EFFECTS OF BILINGUALISM ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE READING COMPREHENSION PERFORMANCE OF JSS1 STUDENTSIN AKINYELE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

In a multilingual state like Nigeria, policies guiding curriculum planning provides for the learning of dominant languages to enable individuals to function in more than one language. However, it has been argued that the use of additional language other than the first language in education poses cognitive problems for learners. In this study, investigation was made into the effects of bilingualism on English language reading comprehension performance of junior secondary school students. Using the pre-test post-test control group experimental design, two secondary schools were randomly selected in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Twenty students were randomly selected from each school. Treatment was assigned to the bilingual group but the English-only group was taught in English language only. Result showed that there was no negative effect of bilingualism on students' performance in reading comprehension when the two groups were compared. Bilingual education should therefore, be encouraged in multilingual states.