The Relevance of ICT in the Teaching of Mother Tongue 
 

 

 

 

Olayinka Omolayo ATURAMU(PhD)  
Department of Languages & Linguistics, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, 

Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria 

Phone No: +2347030594409 ;  Email: aturamuolayinka@bouesti.edu.ng 

 

 

 

 

Abstract 

We are in the days or increasing technology. New ideas systems and ways of doing things 

emerge every day. The usefulness of information and communication technology as a 

facilitator or effective teaching of indigenous language or mother tongue cordially be over-

emphasized. Scientific thinking and learning requires an adequate command of languages for 

the effectives use and understanding of concepts. Hence this summation  is making relevant 

suggestions and recommendations that will enhance optimum of modern instructional 

technology in the teaching of mother tongues in Nigeria. 

Keywords: Relevance, ICT, Teaching, mother tongue. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Introduction 

 The place of mother tongues in learning can never be under estimated. Learning in the 

mother tongue is very important in the early years of pupils’ learning. Mother tongue is the 

very first language the child comes in contact with, in early years. 

 Language (mother tongue) is so important that it leads to all round development of the 

child. It is not only useful in accelerating learning but in all areas of one’s life. It is a vehicle 

with which the learner can carry out the functions of life effectively. 

 Mother tongue is so important that the Federal Government has realized its roles by 

including it in the National Policy on Education (NPE). According to the policy, a child must 

learn at least one other Nigerian language apart from his or her mother tongue. In addition to 

appreciating the importance of language in the educational process and as a means of 

preserving the people’s culture, the government considers it to be in the interest of national 

unity that each child be encourage to learn language other than his own mother tongue.  

Researches have shown that a child learns fasters when taught in his/her mother tongue rather 

than a foreign language (Chumbow, 1998 & Bamgbose, 1992). Experiments in Philippines, 

Mexico and Nigeria have proved this to be true. ‘In Nigeria the Ife project showed clearly 

that children taught in Yoruba while learning as a second language perform very well. They 

presented themselves in English, which they learned as a second language and they were 

significantly better than those children who learned directly in English (Chumbow, 1998). 

 Thus, as far as education is concerned, empirical arguments favour the need for our 

children to start their education in their mother tongue and move up with the language as far 

as possible in the developmental process because psychologically, we will be maximizing the 

intellectual potentials of the child. 

 In addition to appreciating the importance or information communication technology 

in the educational process, computer literacy is uplifted in almost all Nigeria educational 

institutions to serve as a means of enhancing or promoting education in the country. 

 

Information 

Means discovery about knowledge while information technology is the study or use of 

electronic equipment e.g. computers for storing, analyzing and distributing information of the 

kinds including words, numbers and pictures. 

 According to Asimiyu (1999) Educational Technology can be seen as the application 

revolution that led to the production and use of quite a range of electronic information it 

carries. ‘In other perspective is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the 

total process of learning according to specific objectivity based on research for more 

effectivity based on research for more effective instruction’. 

Mother Tongue is the first language of a child. 

 

Relevance of Information and Communication Technology to the Teaching of 

Indigenous/Mother Tongue 

Language teaching is highly necessary as a tool for the emerging technologies. The 

present technology with all that is associated with is from the Western world and since 

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everything is coded in its (western world) language we need to teach indigenous languages to 

be able to interpret technology in our mother tongue (Yoruba). This is important for a certain 

number of reasons, some of which are as follows: instructional manuals attached to some of 

the modern equipment that are written in the language of the manufacturers and only those 

who understand this language can successfully operate or manipulate them. 

 There are in fact seven synthetic forms or English in these manuals. Showing 

carelessness a disregard for safety of life and property. What is more disturbing is that 

attempt is made to communicate whereas many of these companies employ experts and 

professionals to write manuals for them for similar products going to other countries. 

This is very necessary especially in Nigerian language that are still undergoing structural and 

grammatical development. 

 The marginalization of Nigerian language is highly visible in air travel where there is 

no local language content in airline information and safety packages. Airline flying into 

Nigeria address Nigerians in foreign languages, Nigerians airports are not friendly to local 

people; although at least 54% of travelers are bound to fall statistically within the bracket of 

those who can neither read nor write, nor understand English or other European languages. 

If safety is communicated in a language one understands, they won’t risk their lives. 

 First, he must help the students to find meaning and gain experience in indigenous 

language by developing an appreciation for the indigenous language. 

Then he must help his students to relate to life and finally to understand the rudiments of the 

language. 

 In more specific terms, the first thing an indigenous language teacher should bear in 

mind when teaching is that the subject is a personification of life. It is not that often –dreaded 

subject which is thought to be remote from the reality of life, it is relevant to everyday life. 

Hence, it should be animated, contextualized and therefore made exciting to students. There 

is no room for the theory of ‘arts for arts’ sake’’ in the subject once the teacher is ready to put 

life in the subject and draw analogies between it and life’s everyday events a good start has 

been made and the students will be highly motivated to read the passages. 

 Making use of technology in teaching mother tongue/indigenous languages will 

arouse the students’ interest as it does expand the possible modalities of teaching. It also aids 

some measure of reality to learning and measures the view of reasoning of the learners. The 

teacher while making use of the new technology will be provided with more reflective 

materials for instruction improvement. In fact, the teaching will not be subjected to difficulty 

in record keeping and evaluation. 

`` The relationship between information communication technology and language is 

symbiotic. Both mutually reinforce each other. Language is the medium through which the 

collective knowledge of every culture is stored and transmitted. On the other hand, in order to 

protect the unique elements of various indigenous knowledge systems, the supporting 

language of the cultures that developed these knowledge systems must be made available to 

information technology in all forms and at all levels. This is particularly important because 

human civilization is fast tending toward the knowledge age in which human interaction will 

be heavily mediated by information technology in all forms and at all levels. This is 

particularly important because human civilization is fast tending towards the knowledge age 

in which human interaction will be heavily mediated by information technologies. As we 

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proceed into the knowledge era, it becomes imperative that African languages be made 

relevant to developments in information technology by the development of Human Language 

Technology for these languages. 

 

Application of ICT to the Teaching of Mother Tongue/Indigenous Language 

 In this era of continuous changes, language teaching is highly necessary and helps in 

the moral upbringing of both the students and the teachers themselves since teachers are the 

first role models for students and later students meet and interact with the way teachers help 

shape their future. Any misuse of words either by error or omission or commission is 

believed to be the right use of such words proper training in the use of language could save 

the teacher from the use of language could save the teacher from the wrong use of phrases or 

words that have more than one meaning. 

 The relevance and effectiveness of information and communication technology to the 

teaching of three components or indigenous languages are language, literature and culture. 

 Video conference and interaction radio are chosen for their characteristics. These 

characteristics suit teaching and learning of mother tongue/indigenous languages literature. 

Interactive radio is a technology that makes one way communication of teaching and 

learning interactive. It is this interaction that makes interactive radio suitable for teaching and 

learning indigenous language literature. 

 

Conclusion and Recommendations 

 Having gone through all the above; it is obvious that indigenous language teaching 

(mother tongue) occupied a central place in the life of a nation especially in its educational 

sector in this jet age. The advantages which cannot be exhaustively discussed here include 

moulding the society, directing and developing it. 

 Relevance of information and communication technology to the teaching of 

indigenous languages (mother tongue) cannot be over-emphasized. Teachers of indigenous 

language at all levels of our educational system should endeavor to use information 

communication technology in teaching indigenous languages to students. This will make the 

subject attractive, appealing and interesting to the learners. Nigeria as a nation should give 

ICT a priority so that every individual is motivated towards the technology. The government 

should provide both materials and manpower aid computer training. 

 More so, we recommend the adoption of voice based technology which integrate well 

with our historical path of morality as a strategy for information documentation and 

transmission. We need to invest in research and development in Nigeria languages in order to 

eliminate the illiteracy barrier. Such a center will not only facilitate research but also engage 

in advocacy. The center will initiate the addition of local content to ICT, engage in 

modernization of Nigeria languages through the development and dissemination of 

terminologies. 

 

 

 

 

 

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References 

Bamgbose, Ayo (1992). Speaking In Tongues:  Implications of multilingualism for language, 

policy in Nigeria, Kaduna. Nigerian National Merit Award, Award Winner’s lecture. 

Bamgbose Ayo, Funso Akere & Noel Ihebuzor (1992), (eds). Implementation Strategies for 

the Language Provisions of The National Policy on Education, Abuja, Language 

Development Center. 

Fafunwa, A.B., Macaulay, J.I. and J.A Funso Sokoya(eds) (1989). Education in Mother 

Tongue, Ibadan: Ibadan University Press. 

National Policy on Education (revised) Federal Ministry of Education Lagos (1987) 

3rdEdition. 

Shanty Senadyera (1987). National Language Policy for Australia. A report prepared by 

PLAN Committee. January 1983 on Sindala. Schools in MSW. 

Simiyu, A.M. (1999). New and emerging technologies in teaching and learning on higher 

education. Lead presentation at the Regional workshop on teaching and learning in 

Higher Education MOI University Kenya. 

 

 

 

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