Page 1 of 10

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 10, No. 1

Publication Date: January 25, 2023

DOI:10.14738/assrj.101.13543.

Monday, J. S. and Ekanem, I. E. (2023). A Critical Analysis of Monolingual and Bilingual Pupils’ Ability to Predict Outcome and

Comprehend Sentences in a Reading Comprehension. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(1). 38-47

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

A Critical Analysis of Monolingual and Bilingual Pupils’ Ability to

Predict Outcome and Comprehend Sentences in a Reading

Comprehension

Janet S. Monday

Jolly Phonics Research Centre

Faculty of Education

University of Uyo, Nigeria

Inibehe E. Ekanem

Department of Early Childhood and Special Education

Faculty of Education

University of Uyo, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to analyze the monolingual and bilingual pupils’ ability

to predict outcome and comprehend sentences in a reading comprehension

passage. The research design adopted for the study was Quasi-experimental

design. The study was conducted in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The population of the

study comprised all 5,074 primary schools. The sample size that was used for the

study consisted of 127, drawn from primary 3 pupils from 4 private primary

schools in Uyo Senatorial District. The main instrument used for data collection in

the study was titled “Performance of Monolingual and Bilingual Pupils” (PMBP). To

ensure face and content validity of the instrument, the PMBP was given to the

researcher’s supervisor and four experts (two in the Department of Early

Childhood Education and two in English Department, all in the University of Uyo).

In order to ensure the reliability of the research instrument, the PMBP was trial- tested on 30 private primary school children who were not part of the study, but

the respondents have similar characteristics with those in the study area. The

research questions 1-2 were answered using mean and standard deviation

statistics, while the null hypotheses 1-2 were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance

(ANCOVA). Decisions on the 2 null hypotheses were taken at .05 level of

significance. The study concluded that monolingual and bilingual pupils do not

differ significantly in their ability to predict outcome and comprehend sentences

in reading comprehension passage. One of the recommendations made was that

government, through effective monitoring, should ensure that all private schools

teach the vernacular as a subject to their pupils as stipulated in the National Policy

on Education for effective implementation.

Keywords: Monolingual, Bilingual, Pupils’ Ability, Predict Outcome, Comprehend

Sentences, and Reading Comprehension.

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39

Monday, J. S. and Ekanem, I. E. (2023). A Critical Analysis of Monolingual and Bilingual Pupils’ Ability to Predict Outcome and Comprehend Sentences

in a Reading Comprehension. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(1). 38-47

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.101.13543

INTRODUCTION

English language acts mainly as the vehicle for that aspect of contemporary Nigerian culture

which is now reflected in our history, educational system, administrative set-up, industrial and

technological efforts, and our political experiments. English language bridges the gap between

other languages, especially in a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria. English language continues to

enjoy an enviable role in Nigeria. Bamigbose (1971), as cited in Igboamesi (2004), says it is the

language of education, business, commerce, and official interactions. In spite of all these roles,

Emenanjo (2001) still believes that only a few people continue to use the language, as he asserts

that English is an elitist language, understood by no more than about twenty percent of the

population. Emenanjo’s statement brings to the fore the fact that all is not well with the use of

English language, both in school and in society. The National Policy on Education (2014) asserts

that the English language should be used as a medium of instruction in schools from primary

four, while the indigenous language or the language of the immediate environment should be

used in the first three years of primary school. The National Policy on Education (2014) says:

1. Government appreciates the importance of language as a means of promoting social

interaction and national cohesion; and preserving cultures. Thus, every child shall learn

the language of the immediate environment. (section 10a)

2. The medium of instruction in the primary school shall be the language of the

environment for the first three years. During this period, English shall be taught as a

subject (section 19e)

3. From the fourth year, English shall progressively be used as a medium of instruction and

the language of immediate environment and French shall be taught as subjects (section

19e).

English language is crucial and central to the teaching-learning process. This is because it is the

medium through which all the subjects in the curriculum are taught. Emenanjo (2001) says that

language is critical for the overall socio-economic and political development of a nation.

According to Abe (2001), reading comprehension skills developed in the early years of a child’s

schooling are effective in enhancing good and sustainable reading habits and culture.

Therefore, when pupils are able to read a comprehension passage with understanding, they can

predict the outcome and comprehend the sentences in the passage. These are the

comprehension skills pupils need in order for effective reading and comprehension to occur.

Statement of the Problem

It is quite obvious that the fact still remains unchanged concerning parents’ quest for a bright

future for their wards as regards their eloquent and powerful command of English in their

communication. This quest causes some parents to enforce frequent use of English language on

their wards both at home and any other place in order to be part and parcel of it. Equally, some

private schools have placed a ban on the use of mother tongue (vernacular) just to strengthen

the good use of English while communicating in order to present the pupils/students as good

representatives of their school.

Apparently, all these strategies are to make the students perform better in English language. In

this case, the expected good performance is not only to assuage the barriers in the learners’

ability to predict outcomes and comprehend sentences in a reading comprehension passage but

also to give them a boost in the overuse of the English language. Hence, this study was carried

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 1, January-2023

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

out to find out if there is difference in the mean score performance of monolingual and bilingual

pupils’ ability to predict outcomes and comprehend sentences in a reading comprehension

passage.

Objectives of the Study

1. To investigate if there is any difference in the mean score performance of

monolingual and bilingual pupils’ ability to predict outcome in a reading

comprehension passage

2. To determine if there is any difference in the mean score performance of

monolingual and bilingual pupils’ ability to comprehend sentences in a reading

comprehension passage

Research Questions

1. What is the difference in the mean score performance of monolingual and bilingual

pupils’ ability to predict outcome in a reading comprehension passage?

2. What is the difference in the mean score performance of monolingual and bilingual

pupils’ ability to comprehend sentences in a reading comprehension passage?

Hypotheses

1. There is no significant difference in the mean score performance of monolingual and

bilingual pupils’ ability to predict outcome in a reading comprehension passage.

2. There is no significant difference in the mean score performance of monolingual and

bilingual pupils’ ability to comprehend sentences in a reading comprehension

passage.

CONCEPTUAL REVIEW

Concept of Monolingual Children

Monolingualism refers to the ability to use and speak only one language. Monolingualism, or

unilingualism, is the condition of being able to speak only a single language, as opposed to

multilingualism. In a different context, "unilingualism" may refer to a language policy which

enforces an official or national language over others. Being monolingual or unilingual is also

said of a text, dictionary, or conversation written or conducted in only one language, and of an

entity in which a single language is either used or officially recognized (in particular when being

compared with bilingual or multilingual entities or in the presence of individuals speaking

different languages). Multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's

population (Aneta, 2000). Pupils who are monolingual are able to use and speak one language

(English language in this case) at home and in school. Monolingualism is not common among

nations and groups, but can occur among individuals, as it is now prevalent among school

children of the 21st century. One example of how monolingualism leads to economic growth

comes from the field of development economics. Many African countries are moving towards

monolingualism in English in order to accelerate economic growth by allowing native people

to communicate more effectively with other nations and transnational corporations (Brock- Utne, 2003). Rational choice theorist Francois Grin suggests that societies will choose to speak

a language that maximizes their economic wealth, balancing the benefits of knowing the

language with the costs of integrating the language into their culture (Grin, 1994). Since English

is the most spoken language in the world, learning this language enables developing nations to

maximize their production and trade power by being able to communicate with other regions