Does the Use of L1 and L2 at Home Modulate the Academic Achievement of Primary School Learners?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53696/27753719.42158Keywords:
home language, first language, second language, mother tongue, academic achievementAbstract
This study explored the influence of first language (L1) and second language (L2) usage at home on pupils' academic achievement. Employing a case study design and qualitative approach, the study employed a semi-structured interview guide (primary data) and secondary data from students' academic records. Ten (10) pupils from a primary school in the Sunyani Municipality, Ghana, were selected through purposive sampling. The results indicated that none of the ten children exclusively used L2 at home; three pupils used L1 and L2, while seven used only L1. The study concluded that pupils who used L1 and L2 at home performed better academically than those who used only L1 at home. Based on these findings, it is recommended that education policies promote bilingual education and parental support programs to encourage the use of both L1 and L2 at home. Additionally, teacher training should focus on practical strategies for integrating L1 and L2 in the classroom, and curriculum design should incorporate both languages to reinforce language skills and academic content.
Downloads
References
Afrifa, A. A., Anderson, P., Klu, E., & Buabeng, C. (2019). English language proficiency and its impact on academic performance: A study of students in a Ghanaian university. Journal of Education and Practice, 10(15), 112-120.
Agyekum, K. (2009). Akan proverbs: Meaning and relevance. Legon Journal of the Humanities, 20(1), 25-44.
Ahadzie, K., Osei, A., & Boakye, K. (2015). The effects of bilingualism on academic performance: Evidence from Ghanaian schools. African Educational Review, 12(1), 67-82.
Akowuah, E., Asamoah, A., & Mensah, S. (2018). The impact of L1 use on English language proficiency and academic performance. Journal of Language and Education Research, 22(4), 213-228.
Akpanglo-Nartey, J., & Akpanglo-Nartey, E. (2012). The place of Ghanaian languages in education in Ghana. International Journal of Language, Translation and Intercultural Communication, 1(1), 7-14.
Amua-Sakyi, P. (2005). The medium of instruction in Ghanaian primary schools. Ghana Journal of Education and Teaching, 6(1), 34-49.
Anderson, P., & Ansah, G. N. (2015). Language choice in multilingual classrooms: Policy, reality, and implications. Language Policy, 14(1), 77-96.
Anderson, P., Obeng, S., & Asiedu, Y. (2009). The dynamics of bilingualism in Ghana: A case study. Bilingualism and Language Contact, 14(3), 189-205.
Antoniou, M. (2019). The advantages of bilingualism debate. Annual Review of Linguistics, 5(1), 395-415.
Baker, C. (2021). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism (7th ed.). Multilingual Matters.
Bialystok, E. (2011). Reshaping the mind: The benefits of bilingualism. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 65(4), 229-235.
Clarke, P., Milne, A., & Milne, E. (1996). Bilingualism: Beyond basic concepts. Language Learning Journal, 13(1), 28-33.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Cummins, J. (1984). Bilingualism and special education: Issues in assessment and pedagogy. Educational Research and Perspectives, 11(2), 23-36.
Cummins, J. (2000). Language, power, and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire. Multilingual Matters.
Dube, B., & Ncube, M. (2013). Language as a medium of instruction in primary schools: A reflection on the Zimbabwean experience. Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research, 25(1), 1-10.
García, O., & Wei, L. (2014). Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism, and education. Palgrave Macmillan.
Hamm, J. (2020). Language policy in multilingual societies: The case of Ghana. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 41(5), 438-450.
Hanson, S. (1989). The relationship between home language use and academic performance in multilingual settings. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 10(3), 197-210.
Heugh, K. (2006). Cost implications of the provision of mother tongue and strong bilingual models of education in Africa. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications.
Lupogo, H. R. (2014). Language, culture, and academic success: A Tanzanian perspective. Language and Education, 28(5), 403-418.
Macdonald, C. (1993). Language and cognitive development: The challenge of multilingual education in Africa. Education Research Unit.
Martínez-Soto, J. & Prendes-Espinosa, M. (2023). Bilingualism and metalinguistic awareness: Cognitive and academic advantages. Journal of Educational Psychology, 115(2), 123-137.
Montoya, J. (2022). Balanced bilingualism and academic performance: A longitudinal study. Language Learning Research, 31(4), 567-580.
Mustafa, T. & Ahamed, S. (2022). The impact of exclusive L1 or L2 use on academic achievement. Bilingual Education Review, 29(1), 98-110.
Norton, B. (2013). Identity and language learning: Extending the conversation. Multilingual Matters.
Ntim, S. (2016). Language proficiency and academic achievement: A study of Ghanaian schools. Journal of Language and Education, 2(2), 23-37.
Omarbekova, A. (2023). Cross-linguistic transfer and its effects on second language acquisition. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 33(2), 145-159.
Oppong-Sekyere, D., Addo, A. A., & Asiedu, Y. (2013). Language use and academic success: A Ghanaian perspective. Ghana Journal of Education, 7(1), 99-109.
Palacios-Hidalgo, M., et al. (2021). The role of home language practices in academic success: A review. Educational Studies, 47(3), 234-250.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Rubagumya, C. M. (2003). English in Africa: Teaching practice and language policy in Tanzania. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 16(2), 115-129.
Simons, G. F., & Fennig, C. D. (Eds.). (2018). Ethnologue: Languages of the world (21st ed.). SIL International.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Clarke, P. (2000). Supporting identity, diversity, and language in the early years. Open University Press.
Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Sage Publications.
Thomas, W. P., & Collier, V. P. (1997). School effectiveness for language minority students. NCBE Resource Collection Series, No. 9.
UNESCO. (2014). Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2013/4: Teaching and Learning – Achieving Quality for All. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Jessie Akosua Hierne Win-Tamakloe, Anthony Kwarteng Addai-Amoah
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The authors certify that:
- if the manuscript is co-authored, they are authorized by their co-authors to enter into these arrangements.
- the work described has not been formally published before in a registered ISSN or ISBN media, except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, or thesis.
- it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere,
- its publication has been approved by all the author(s) and by the responsible authorities – tacitly or explicitly – of the institutes where the work has been carried out.
- they secure the right to reproduce any material that has already been published or copyrighted elsewhere (it does not infringe on the rights of others).
- they agree to license and copyright agreement.
All articles published are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
- Authors retain copyright and other proprietary rights related to the article.
- Authors retain the right and are permitted to use the substance of the article in their own future works, including lectures and books.
- Authors grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (CC BY-NC 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post or self-archive their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
