The Effect Of Using First Language In Teacing English Grammar

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of using students ‘native language on teaching English as a foreign language grammar achievement and attitude of the ninth grade EFL Becho secondary school students towards learning English grammar. A pre – test post – test comparison group of experimental design was employed for the research. The sample population was 54 students from sections of Grade – 9 students at Becho Secondary School in Ilubabor zone. Data of the research were collected through grammar tests, questionnaire and interview. The statistical tools of the T – Tests, comprising independent samples test and paired samples test were utilized in data analysis to determine whether there were the impact of using students’ mother tongue on the achievement of students’ grammar knowledge at 0.05 alpha levels. Data analysis reveals that both the experimental and control groups were almost equal in their grammar knowledge at the beginning of the experiment. Nevertheless, after the treatment, the analysis of data indicated that the experimental group out scored significantly 𝑝<0.5 the control group that those who studied grammar without translating everything into their first language were more successful in grammar subjects in the long run comparison with the students who were taught English through translating into their first language. Post – test result showed the supremacy of using the target langue in EFL learning method over the usual method. At the end findings indicated a significant difference for the first unit |t (51.91) = 3.04, p=.004 |and |t (42.95) =.47, p= .63 for the second unit|. Therefore, the major findings of the study suggest that using the target language helped significantly to enhance Becho secondary school students’ learning using more of the target language recommended to be used in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms to teach grammar.