STUDENTS' ATTRIBUTES INFLUENCE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION AT SOMALI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
Background: The adoption of English as the language of instruction has continuously been on the rise globally. In Somali, teaching English is done as a subject both at the primary and secondary levels. In contrast, at the tertiary level, students and academic staff indicate low levels of English proficiency. This led to this study investigating students' attributes influence on the adoption of English language as an instructional language at Somali National University. Krashen's monitor theory informed the study.
Methodology: A mixed methods approach was employed, whereas the design used for this study was a descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study consisted of lecturers, students, senior management staff and the Director of Education. A sample size of 30 students, 88 lecturers, 15 senior management officers and 1 Director of Education was considered. The sample size was selected using a simple random and proportionate stratified sampling technique for lecturers and students, whereas the purposive sampling technique was employed for the Senior Management Officer and Director of Higher Education. The collection of data was through questionnaires, interviews and focused group discussion. The reliability of the data was tested using Cronbach's Alpha. Percentages and regression were used in the analysis.
Results: The study noted that the language of instruction was a big challenge at Somali National University, where Somali and Arabic were predominantly used inside and outside the classroom. The challenges were attributed to the weak implementation of the language and schooling system. The study concluded that students' attributes influence English adoption as an instructional language. It recommended that the government of Somalia develop a policy to ensure that students joining universities have a background in English.
Keywords: Students' attributes, language proficiency, the language of teaching, English language, Somali national university
References
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Ahmed, S. A. S. (2018). The impact of teaching and learning methods of English course on student’s satisfaction in Mogadishu University, Somalia. Mogadishu University Journal, 4(4), 14-24. https://www.researchgate.net
Aizawa, I., & Rose, H. (2019). An analysis of Japan’s English as medium of instruction initiatives within higher education: the gap between meso-level policy and micro-level practice. Higher Education (2019) 77:1125–1142. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-018-0323-5
Ansah, A. M. (2014). Language choice in multilingual communities: The case of Larteh, Ghana. Legon Journal of the Humanities 25, 37-57
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Bagwasi, M. M. (2021). Education, multilingualism and bilingualism in Botswana. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2021(267-268), 43-54. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ijsl-2020-0114/html
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Cherif, M. E. & Alkhateeb, H. (2015). College students’ attitude towards the medium of instruction: Arabic versus English dilemma. Universal Journal of Educational Research 3(3): 207-213
Earls, C. W. (2016). Evolving agendas in European English-medium higher education: Interculturality, multilingualism and language policy. Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137543127
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Gwakwa, M. (2016). Tertiary Education Curricula Internationalisation in Southern Africa: Its Impact on Global Employment Opportunities. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(13), 78-86. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1102864
Huang, D. F. (2015). Exploring and assessing effectiveness of English medium instruction courses: The students’ perspectives. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 173, 71-78. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815013427
Ilyani, N. I. & Liza, H. N. (2021). Challenges of English as a medium of instruction at school level: A systematic review. 124-130, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356665531
Jibeen, T., & Khan, M. A. (2015). Internationalization of higher education: Potential benefits and costs. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 4(4), 196-199. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1091722.pdf
Kaya, S., & Ok, A. (2020). The Antecedents influencing the implementation and success of the middle school English language curriculum. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 7(1), 201-214. https://doi.org/10.33200/ijcer.660386
Kriukow, J., & Galloway, N. (2018). Internationalization and the growing demand for English in Japanese higher education: Undertaking doctoral study in English. In English-Medium Routledge.
Luanganggoon, N. (2020). Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) teaching practices in Thailand Higher Education. The Asian ESP Journal, 16(4), 233-258. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hind-Hameed/publication/345598048_Oxymoron_in_Day-to-Day_Speech/links/5fa8fa10458515157bf72b0d/Oxymoron-in-Day-to-Day-Speech.pdf#page=233
Luanganggoon, N., Phantharakphong, P., Sae-Joo, P., & Huntula, J. (2018). The content and language learning implementation: Speaking skills in graduate classes. AsTEN Journal of Teacher Education, Special Issue“Pedagogy”, 55-64. https://po.pnuresearchportal.org/ejournal/index.php/asten/article/view/834
Macaro, E. (2017). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36-76. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/systematic-review-of-english-medium-instruction-in-higher-education/E802DA0854E0726F3DE213548B7B7EC7
Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36-76. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/systematic-review-of-english-medium-instruction-in-higher-education/E802DA0854E0726F3DE213548B7B7EC7
Mohammed, Z. Y. H. (2018). Investigating English Language Teaching Techniques of Pupils’ Speaking Skill at Basic School Level [Doctoral dissertation, Sudan University of Science & Technology]. Sudan. http://repository.sustech.edu/handle/123456789/21786
Mustafe, H. D. (2015). Influence of language policy and the role on certificate of public secondary school performance in Hargeisa Somaliland [Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi]. Kenya. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/91035
Nhongo, R. (2013). A national language policy for Zimbabwe in the twenty-first century: myth or reality? Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 4(6), 1208-1215. http://www.academypublication.com/issues/past/jltr/vol04/06/08.pdf
Nuria, H. N. & Antonio, J. M. (2017) English as a medium of instruction: evidence for language and content targets in bilingual education in economics, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 20(7), 883-896, DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2015.1125847
Rao, P. S., (2019). The role of English as a Global Language. Research Journal of English. 4 (1)
Rose, H., & Galloway, N. (2019). Global Englishes for language teaching. Cambridge University Press. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330601422_Global_Englishes_for_Language_Teaching
Tang, K. N. (2020). Challenges and Importance of Teaching English as a Medium of Instruction in Thailand International College. English as an International Language, 15(2), 97-118 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1282858.pdf
Wilińska, M., Bülow, P. H., Keet, A., & Esau, M. C. (2020). “Personally, I like it. Professionally, it does not make sense”–social work students in South Africa and Sweden making sense of internationalization. Nordic Social Work Research, 1-12. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2156857X.2020.1861971
William, K. C. & Leslye, R. T. (2003). Somalia education sector assessment: With special attention to Somaliland, 1-
Yasemin, K. (2014). Students perceptions of English language versus Turkish language used as the medium of instruction in higher education in turkey. International Periodical for The Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic Volume 9(12), 443-459
Yusuf, H. M. (2021). The influence of Somalis’ poor English language skills on doing (second degree) master's. Case study (Some selected Universities in Kampala-Uganda.). Global Scientific Journals, 9(3), 742 - 756. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350688395
Addow, A.M., Abubakar, A.H., and Abukar, M. S. (2013). English language proficiency and academic achievement for undergraduate students in Somalia. Educational Research International, 2(2), 59-66. http://erint.savap.org.pk/PDF/Vol.2(2)/ERInt.2013(2.2-08).pdf
Ahmed, S. A. S. (2018). The impact of teaching and learning methods of English course on student’s satisfaction in Mogadishu University, Somalia. Mogadishu University Journal, 4(4), 14-24. https://www.researchgate.net
Aizawa, I., & Rose, H. (2019). An analysis of Japan’s English as medium of instruction initiatives within higher education: the gap between meso-level policy and micro-level practice. Higher Education (2019) 77:1125–1142. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-018-0323-5
Ansah, A. M. (2014). Language choice in multilingual communities: The case of Larteh, Ghana. Legon Journal of the Humanities 25, 37-57
Aziz, Z. A., Yasin, B., & Jannah, R. (2017). Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) for teaching speaking. English Education Journal, 8(3), 322-337. http://www.jurnal.unsyiah.ac.id/EEJ/article/view/8921
Bagwasi, M. M. (2021). Education, multilingualism and bilingualism in Botswana. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2021(267-268), 43-54. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ijsl-2020-0114/html
Brown, H. (2016). Current trends in English-medium instruction at universities in Japan. OnCue Journal, 10(1), 3-20. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/55428192/OCJ10.2_pp3-20_Brown-with-cover-page
Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2011b). Business research methods. (3rd.ed.). Oxford university press.
Cherif, M. E. & Alkhateeb, H. (2015). College students’ attitude towards the medium of instruction: Arabic versus English dilemma. Universal Journal of Educational Research 3(3): 207-213
Earls, C. W. (2016). Evolving agendas in European English-medium higher education: Interculturality, multilingualism and language policy. Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137543127
Eno, M. A. (2017). Learning ESL in Somalia: Perceptions of Students in Mogadishu. Journal of Somali Studies (J0SS), 4(2), 165-191. https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC-9dcc6e68f
Fenton-Smith, B., P. Humphries & I. Walkinshaw (2017). English medium instruction in higher education in Asia Pacific: From policy to pedagogy. Springer. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/systematic-review-of-english-medium-instruction-in-higher-education/E802DA0854E0726F3DE213548B7B7EC7?__cf_chl_managed_tk__=sdVc.XKKS5QGmCV.OGsg5Hz97NcRH7x1tzSBlOnDsxk-1642521571-0-gaNycGzNCmU
Fuad, A. O. (2018). Teaching methods and English language proficiency of students in Selected Univerities in Hargeisa, Somaliland [Doctoral dissertation, Kampala International University]. Uganda. https://ir.kiu.ac.ug/handle/20.500.12306/1201
Ganuza, N., & Hedman, C. (2019). The impact of mother tongue instruction on the development of biliteracy: Evidence from Somali–Swedish bilinguals. Applied Linguistics, 40(1), 108-131. https://academic.oup.com/applij/article/40/1/108/3860485?login=true
Gwakwa, M. (2016). Tertiary Education Curricula Internationalisation in Southern Africa: Its Impact on Global Employment Opportunities. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(13), 78-86. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1102864
Huang, D. F. (2015). Exploring and assessing effectiveness of English medium instruction courses: The students’ perspectives. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 173, 71-78. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815013427
Ilyani, N. I. & Liza, H. N. (2021). Challenges of English as a medium of instruction at school level: A systematic review. 124-130, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356665531
Jibeen, T., & Khan, M. A. (2015). Internationalization of higher education: Potential benefits and costs. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 4(4), 196-199. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1091722.pdf
Kaya, S., & Ok, A. (2020). The Antecedents influencing the implementation and success of the middle school English language curriculum. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 7(1), 201-214. https://doi.org/10.33200/ijcer.660386
Kriukow, J., & Galloway, N. (2018). Internationalization and the growing demand for English in Japanese higher education: Undertaking doctoral study in English. In English-Medium Routledge.
Luanganggoon, N. (2020). Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) teaching practices in Thailand Higher Education. The Asian ESP Journal, 16(4), 233-258. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hind-Hameed/publication/345598048_Oxymoron_in_Day-to-Day_Speech/links/5fa8fa10458515157bf72b0d/Oxymoron-in-Day-to-Day-Speech.pdf#page=233
Luanganggoon, N., Phantharakphong, P., Sae-Joo, P., & Huntula, J. (2018). The content and language learning implementation: Speaking skills in graduate classes. AsTEN Journal of Teacher Education, Special Issue“Pedagogy”, 55-64. https://po.pnuresearchportal.org/ejournal/index.php/asten/article/view/834
Macaro, E. (2017). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36-76. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/systematic-review-of-english-medium-instruction-in-higher-education/E802DA0854E0726F3DE213548B7B7EC7
Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36-76. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/systematic-review-of-english-medium-instruction-in-higher-education/E802DA0854E0726F3DE213548B7B7EC7
Mohammed, Z. Y. H. (2018). Investigating English Language Teaching Techniques of Pupils’ Speaking Skill at Basic School Level [Doctoral dissertation, Sudan University of Science & Technology]. Sudan. http://repository.sustech.edu/handle/123456789/21786
Mustafe, H. D. (2015). Influence of language policy and the role on certificate of public secondary school performance in Hargeisa Somaliland [Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi]. Kenya. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/91035
Nhongo, R. (2013). A national language policy for Zimbabwe in the twenty-first century: myth or reality? Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 4(6), 1208-1215. http://www.academypublication.com/issues/past/jltr/vol04/06/08.pdf
Nuria, H. N. & Antonio, J. M. (2017) English as a medium of instruction: evidence for language and content targets in bilingual education in economics, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 20(7), 883-896, DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2015.1125847
Rao, P. S., (2019). The role of English as a Global Language. Research Journal of English. 4 (1)
Rose, H., & Galloway, N. (2019). Global Englishes for language teaching. Cambridge University Press. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330601422_Global_Englishes_for_Language_Teaching
Tang, K. N. (2020). Challenges and Importance of Teaching English as a Medium of Instruction in Thailand International College. English as an International Language, 15(2), 97-118 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1282858.pdf
Wilińska, M., Bülow, P. H., Keet, A., & Esau, M. C. (2020). “Personally, I like it. Professionally, it does not make sense”–social work students in South Africa and Sweden making sense of internationalization. Nordic Social Work Research, 1-12. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2156857X.2020.1861971
William, K. C. & Leslye, R. T. (2003). Somalia education sector assessment: With special attention to Somaliland, 1-
Yasemin, K. (2014). Students perceptions of English language versus Turkish language used as the medium of instruction in higher education in turkey. International Periodical for The Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic Volume 9(12), 443-459
Yusuf, H. M. (2021). The influence of Somalis’ poor English language skills on doing (second degree) master's. Case study (Some selected Universities in Kampala-Uganda.). Global Scientific Journals, 9(3), 742 - 756. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350688395
Published
2022-08-26
How to Cite
OHirsi, A., Mwirichia, S., & Kanyi, C. (2022). STUDENTS’ ATTRIBUTES INFLUENCE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION AT SOMALI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. African Journal of Emerging Issues, 4(8), 41 - 51. Retrieved from https://ajoeijournals.org/sys/index.php/ajoei/article/view/317
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