Enhancing Language Proficiency and Academic Success: The Impact of Bilingual Education on Primary School Students in Nigeria
Authors
-
Olusegun Oladele Jegede
*
Department of Languages and Literature, Lead City University, Ibadan 234 Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55121/le.v1i1.173Keywords:
Bilingual Education, Language Proficiency, Academic Performance, Primary School, NigeriaAbstract
This study examined the impact of bilingual education on primary school students in Nigeria, with a particular focus on language proficiency and overall academic success. It aimed to address existing research gaps by investigating how bilingual programs influence students’ command of both their native language and English, as well as their academic performance compared to their monolingual peers. A total of 250 students from five different primary schools were selected using a stratified random sampling method to ensure a representative sample. Data collection was conducted through carefully designed questionnaires, which assessed students’ language use, confidence levels, and academic achievements across various subjects. Three key findings emerged from the study. Firstly, students enrolled in bilingual programs demonstrated greater confidence in using both languages, though their confidence in English was slightly higher than in their native language. Secondly, their academic performance was generally strong in both languages, though a minority of students encountered difficulties in subjects taught primarily in their native language. Lastly, the majority of students expressed the belief that bilingual education enhanced their comprehension and academic success. The study concluded that bilingual education significantly improved language proficiency and academic performance. However, it also emphasised the need for targeted instructional support for students struggling with certain subjects. Recommendations included improving educational resources and expanding bilingual education programs to maximize learning outcomes.
References
[1] Cummins, J., 2000. Language, Power, and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. Multilingual Matters: Bristol, UK. pp. 57–86.
[2] Garcia, O., 2009. Bilingual Education in the 21st Century: A Global Perspective. Wiley-Blackwell: Hoboken, NJ, USA. p. 200.
[3] Jegede, O.O., 2024. Language ideologies and attitudes as challenges of the Nigerian language of instruction policy. Lonaka Journal of Learning and Teaching. 13(1), 1–15.
[4] Bamgbose, A., 2011. African Languages Today: The Challenge of and Prospects for Empowerment under Globalization. Selected Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference on African Linguistics. 1(1), 1–14.
[5] Adegbija, E., 2004. Language Policy and Planning in Nigeria. Current Issues in Language Planning. 5(3), 181–246.
[6] Igboanusi, H., Putz, M., 2008. The Future of African Languages. Language Problems and Language Planning. 32(2), 147–178.
[7] Thomas, W.P., Collier, V.P., 2002. A National Study of School Effectiveness for Language Minority Students' Long-Term Academic Achievement. Available from: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/65j213pt (cited 6 December 2024).
[8] Collier, V.P., Thomas, W.P., 2004. The Astounding Effectiveness of Dual Language Education for All. NABE Journal of Research and Practice. 2(1), 1–20.
[9] Genesee, F., 2004. What Do We Know About Bilingual Education for Majority Language Students? In: Bhatia, T.K., Ritchie, W.C. (eds.). The Handbook of Bilingualism. Wiley-Blackwell: Hoboken, NJ, USA. pp. 547–576.
[10] Freeman, R., 2004. Building on Community Bilingualism. Caslon Publishing: Philadelphia, PA, USA. pp. 50–55.
[11] Bialystok, E., 2011. Reshaping the Mind: The Benefits of Bilingualism. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale. 65(4), 229–235.
[12] Afolayan, A., 2016. The Language Question in Nigeria: Paradigms, Policies and Politics. In: Adegbija, E. (eds.). Language in Exile: Towards a Language Pedagogy for African Learners. Routledge: London, UK. pp. 155–178.
[13] Ajayi, L., 2019. Bilingual Education in Nigeria: Gains and Challenges. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 40(7), 632–647.
[14] Jegede, O.O., 2011. Code Switching and Its Implications for Teaching Mathematics in Primary Schools in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Journal of Education and Practice. 2(10), 41–54.
[15] Jegede, O.O., 2012. Roles of Code Switching in Multilingual Public Primary Schools in Ile-Ife. American Journal of Linguistics. 1(3), 40–46.
[16] Jegede, O.O., Adetuyi, C.A., 2016. Language-in-Education Policy in Nigeria: The Reality of Teachers’ Language Choices. Journal of Capital Development on Behavioural Sciences. 4,(1), 1–18.
[17] Igboanusi, H., 2008. Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education in Nigeria: Attitudes and Challenges. Language, Culture and Curriculum. 21(2), 117–125.
[18] Ogunnaike, O., Dunham, Y., 2018. The Impact of Bilingualism on Cognitive Development in Nigeria. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 21(8), 917–930.
[19] Jegede, O.O., Yusuf, O.M., Aliyu, A., 2024. Inclusive Education in the 21st Century: Solving the Language of Instruction Puzzle in Nigerian Public Primary Schools. In: Adeyemi, A.F., Yara, P.O., Oyelami, O., Bakare-Fatungase, O. (eds.). Inclusive Education in the 21st Century: A Festschrift in Honour of an Erudite Scholar, Rev. Dr. (Mrs) Oluwatoyin Abike Odeleye. College Press: Ibadan, Nigeria. pp. 147–157.
[20] Tollefson, J.W., Tsui, A.B.M., 2004. Medium of Instruction Policies: Which Agenda? Whose Agenda? Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ, USA. pp. 40, 74.
[21] Jegede, O.O., Adesina, O.B., 2020. Code Switching as a Medium of Instruction in Basic Schools in Osun and Oyo States, Nigeria. Journal of English and Communication in Africa. 3(1–2), 33–70.
[22] Bialystok, E., 2001. Bilingualism in Development: Language, Literacy, and Cognition. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. p. 92.
[23] Bialystok, E., 2009. Bilingualism: The Good, the Bad, and the Indifferent. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 12(1), 3–11.
[24] Adesope, O.O., Lavin, T., Thompson, T., et al., 2010. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Cognitive Correlates of Bilingualism. Review of Educational Research. 80(2), 207–245.
[25] Kroll, J.F., Bialystok, E., 2013. Understanding the Consequences of Bilingualism for Language Processing and Cognition. Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 25(5), 497–514.
[26] Mechelli, A., Crinion, J.T., Noppeney, U., et al., 2004. Neurolinguistics: Structural Plasticity in the Bilingual Brain. Nature. 431(7010), 757.
[27] Vygotsky, L.S., 1978. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, USA. p. 24.
[28] Norton, B., 2013. Identity and Language Learning: Extending the Conversation. Multilingual Matters: Bristol, UK. p. 19.
[29] Lantolf, J.P., Thorne, S.L., 2006. Sociocultural Theory and the Genesis of Second Language Development. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK. p. 44.
[30] Garcia, O., Kleifgen, J.A., 2010. Educating Emergent Bilinguals: Policies, Programs, and Practices for English Language Learners. Teachers College Press: New York, NY, USA. p. 70.
[31] Hammer, C.S., Lawrence, F.R., Miccio, A.W., 2012. Bilingual Children's Language Abilities and Early Reading Outcomes in Head Start and Kindergarten. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. 16(4), 248–260.
[32] De Houwer, A., 2009. Bilingual First Language Acquisition. Multilingual Matters: Bristol, UK. p. 112.
[33] Paradis, J., 2011. Individual Differences in Child English Second Language Acquisition: Comparing Child-Internal and Child-External Factors. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism. 1(3), 213–237.
[34] Valdés, G., Figueroa, R.A., 1994. Bilingualism and Testing: A Special Case of Bias. Ablex Publishing Corporation: New York, NY, USA. p. 44.
[35] Lantolf, J.P., Poehner, M.E., 2014. Sociocultural Theory and the Pedagogical Imperative in L2 Education: Vygotskian Praxis and the Research/Practice Divide. Routledge: London, UK. p. 62.
[36] Genesee, F., Upshur, J.A., 1996. Classroom-Based Evaluation in Second Language Education. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. pp. 19, 90.
[37] Gándara, P., Escamilla, K., 2017. Bilingual Education in the United States. In: Wright, W.E., Boun, S., García, O. (eds.). The Handbook of Bilingual and Multilingual Education. Wiley-Blackwell: Hoboken, NJ, USA. pp. 449–462.
[38] Hornberger, N.H., Link, H., 2012. Translanguaging in Today's Classrooms: A Biliteracy Lens. Theory Into Practice. 51(4), 239–247.
Downloads
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Olusegun Oladele Jegede
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Make a Submission