Abstract:
This study is aimed at investigating mother tongue interference and strategies to minimize
English speaking problem. To achieve the objective, descriptive survey research design with
mixed research methods was used. The study focused up on Tarcha Secondary School grade
nine Dawurotsuwa native students and English teachers in the school. The researcher selected
the school due to its accesibility. Also, the researcher believed that selected grade nine because
the grade is where the students begin to learn all subjects in Enlish and the sections (A, C & E)
were selected purposively to conduct the study because the sections were on oposit shipt and
suitable to collect the data without intrupting learning and teaching process. The population
was 201. From this population, 6 were teachers and 195 were grade nine students. In the
sample, 6 teachers (100%) and 140 students were involved. From 140 students, 110 students
were selected by using simple random technique for questionnaire and 30 students were
selected from clustered as higher, medium and lower achievers randomly for pronunciation and
speaking test. Pronunciation test was given to test phonological interference, and speaking test
was to test grammatical interferences. In addition, questionnaire was given to check the
students’ perception on the difference between Dawurotsuwa and English sounds and
grammatical structures. Interview was given to teachers to obtain farther data. The data
obtained from the pronunciation test, speaking test, questionnaire and interview were presented
and analyzed independently. Then, all the results of the items from the four tools were
triangulated at the discussion section. The finding points out that Dawurotsuwa native students
were interfered phonologically was due to the sound /v/, /f/, /r/, /Ʒ/, /ʤ/, /s/, /ɵ/ and /ð/ and the
diphthongs such as: /ɪə/, /eɪ/, /eə/, /ɔɪ/, /ʊə/, /aʊ/, /aɪ/,/ əʊ/, and /ɔɪ/. The cause for grammatical
interference was using MT grammar rules for English. The phonological interference was
occurred in three ways: changing, replacing and adding sounds. The most revealed
grammatical errors were tense, word order, articles and agreement. Lack of the students’
speaking practice, the teachers’ less attention to make students practice English speaking, lack
of teaching aids like videos and audio to to show practically the sounds’ pronunciation and
correct English grammar forms were the main pronunciation and grammatical related
problems, and it is recommended that it’s adviable the student to distinguish the sounds in early
grades; differentiate the difference between the languages’ sound pronunciation and
grammatical structures of both phrases and clauses.
