Effects of Mother Tongue Instructional Medium on Primary School Pupils Achievement in Mathematics in Okpokuru L. G. A. of Benue State

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of mother tongue instructional medium on primary school pupils’ achievement in mathematics in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. The study adopted a pre-test, post-test control group quasi experimental design. A purposive sampling technique was used to select four primary schools which were randomly assigned to experimental and control group. Intact classes were used for the study, a total of 87 pupils participated in the study. Two research questions were raised and two hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Two instruments were used for the study. Mathematics Achievement Test in English Language (MATEL) and Mathematics Achievement Test in Idoma Language (MATIL). The two instruments were subjected to face and content validity and a reliability coefficient of 0.81 and 0.87 were obtained respectively using test-retest method of determining reliability. The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation and the hypotheses tested using mean and t-test. The result revealed that pupils taught Mathematics in Idoma Language perform better than those taught Mathematics in English Language. Similarly, the result also shows that female pupils performed better than their counterparts. It is therefore recommended that mother tongue should be combined with English for the first three years in the primary schools as this will foster easy assimilation of concepts by the child.