2013 Cambridge Business & Economics Conference
ISBN : 9780974211428
USE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES AS MEDIA OF INSTRUCTION IN TEACHING OF BIOLOGY
(A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ONDO WEST LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA)
BY
OSUNGBEMIRO, N. R., OLANIYAN, R.F., SANNI R.O. AND OLAJUYIGBE, A. O. (Ph.D)
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
ADEYEMI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ONDO.
ONDO STATE, NIGERIA
Author’s address:
Phone-+2348035061033
bronelsonto03@gmail.com
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2013 Cambridge Business & Economics Conference
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Use Of Indigenous Languages As Media Of Instruction In Teaching Of Biology (A Case Study
Of Some Selected Secondary Schools In Ondo West Local Government, Ondo State,
Nigeria)
ABSTRACT
There is no doubt that the performance of students in Biology in Nigeria secondary
schools has fallen drastically. The aim of this research is to investigate whether the use of
indigenous language (mother tongue) can improve scientific development in this part of our
world. The research is conducted in four schools in Ondo West Local Government Area. The
research is carried out systematically with the use of teaching method in which the pupils are
taught in a specific mother language (Yoruba language) and with a foreign language (English
language). Pretest and posttest were administered, summative evaluation were carried out with
each language of the topic taught and the scores collected from the evaluation were analyzed
with the use of T-test analysis to show the mean scores of the languages respectively. The
findings showed that there is a significant difference between the students taught with
indigenous language (Yoruba language) and those taught with English languages: Therefore,
effort should be made towards encouraging the indigenous language to teach our students at
all level of Education; however, this should be complimented with foreign language.
INTRODUCTION
In Nigeria, English Language is the medium of instruction as from primary to tertiary
level. This medium of instruction is different from the language of the immediate environment
or mother tongue of the child, therefore, English is a second language.
The medium or language for teaching science subjects is specified in the National
Policy on Education (1981) thus “Government will see to it that the medium of instruction in
the primary school is initially the mother tongue of the language of the immediate community
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and at a later stage, English”. This is probably in appreciation of the fact that the child learns
better when he is taught in the language which he uses at home.
“Formal education in Nigeria language, (Yoruba) began way back in 1831, yet up till
now not much progress appears to have been made in education in Nigerian languages,
irrespective of the 1926 education Edit of the colonial government, and the many noble
sentiments of indigenous Federal and State governments and valiant activities of the
Linguistic Association of Nigeria” (Emenanjo, 1985).
Despite the government’s commitment to education the quality of education in our
schools has been declining tremendously, thereby giving successive government’s serious
concern (Adeyemi et al 2012).
Obani (1996) expressed his view that education improves the drift of any society and
the youths who occupy significant positions in that country should be properly of educated in
order to improve the society.
“Professor Jessica Ball of the School of Child and Youth care at Canada’s University
of Victoria said that up to 50 percent of 6,000 languages currently spoken around the world
would be gone by 2100” (Premayuda,
2010).
She also said that “One way to achieve equality in education, opportunities and (the
goal of) education for all, as well as to counter linguistic and cultural loss is to deliver early
childhood education and primary education through mother tongues”
Teaching science and technology in the mother tongue e.g. (Yoruba) requires that a
large body of scientific literature be developed in such a mother tongue using the appropriate
scientific words, terms and phrases.
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This is the language that the mother speaks to him at home and it is called mother
tongue. It is therefore argued that learning science in the mother tongue will produce more
lasting results than learning in a second language. This line of argument is supported by the
reports of a longitudinal research at the Institute of Education. University of Ile-Ife (Now
Obafemi Awolowo University (Fafunwa, Macaulay and Sokoya (1989); Fafunwa 1994,
1995) has consistently expressed his belief in the use of Yoruba, or any other mother tongue
as a medium for learning school subjects including science and Mathematics. According to
Pirol (1990) humanistic approach to teaching science involves among others, the use of the
language of the child’s immediate environment to teach him/her. Therefore, our teachers of
Biology will need to adopt the humanistic approach so as to make the topic less fearful,
interesting and understanding.
THE USE OF YORUBA LANGUAGE IN TEACHING BIOLOGY
If one should ask some Yoruba speaking people whether it is possible or not to teach
Biology in Yoruba language, it is very likely that the answer will be negative.
In the past, some people have queried “how do you translate pectoral girdle to
Yoruba?” or “how do you express odontoid process in Yoruba?” This set of people seems to
see Biology as consisting mainly of concepts, terms and principles.
Teaching Biology in Yoruba language provides a forum for enhancing a deeper
understanding and knowledge of the topic. More importantly is the fact that interest of the
student is aroused when some terms like cranium, scapula, cervical, thoraxic etc. hitherto
expressed in English are now translated with their functions into mother tongue and this leads
to more concentration on the part of students.
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Many scientific concepts, terms principles which do not have equivalents in Yoruba
language can be absorbed through transliteration in spellings such words using Yoruba
alphabets and of course, incorporating the total nature of the language. Examples of such
items and functions are listed in Appendix III.
With the transliteration into mother tongue, students are likely to be more interested in
the topic already thus their ability to grasp and understand becomes higher.
Research Hypothesis
The following null hypotheses were tested.
Ho1:
There is no significant difference in the post test achievement scores of the
experimental groups and the control group.
Ho1:
There is no significant difference in the post test achievement scores of students taught
in Yoruba language and those taught with English Language as medium of instruction.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Three groups of students from three different schools were used. There were two
experimental groups and one control group designated group A, B and C respectively. The
three groups were randomly selected from the schools in Ondo Local Government Area of
Ondo State. Group A was exposed to topic called Nervous System in Yoruba Language while
group B only was taught in English Language. Group C was not taught in order to cater for
the lack of relevant reference material. Reading texts in both English and Yoruba languages
were prepared on three sub-topics.
(1)
The meaning and structure of skeletal system (2) the functions of skeleton, the skeletal
tissue and its components (3) anatomy of the skeleton of a mammal. This reading
material was validated by 3 Biology teachers and the suggested amendments were
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affected. A Yoruba version of the text was later produced and this too was validated
by experts in Yoruba languages for Yoruba English Group (YEG) and in English
Language for the English English Group (EEG). Appropriate permission was
obtained from the authorities of the schools used in the study. It was also ensured that
none of the topics to be treated in the study had been dealt with in any of the schools.
After the administration of the pretest the experimental groups were taught the lesson
while the control group was not taught at all. The post test was administered to the
students after the lessons had been taught.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected for this study were analysed with reference to the hypothesis stated.
Table I shows the means and standard deviation of the pretest scores obtained from the
experimental group i.e the Yoruba and English experimental groups. (See table 1, appendix I)
The table shows the mean scores for Yoruba and English Experimental groups which
are 3.67 and 3.80 are almost equal while that of control Group is the highest 14.75, this shows
that neither of the two languages i.e. Yoruba and English had an advantage over the other.
The S.D. of all the groups also vary with the English deviation of 1.04 and the Control
Group with the highest of 2.00
The test which was administered to the students for the pretest, was also administered again
for the post test after teaching the experimental groups using English Language as the medium
of instruction for the EEG and Yoruba Language as the medium of instruction for the Yoruba
Experimental Group. The Yoruba Experimental Group is the highest (13.32) followed by the
English Experimental Group and then the Control Group with the following mean 8.47 and
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5.75 respectively (See table 2. Appendix I). This result showed that the students in the Yoruba
Experimental Group performed better than their counterparts in EEG.
The data obtained were further analyzed using the t-test to verify the hypotheses.
Ho1:
States that there is no significant difference in the post test achievement scores of the
experimental groups and the control group, t-test for this hypothesis, the post test scores of
each of both Yoruba Experimental Group and English Experimental Group were compared
with the control group respectively and the following result was obtained.
See table 3. Appendix II
Table 3: indicates that there is a significant difference between the Experimental
Group and the Control Group because they performed better than the control group. This
seems to signify that both Yoruba and English language are effective media of instruction.
Therefore, the hypothesis 1 was rejected.
Ho2:
There is no significant difference between the Yoruba Experimental Group and the
English Experimental Group. To test this hypothesis the post-test scores of the groups were
compared and the following result was obtained.
See table 4 Appendix II
Table 4: indicates that the scores of students who were taught in Yoruba language
performed significantly better than those who were taught in English language.
This showed that there is a significant difference between the Yoruba Group and the
English Group in favour of the Yoruba Group. Therefore, hypothesis 2 was also rejected.
There results agreed with earlier findings of Ojerinde and Cziko (1978), Ojerinde
(1979, 1983), Fafunwa et al; (1989) who reported that student who were taught Mathematics
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in Yoruba language performed significantly better than their counterparts who were taught in
English language.
It is also supported by the reports of Ehindero (1980), Olarewaju and Jimoh (1995)
and Olarewaju (1997), that those taught in English Language when subjected to the same test.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
It was found that experimental groups performed better the Control Group. One of the
possible reasons for the performance could be attributed to the medium of instruction.
Simply put, the use of the Yoruba language placed the Yoruba experimental pupils
(students) at an advantage over the English Experimental and the Control Group.
It could be claimed that the use of Yoruba as medium of instruction contributed to the
higher achievement of the experimental group.
Skeletal system, known to be difficult to teach and learn due to its being too wide in
nature was taught and learned with relative ease using Yoruba language as medium of
instruction. If we are interested in inculcating the spirit of science in our students, if we do not
want to be left behind in the global world for scientific and technological development, then it
is imperative for all concerned science teachers, science educators, educational administrators,
curriculum developers, authors and policy makers-to join forces in order to teach and learn
science in a language that gives minimum difficulty to the students (Olarewaju, 1991) thereby
making the desired results a reality.
Despite the government’s commitment to education, the quality of education in our
schools has been declining tremendously, thereby giving successive government’s serious
concern. (Adeyemi, 2012).
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Teaching science and technology in the mother tongue e.g (Yoruba) required that a
large body of scientific literature be developed in such a mother tongue using the appropriate
scientific words, terms and phrases. . If everyone could speak the two most common used
languages in their community then communication would be much better. The Federal
Government of Nigeria should encourage the use of native and foreign languages as media of
instruction by placing more premium on graduates who are versed in the effective use of an
additional native language to the official lingua franca.
REFERENCE
Adeyemi, B. A., O.A. Oribabor and B.B. Adeyemi (2012) – An overview of Educational
Issues in Nigeria: Thoughts and Reflections.
Ehindero, O.J. (1980): The Influence of two Languages of Instruction on Students’ Level of
Cognitive Achievement in Science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Vol. 17,
No. 49, 283-287.
Emenanjo, E. N. (1995): Nigerian Language Policy: Perspective and Prospective. In; Fafunwa
Foundation Internet Journal of Education. 1998.
Fafunwa, A.B. Mitchel, J.I. and Yoloye, J.A.F. (1989): Educational Research Project (19701976), Ibadan, University Press Limited.
Ojerinde, A. (1979): The effect of a Mother Tongue Yoruba on Academic Achievement of
Primary five pupils of the six year Yoruba Primary Project. June 1978. Evolution
University of Ife, Ile-Ife.
Ojerinde, A. (1983): Six Year Yoruba Primary Project 1979, Primary Six Evaluation,
University of Ife, Ile-Ife.
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Ojerinde, A. and Cziko, G.A. (1979):
ISBN : 9780974211428
Yoruba Six Year Primary project – June 1977
Evaluation, University of Ife, Ile-Ife.
Olarewaju, A.O. (1997): Teaching Physics in Yoruba. An innovative Strategy to Enhance
Students’ Achievement in Olarewaju, A.O. (ed) Proceedings of Ajumogibia Memorial
Conference 246-251.
Olarewaju, A.O. and Jimoh, M.A. (1995): Effects of Media of Instruction on Students
Performance in Genetics. Journal of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria.
Vol. 30, No. 1 and 2, 47-52.
Olarewaju, A.O. and Jimoh, M.A. (1995): Effects of Media of Instruction on Students
Performance in Genetics. Journal of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria. Vol.
30, No. 1 and 2, 47-52.
Obani, T.C. (1996). The vision and mission of special education in Nigeria. A lead paper
presented at National Commission for College of Education (NCCE) at the National
Conference, NTI, Kaduna, 21st – 25th July.
Using Nigeria Languages as Media of Instruction to Enhance Scientific and Technological
Development: An Action Delayed (Fafunwa Foundation Internet Journal of Education,
1998).
Premyuda Bonroj (2010). Use of mother tongue vital, studies show. The Nation Bangkok
Published on November, 15, 2010.
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Appendix I
Table I
Means and Standard Derivation (S.D) of Pretest Scores for Experimental and Control Groups.
GROUP
NUMBER
X
S.D.
EEG
40
3.80
1.04
YEG
40
3.67
1.16
Control
40
4.75
2.00
Table 2:
Mean and Standard Deviation of post test scores for Experiential and Control Groups.
GROUP
NUMBER
X
S.D.
EEG
40
3.47
2.91
YEG
40
13.23
2.89
Control
40
5.75
2.62
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Appendix II
Table 3:
T-test Comparison of Post-test scores of Experiential and Control Groups.
GROUP
NUMBER
X
S.D.
EEG
40
8.47
2.91
CG
40
5.75
2.62
YEG
40
13.23
2.89
CG
40
5.75
2.62
T-Value
3.65*
7.184*
* Significant at P<0.01
Table 4:
T-Test Comparison of Post-Test Scores of EEG and YEG
GROUP
NUMBER
X
S.D.
EEG
40
8.47
2.91
YEG
40
13.43
2.89
GROUP
3.575*
* Significant at P<0.01
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Appendix III
S/NO.
7
TERMS IN TERMS IN TERMS IN YORUBA
ENGLISH
YORUBA
(ISE) IN YORUBA
Cervical
Safika
Amorun yi ka kiri
Thoraxic
Torasiki
O gbe egun iha aya ro
Lumbar
Lumiba
Eegun ti o gbe gbogbo
ara ro
Sacral
Sakara
O gbe eru ara ranse si
ese
Caudal
Kodali
Ibi irun
Cartilage
Kerekere
A fun eegun ni agbara
lati gbe erun ati lati ji
pepe
Coracoids
Korakodi
O ran sikapula lowo
8
Scapula
Sikapula
9
Coracoids
Korakodi
10
Clavide
Kilatiku
1
2
3
4
5
6
Source;
FUNCTIONS IN ENGLISH
For holding up the neck
For articulation with the ribs
Provide support for the entire
body
Transmission of the entire weight
of the body to the legs.
Tail region
Help bones to withstand heavy
weight and absorb mechanical
shocks.
Enclosing and protecting the
brain
Eegun ti o so apa ati It articulates the arms with the
aya po.
thoracic and the entire body.
O ran sikapula lowo
Fused with the scapula to form a
projection
O so eran po mo apa It is used for muscle attachment
lati maa yi ka.
and aiding movement of the arms.
(Research conducted 2012)
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