Examining ESL learners’ motivation to study Nzema language in the College of Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32350/jcct.72.02Keywords:
Nzema, Ghana, language attitude, motivation, English as a medium of instructionAbstract
Proficiency in one’s mother tongue is crucial to achieving proficiency and academic success in the second language Learners’ attitudes toward their mother tongue and its speakers play a crucial role in their academic endeavors. Ghana is a multilingual country. Most of these languages are used solely for instruction, while a few are studied as subjects across various levels of education. A major competition exists between English and Nzema in terms of choice of study at the tertiary level. As a result, this paper investigates learners’ motivation to study English as a course and the factors that hinder their learning of Nzema at the College of Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba. The study used a descriptive quantitative approach, with a 20-item questionnaire administered to 39 Nzema students at the College of Languages Education, Ajumako Campus. The analysis showed, inter alia, that although the students have good reasons for studying their mother tongue, several instrumental factors drive their study of English as a course at the tertiary level.
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References
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of L1 in Ghanaian Senior High Schools (SHS). Ghana Journal of Linguistics, 3(2), 1-25.
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exploration of the Ghanaian situation. The International Journal of Language Learning
and Applied Linguistics World, 2(1), 65-76.
Quaicoe, K., Adams, F. H., Bersah, V. A., & Appiah Baah, K. (2015). Sociological variables
perceived in the study of Ghanaian languages in Central and Western regional colleges of
education in Ghana. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(33), 162-168.
Sackey, J. A. (1997). The English language in Ghana: A historical perspective. In M. E. Kropp
Dakubu (Ed.), English in Ghana (pp. 126-139). Accra: Black Mask Publishers.
Sarfo, E. (2012). Ghanaian university students’ attitude towards English. International Review of
Social Sciences and Humanities, 4(1), 86-99.
Tahaineh, Y. & Daana, H. (2013). Jordanian undergraduates' motivations and attitudes towards
learning English in EFL context. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities,
4(2), 159-180.
Twumasi, R. A. (2021). Attitudes of students towards the study of Ghanaian languages in
University of Cape Coast. International Journal of Research in English Education, 6(2),
71- 88.
Yang, X. (2012). Attitude and motivation in L2 learning among UM master students.
International Journal of Management and Sustainability, 1(1), 13-22.
Zanghar, A. (2012). Instrumental and integrative motivation among undergraduate Libyan
students of English as a foreign language. [Master’s thesis]. Colorado State University,
Colorado.
towards English language dominance over their indigenous languages. The Eurasia
Proceedings of Educational & Social Sciences EPESS). International Conference on
Research in Education and Science (ICRES), May 19-22 2016, Bodrum/Turkey.
Andoh-Kumi, K. (1994). Topics in Ghanaian language education (Unpublished).
Andoh-Kumi, K. (1997). Language education policies in Ghana. Accra: Crigle.
Associate for Research and Education for Development (2014). The promotion and use of local
languages in primary education in Senegal. A summary of the evaluation report on the
impact of ARED model (Translation from French) (pp. 1-11).
Baker, C. (1992). Attitudes and language. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Bamgbose, A. (1991). Language and the nation: The language question in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press for the International African Institute.
Bani-Khaled, T. A. (2014). The role of English as perceived by students of applied English at the
University of Jordan. European Scientific Journal, 10(5), 400-420.
Benson, M. (1991). Attitudes and motivation towards English: A survey of Japanese freshmen.
RELC Journal, 22(1), 34-48.
Boadi, L. A. (1971). Education and the role of English in Ghana. In J. Spencer, (Ed.), The
language in West Africa (pp. 49-65). English Language Series. London: Longman Group.
Coulmas, F. (2006). Sociolinguistics: the study of the speakers’ choice. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Crookes, G., & Schmidt, R. W. (1991). Motivation reopening the research agenda. Language
Learning, 41(4), 469-512
Dako, K., & Quarcoo, M. A. (2017). Attitudes towards English in Ghana. Legon Journal of the
Humanities, 28(1), 20-30.
Gardner, R. C. (1985). Social psychology and second language learning: The role of attitudes
and motivation. London: Edward Arnold.
Gardner, R. C. (2007). Motivation and second language acquisition. Porta Linguarum, 8, 9-20.
Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1959). Motivational variables in second-language acquisition.
Canadian Journal of Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie, 13(4), 266-272.
Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second language learning.
Rowley: Newbury House.
Guerini, F. (2007). Multilingualism and language attitudes in Ghana: A preliminary survey. A
paper presented at the international symposium on bilingualism (ISB6) at the University of
Hamburg (Germany) from the 29th May to 2nd of July, 2007.
Guerini, F. (2008). Multilingualism and language attitudes in Ghana: A preliminary survey.
Ethnorema Lingue,Popolie Culture, 4(4), 1-27.
Gyasi Obeng, S. (1997). An analysis of the linguistic situation in Ghana. African Languages and
Cultures, 10(1), 63-81.
Jaggi, S. (2010). Descriptive statistics and exploratory data analysis. India and Agricultural
Statistics Institute, Library Avenue, New Delhi 110 012.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. (1999). Learning together and alone: Cooperative, competitive,
and individualistic learning (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Jordan, D. (1941). The attitude of central school pupils to certain school subjects, and the
correlation between attitude and attainment. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 11,
28-44.
Kissau, S. (2006). Gender differences in second language motivation. Canadian Journal of
Applied Linguistics, 9(1), 73-96.
Kropp Dakubu, M. E. (1996). Language and community. Accra: Ghana Universities Press.
Magwa, W. (2015). Attitudes towards the use of indigenous African languages as languages of
instruction in education: A case of Zimbabwe. Journal of Educational Policy and
Entrepreneurial Research, 2(1), 1-16.
Masgoret, A. M., & Gardner, R. C. (2003). Attitudes, motivation, and second language learning:
A meta-analysis of studies conducted by Gardner and associates. In Z. Dörnyei (Ed.),
Attitudes, orientations, and motivations in language learning: Advances in theory,
research, and applications (pp. 167-210). Malden: Blackwell Publishing.
Momani, M. (2009). The Jordanian secondary stage students’ achievement in reading
comprehension according to their views towards learning English as a foreign language.
Journal of Human Sciences, 42, 1-36.
Navarro-Villarroel, C. (2011). Young students’ attitude towards language. [Doctoral
dissertation]. Iowa State University.
Owu-Ewie, C., & Edu-Buandoh, D. F. (2014). Living with negative attitudes towards the study
of L1 in Ghanaian Senior High Schools (SHS). Ghana Journal of Linguistics, 3(2), 1-25.
Owusu-Ansah, L. K., & Torto, R. T. (2013). Communication of language attitudes: An
exploration of the Ghanaian situation. The International Journal of Language Learning
and Applied Linguistics World, 2(1), 65-76.
Quaicoe, K., Adams, F. H., Bersah, V. A., & Appiah Baah, K. (2015). Sociological variables
perceived in the study of Ghanaian languages in Central and Western regional colleges of
education in Ghana. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(33), 162-168.
Sackey, J. A. (1997). The English language in Ghana: A historical perspective. In M. E. Kropp
Dakubu (Ed.), English in Ghana (pp. 126-139). Accra: Black Mask Publishers.
Sarfo, E. (2012). Ghanaian university students’ attitude towards English. International Review of
Social Sciences and Humanities, 4(1), 86-99.
Tahaineh, Y. & Daana, H. (2013). Jordanian undergraduates' motivations and attitudes towards
learning English in EFL context. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities,
4(2), 159-180.
Twumasi, R. A. (2021). Attitudes of students towards the study of Ghanaian languages in
University of Cape Coast. International Journal of Research in English Education, 6(2),
71- 88.
Yang, X. (2012). Attitude and motivation in L2 learning among UM master students.
International Journal of Management and Sustainability, 1(1), 13-22.
Zanghar, A. (2012). Instrumental and integrative motivation among undergraduate Libyan
students of English as a foreign language. [Master’s thesis]. Colorado State University,
Colorado.
Published
2026-07-16
How to Cite
Nyame, J. (2026). Examining ESL learners’ motivation to study Nzema language in the College of Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba. Journal of Communication and Cultural Trends, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.32350/jcct.72.02
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