THE EFFECT OF MOTHER TONGUE INTERFERENCE ON THE STUDY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OVIA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

        The topic of the study is the effects of mother tongue interference on the study of English language in senior secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo state. The aim is to know how the mother tongue affects the learning of English language in Secondary school especially in four selected schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo state.

        The targeted population for the study was 240 but sample size of 120 was used and the instrument used for data collection was questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed to the four schools selected in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo state. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics by the application of a statistical software which is SPSS (Statistical Packages for Social Sciences).

         The following were the researcher’s findings. That teachers of English language in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo state do have good teaching aids which ranges from good teaching method, teaching materials in their various schools visited. The students are a bit fluent in English   language. The research suggests that most of the English language teachers are qualified as the the impact of their knowledge on the students is seen in the fluency of the students in speaking English language in the schools and outside the schools. It also shows that most students are good in understanding some of the English language vocabularies as observed in their ability to interact with their peers and teachers in the class without much interference of the mother tongue. In view of the above, the researcher recommends that schools should make provisions for all the necessary teaching tools, educating teachers on different effective teaching methods. Also teachers should be made to make use of correct teaching method and tools provided in teaching of English that mother tongue should be restricted as stipulated by the national policy on education 4th edition. And finally, student should be taught and made to speak English language always. That teachers of the English language should be made to ensure that at least every student is carried along in the classroom lesson. That qualified teachers should be employed.