Investigating the influence of l1 on the teaching and learning of English language at St. Peter’s RC JHS in Somanya in the Yilo Krobo municipal

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of L1 on the teaching and learning of English language at St. Peter’s R/C JHS in Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipal. The purpose was to examine the L1 factors that militate against L2 teaching and learning and determine strategies that could help overcome the challenges of L2 teaching and learning. From a total population of the school summing up to 374, the researcher selected a sample size of (85) consisting of forty-six (46) girls and thirty-nine (39) boys using the purposive sampling (non-probability) technique for the sample selection. Data used for the analysis was drawn from observations, pre-test and a post-test conducted within three weeks. Data were analysed and presented on tables using frequencies, percentages, and pie charts for illustration. The study found that the differences and similarities of the L1 interferes with students’ acquisition of the L2 that has impacted negatively on pupils’ ability to grasp vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and pronunciation. Also, the major effect of the L1 on the L2 was pupils’ inability to read and understand (comprehension) during teaching and learning in English. The grammar-translation method, audio-lingual, visual methods, functions, notion and communicative language teaching strategies were deployed in overcoming the challenges of pupils in developing the L2 at St. Peter’s R/C JHS in Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipal. The researcher recommends that native teachers ought to reduce their use of the L1 during instructional hours but continue to guide and sustain its cultural values. Schools should also intensify training for both preservice and in-service teachers so that they gain a better understanding of the role of the L1 and L2 in communication and an understanding of multicompetence, linguistic relativity and usage-based approaches should be engaged for second language learning and teaching.