Effects of using english and local language on the study of mathematics at the lower primary in the Suhum Kraboa Coalter district of Ghana

Abstract

The study was conducted to compare the effects of using the local language (L 1) and English (L2) on achievement in Mathematics at the lower Primary. The study, which was conducted in the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District in the Eastern Region of Ghana adopted a quasi experimental design. Primary 3 pupils were used in the study. Convenient and purposive sampling techniques were used to select four primary schools for the sample. Two of the schools were selected from Suhum (urban town) and the other two were from rural schools. The random sampling technique was also employed to determine the type of language to use for instruction in each of the sampled schools. Lessons on addition and subtraction of fractions were prepared and presented to the four sampled schools in the respective languages of instruction. A post-test was administered after the treatment. The results were presented and tested by employing the independent samples t-test and the two way ANOV A. The hypotheses were tested to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in Mathematics achievement at the lower primary between using the local language (L 1) and the English language (L2) as media of instruction. The level of significance was set at 0.05. The results revealed that there is no significant difference between the use of the local language (L 1) and English (L2) as medium of instruction on Mathematics achievement at the lower primary. It was, however, established Mathematics achievement at the lower primary. It was, however, established that the use of the English language favours urban schools more than the use of the local language while in the rural schools the local language is more effective for instruction in Mathematics at the lower primary than English (L2). It was also found that the use of the local language (L2) improves pupils' performance in problem solving more than the use of English (L2). It was recommended that the choice of using either the local language (L 1) or the English (L2) as a medium of instruction in Mathematics at the lower primary should be left with the staff of the schools to decide. The choice should be based on pupils' mastery of the language. It was, however, suggested that in urban schools English should be preferred to the local language while in rural schools the local language should be preferred to the English.