The impact of English language as a mode of instruction on the students' academic performance in secondary schools in Makindye Division Kampala District-Uganda
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Date
2009-07
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Publisher
Kampala International University, College of Education, Open and Distance Learning
Abstract
The research was ,oncerncd with the impact of English language as a mode of Instruction
to the Academic pcrforman,e in Makindye Division, Kampala District. The study
focused on how English language influences the students' performance in other subjects
in secondary schools. classifying the different mother tongues in relation to English
language towards the performance and to investigate the prevalence of the problem of
language barriers in relation to the academic performance.
Using a cross-sectional survey research design, the samples employed in the study were
got from the secondary Schools. The researcher made use of the questionnaire technique
with the aid of interviews to collect data. The data was categorized through the use of
descriptive statistics with the aid of frequencies and percentages.
The major findings of the study were; English was the language used for communication
in class for instruction, this was found that students' understood to a percentage of61.7%
effective but the students were not fluent with a percentage of 60% . The researcher also
found out that there is a relationship of poor academic performance with the way students
appreciate English Language both in class and outside class activities. These findings
found out that if MT is no! developed sufficiently for them to become fluent readers and
writers in their own n1olh<:r tongues, their understanding of the vocabulary and syntax of
their own language will he limited. This gap in their understanding of the structure of
their firs! language limits !heir ability to learn_ the second language (L2). A strong
foundation in Ml is required for learning L2, as: "The level of development of children's
mother tongue is a strong predictor of their second language development,"
Recommendations include; th<: researcher recommends that the teaching strategy should
be devised in the l<:ssons taught in these schools and be adopted, with suitable
modification. for bilingual students who are acquiring English as a new language of
instruction. Ncvertlwkss. tht· researcher stresses that the issue of a sudden language
switch needs a deeper and longitudinal study to assess the implications of sudden change
of the language oi' instruction on student understanding and their achievement•
academically.
Description
A fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Masters of Education management and administration of Kampala International University
Keywords
English language, Students' academic performance, Uganda