The use of indigenous techniques of communication for language learning: The case of Cameroon

• Main Author: Ebong, Balbina
• Other Authors: Schmied, Josef
• Format: Doctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/370; ddc:370; Englisch; Englischunterricht; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Kamerun; Unterrichtsmethode; Cameroon; English teaching; Indigenous techniques; Teaching techniques
• Online Access: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:swb:ch1-200401147; https://monarch.qucosa.de/id/qucosa%3A18193; https://monarch.qucosa.de/api/qucosa%3A18193/attachment/ATT-0/; https://monarch.qucosa.de/api/qucosa%3A18193/attachment/ATT-1/

This study aimed at determining whether the use of indigenous techniques of communication can have a positive impact on the motivation of the learner of English as a foreign language in Cameroon. By indigenous techniques of communication we mean techniques like role-play, songs, the telling of folktales, riddles and proverbs. This work is intended as a contribution to the search for improvement of student motivation and enthusiasm, whereby they can be more responsive as they participate spontaneously in learning English as a foreign language. Some writers agree that it is beneficial to learn a foreign language using the material that the learners are familiar with (Lado 1964, Gee 1987, Post and Rathet 1996). The telling of folktales, role-play, songs, and the use of riddles and proverbs are found in all societies and every indigenous society uses them in teaching in one way or the other. Most foreign language learners are familiar with them. Their abundance in the Cameroonian society presents an excellent opportunity for foreign language teaching/learning. My interest in this research has been substantially influenced by my experience of working for almost a decade with learners of English as a foreign language in Francophone secondary/high schools in Cameroon. This work led me to the realization that students respond to English language teaching with very little motivation and enthusiasm. They make little or no progress in learning the language, much less in communicating in it. One of the major questions I have often asked myself is why Francophone students find English language learning boring and what could be done to solve the problem of teaching English to these students. I have tried on a number of occasions to tell folktales or teach a song in class when I found the students were bored with the lessons and discovered that the students immediately became alert. Their alertness was probably not for the direct purpose of making any linguistic gain but for the sheer entertainment of listening to a story or taking part in the singing, all of which they seemed to enjoy. Based on this positive change in the students, it was hypothesized that the introduction of some indigenous techniques of communication in the foreign language classroom might help improve its learning. The results from this study indicate that the recommendations for the use of these techniques in language teaching will help improve on the present negative attitude of foreign language learners. This study is significant to foreign language teaching/learning in all developing countries but most especially to the Cameroonian educational system where the study was carried out. Its relevance is due to the fact that most of the facilities that are presently used for the teaching of foreign languages in advanced countries are absent in developing countries. To help improve on the enthusiasm of the learner of a foreign language therefore, educational planners should resort to the use of indigenous techniques, which this study has found out could be very helpful in any foreign language classroom if properly applied. === Es ist allgemein anerkannt, dass es für Schüler, die eine Fremdsprache erlernen sollen, von Vorteil ist, wenn ihnen vertrautes Material im Unterricht verwendet wird (Lado 1964, Post und Rathet 1996). Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist deshalb, die positive Wirkung von indigenen Kommunikationsstrategien und –techniken auf die Lernermotivation kamerunische Schülern und Schülerinnen zu ermitteln, welche Englisch als Fremdsprache erwerben. Unter indigenen Kommunikationstechniken verstehen wir Rollenspiele, Lieder, das Erzählen von Märchen, Rätseln und Sprichwörtern. Die vorliegende Studie soll einen Beitrag bei der Suche nach Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten von Schülermotivation und Enthusiasmus leisten und dazu beitragen, das Schülerinteresse durch spontanes, teilnehmendes Erlernen zu wecken.