effectiveness of L1 use at undergraduate level of Far Western University in Nepal. The participants of this study were four English language teachers teaching in the same university having more than ten years of teaching experience. The researcher used semi-structured interview and classroom observation for collecting data. The findings demonstrated that most of the teachers supported the judicious use of mother tongue in English language teaching classes based on their own experiences. The study also showed that overuse of L1 in second language (L2) classes might have some harm. It concludes that judicious use of L1 is a better way to deal with the students having poor proficiency in English language and enhance students' participation. The study recommends that teachers can make use of the students’ mother tongue purposefully whenever they think it is necessary to do in their classes.

Language is a communication tool that is conveyed orally or in writing. Language can be seen from speaking skills, for example the language used is good or bad. Indonesian is intended so that students can use good and correct language, can use polite and non-offensive language. The research conducted aims to determine the use of mother tongue in speaking skills in Indonesian language learning in the classroom. The method used is a qualitative descriptive research method with data collection in the form of observation, and recording tools, the observation function is to determine the speaking skills of students using their mother tongue in Indonesian language learning, while the recording tool is to determine the use of mother tongue in learning. In Indonesian language learning, students use their mother tongue more (Sundanese), because students think their mother tongue is more understood and understood. The results of research in class X 99% of students use their mother tongue. The factors that influence the mother tongue in learning are school environmental factors, environmental factors where students live, and the lack of vocabulary that students have so that students tend to use their mother tongue compared to Indonesian. The efforts made by this research are so that students can acquire vocabulary and be able to use Indonesian when learning by applying literacy to students by reading non-fiction and fiction books.

The integration of language and content instruction has become a new phenomenon in language education field. The aim of this research is to explore the implementation of Content-Based Instruction and the effect of implementing Content-Based Instruction for young learners. This research used a qualitative research method, in order to be able to observe and get detail information on how the students react and interact in any situation. This research was conducted on the fifth grade students. The data were taken through interview, observation, and analyze the documents. The Result of this study indicated that (1) the implementation of Content-Based Instruction in the fifth grade was well implemented, they used English language as instructional language but it does not supported by appropriate teaching documents. (2) Content Based Instruction automatically give a significance effect to the students’ speaking ability: students could answer the teacher’s questions; the use of mother tongue was reduced. It also improving class situation: the atmosphere in the whole class became alive, there were many chances for students to practice their speaking skill; students had great motivation, learning process became easy and fun for the students. Key words: Content-Based Instruction, Young Learners.

The Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) program has been implemented for more than ten years. While its benefits have been recognized, certain negative effects have also been observed. This study focuses on assessing the implementation of MTB-MLE in the Province of Benguet. It aims to identify both the positive and negative impacts of the program, as well as the continuing challenges faced, particularly by teachers. The study is expected to provide insights for concerned stakeholders on how the program may be further improved. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed. The participants consisted of elementary school teachers from various schools in Benguet Province. Data were gathered through interviews and were analyzed using coding and thematization. Findings revealed that the use of the mother tongue in teaching facilitated faster comprehension of lessons, encouraged active participation among learners, and supported easier development of reading skills. However, alongside these positive outcomes, certain negative effects were also identified. These include hindrances in learning and using two languages, difficulties in understanding lessons at higher grade levels, and a decline in students’ confidence in using the second language. The study also highlighted persistent challenges among teachers, such as the lack of adequate teaching materials and the differences between the students’ first language and that of the teachers. Thus, the implementation of MTB-MLE demonstrates both strengths and weaknesses, with teachers continuing to face significant challenges in its application. It is therefore recommended that equal attention be given to addressing the program’s limitations and sustaining its benefits. Moreover, training in the development of instructional materials suited to learners’ linguistic backgrounds should be prioritized to enhance the effectiveness of MTB-MLE.

The aim of this research is to reveal the effect of foreign language learning on the use of mother tongue. Case study, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. In order to keep the sample wide, 70 individuals were selected from among the 4th year undergraduate students studying in three different foreign language departments in the 2016-2017 period, using the simple random sampling method. Research data was analyzed using content analysis method. As a result of the research, it has been determined that foreign language teaching has negative effects on Turkish thought system and Turkish language without gaining mother tongue consciousness and love.

Though revising the existing syllabus is part of the Ethiopian education system, the study of the implementations of the notions of the syllabus attracts a few researchers’ interests. Therefore, this study investigates teachers’ practices of teaching speaking and compares them with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the underlying approach of the new syllabus. It also explores teachers’ rationalizations of their practices and the factors that influence the teaching of speaking. To achieve the objectives, the researchers used a qualitative case study research design. The data from the four purposively selected English teachers was gathered through classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews. In analyzing the data, a qualitative content analysis method was used. The results of the study showed that 1) the major activities and teaching cycle the teachers employed were similar, 2) most of the actual classroom practices did not match with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching, and 3) there were learner-related, teaching-related, curricular, and environmental factors that influenced the teachers’ enactment of the principles of CLT and the teaching of speaking in general. The predominant influencing factors were the learner-related: Lack of basic background skills, lack of experience in practicing speaking lessons, the use of mother tongue in pair and group work activities, fear of making mistakes, lack of interest in speaking lessons, and excessive focus on standardized tests.

The role of students’ native language (L1) in the second language (L2) classrooms has been a debatable issue for a long time in the field of English Language teaching as a foreign language (EFL). The present study which took place in the United Arab Emirate (UAE), more specifically, at Umm Al-Quwain Educational Zone,(UAQ) aimed at investigating both students’ and teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards the use of (L1) in the EFL classrooms. To achieve this, the researcher used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Thus, it surveyed one hundred fifty (150) secondary students and fifty (50) teachers of English and observed three (3) EFL classes. The data were collected through two questionnaires and classroom observations. The classroom observations were intended to reflect the quantity of (L1) use in the (L2) classrooms. The data collected through the questionnaires were analyzed with the aid of frequency and percentage, those collected through the open-ended question of the questionnaires and the classroom observations were sorted and summarized.The findings obtained from classroom observations indicated that the respondents support the well-planned use of Arabic (L1) in certain situations in the EFL classrooms. The questionnaire results revealed that (72%) of the students and (54%) of the teachers felt that Arabic (L1) should be used in their EFL classrooms. The findings also showed that (71% ) of the students and (56%) of the teachers thought that cultural, religious, traditional and political concepts and ideas should be taught by referring to the students’ native language (L1).What is more, almost all the respondents objected to using the (L1) excessively and untimely in (EFL ) classes. The quantitative data on the percentage of (L1) in EFL classes showed that most of the respondents preferred only 10 % use of mother tongue (L1) in a 50- minute class. No teachers and students answered higher than 20% and 40% respectively. In view of these findings, teachers as well as text writers and curricula planners and designers should take the learners’ native language (L1) as a teaching / learning tool.

This research aims to find out the students’ difficulties in English speaking, and the factors that make the students feel difficult in English speaking at the eleventh grade of SMA N 1 Gondang in academic year 2023/2024. This study used descriptive qualitative research as the method with the case study as the type of research design. The researcher chose SMA N 1 Gondang in XI A class as sample which consist of 26 students. In collecting data, the researcher used questionnaire and interview. The acquired data were analyzed utilizing data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. To demonstrate the data's trustworthiness, the researcher employed data triangulation. There are several types of difficulties faced by the students, namely inhibition, nothing to say, and mother tongue use. Inhibition includes the students afraid of making mistakes to speak English, feeling shy and nervous. Nothing to say includes lack of vocabulary and lack of grammar. Mother tongue use includes students’ habits of using mother tongue, and difference pronunciation. The factors of students’ difficulties in speaking English are internal and external factors. The internal factors are interest, ability to understand learning, and shy or nervous, meanwhile external factors are family environment, and student environment.Keywords: Students Difficulties, Speaking Skills

This is a qualitative research with a case study research design which aimed to find out the students’ difficulties in speaking at Non-English Speaking Class in Mathematics program study at UIN Raden Fatah Palembang. The researchers selected three students who met the criteria as a research participant by using criterion sampling. In collecting the data, the researchers used an interview as instrument. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The result showed that the students faced some difficulties in speaking, such as lack of vocabulary, inhibition, mother-tongue use, and lack of confidence. The findings of the study encouraged students to practice speaking English more until they developed a speaking habit, which made them able to improve their speaking skills and also expanded their vocabulary better.
 

In this research, the term “maritime” describes issues related to the relationships and activities between humans and the sea. A country with a major maritime region, like Indonesia, can also be referred to as maritime. This serves as an idea of a starting point for a nation seeking for ways to improve its marine education. However, students find it difficult to understand the material due to the use of foreign language that they don’t understand. In order to increase student knowledge and interest, the researcher offers the use of mother tongue. For this study, researcher conduct qualitative research. 25 students from University Maritim Raja Ali Haji (UMRAH) participate in responding the questionnaire. The data indicates that people strongly agree using their mother language is a good way to raise awareness in the maritime environment. Because, it can facilitate their understanding of the subject during the learning process. Besides, students’ motivation in studying maritime education is also greatly influenced by their mother tongue. When teachers utilize their mother tongue fluently and avoid complicating things, students have an easier time processing the material and their enthusiasm in studying about maritime will also rise.

This study investigated types of games applied by the teachers in teaching speaking, described the problems faced by the teachers in implementing the games, and found out the solutions done to overcome the problems. Then, this study was in a form of qualitative research applying descriptive method in analyzing the data. Observation and interview were conducted to collect the data related to the implementation of the games, and descriptive data analysis was used in analyzing them. This study found that there were some games used by the teachers in teaching speaking e.g find someone who, hot seat, whispering, interview, survey, finger up and down, memory chain, and fact or fake game. The problems also happened during speaking practice like the use of mother tongue due to lack of vocabulary, cheating, and passive students. Finally, the teachers did solutions to solve the problems like giving clear instructions, and setting the rules before playing the games.

This study explores what new contributions the 2018 ELT curriculum for high schools with no foreign language preparatory classes in Turkey brought by comparing it with the previous ELT curriculum for high schools with no foreign language preparatory classes, namely, the 2014 high school ELT curriculum by utilizing document analysis as a form of qualitative research. Because of word limitation, the ELT curriculum for high schools with foreign language preparatory classes was excluded from the study and only 12th-grade syllabi in both curricula are compared. The result of the analysis indicates that many parts of the theoretical background of the 2018 ELT curriculum for high schools are copied (without citation) from the theoretical background of the 2014 ELT curriculum for high schools. The new contribution in the theoretical background of the 2018 ELT curriculum is observed to be the inclusion of ‘ethics and values education’, which is explained in only half of the page. There is no difference between the two curricula in terms of the treatment of needs analysis, assessment and evaluation and the use of mother tongue in the classroom. Minor revisions are observed in goal and objectives, content (syllabus), approach and method, materials and weekly class hours.