The influence of first language acquisition on early childhood language literacy: The case of Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State.
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Date
2018
Authors
Okudo, A.R.
Omotuyole, C.O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Linguistic Association of Nigeria
Abstract
First language (L1) is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period. The learner speaks it fluently and is often the basis for cultural identification. First language might not be the native language or mother tongue (MT) of that individual but it might be the language of the environment in which an individual grew up. This study set out to investigate the influence of L1 on the early childhood’s language literacy and how it contributes to their early years’ language proficiency. A four Likert scale questionnaire was used to elicit information from 50 primary school teachers in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentages and frequency counts, while Chi square was used to test the hypothesis formulated. The study found out that first language has great influence on early childhood’s language literacy. Recruitment and preparation of teachers who are proficient in the L1 and also have the knowledge of practices to teach the content areas is very crucial. This would help to support the children learning the language. Parental support is also very essential to enhance the success of L1 acquisition, and so, children at their early years need to be informed about the benefits of L1 especially the MT acquisition because it should not hinder their children’s opportunity to learn foreign or official language. Instructional materials for both teachers and students also need to be available in the language instruction.
Description
Scholarly Articles
Keywords
First language , Language literacy , Early Childhood , Language Acquisition , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education
Citation
Okudo, A.R. & Omotuyole, C.O. (2018). The influence of first language acquisition on early childhood language literacy: The case of Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State. Journal of the Linguistic Association of Nigeria, Vol.3, 296-307.