The Impact of Mother Tongue Interference on the Academic Performance of Students: A Study of English Language Usage in NACEST.

Abstract

Language encompasses the communication system employed by specific communities or nations for communication; it comprises spoken and written symbols, grammar, vocabulary, and  guidelines for organizing and expressing concepts. Through language individuals are empowered  to convey ideas, emotions, and information, which fosters interaction and comprehension among  individuals. Nigeria is multilingual nation that uses English language as its main medium of intra  and international communication faces the challenge of mother tongue interference, especially in  the use of English as a medium for academic instruction. This paper gives an overview of mother  tongue interference and its effect on the academic performance of students, it highlights the  different aspects of mother tongue interference, it also critically evaluates the impact of mother  tongue interference on listening, reading, writing and speaking which are basic language skills and  how these challenges affect the entire comprehension rate of students. The paper discusses the  different ways the impact of mother tongue interference can be mitigated in tertiary institutions of  learning with a view to improving the teaching and learning experience.