The Effect of Igbo Language Instruction on the Mother-Tongue Literacy of Non-Igbo Pupils in FCT Primary Schools: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This study employs a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effect of structured Igbo language instruction on the mother-tongue literacy skills of non-Igbo-background pupils in Federal Capital Territory primary schools, examining cross-linguistic transfer mechanisms in Nigeria's multilingual capital environment. The relationship between second language learning and mother-tongue literacy development remains theoretically contested, with transfer hypothesis proponents arguing that bilingual instruction enhances metalinguistic awareness transferable across languages. The study involves two hundred and ten non-Igbo pupils in primary classes three to five, with one hundred and twelve receiving supplementary Igbo language instruction sessions over twenty weeks and ninety-eight serving as a comparison group following standard curricula. Pre and post assessments of mother-tongue oral literacy, phonological awareness, and narrative comprehension are administered in each pupil's respective home language. Multi-level modelling accounts for classroom clustering effects in the analysis. Findings indicate a significant positive transfer effect, with Igbo-instruction pupils recording an average twelve-point gain in phonological awareness in their mother tongue compared to a four-point gain in the comparison group. Transfer effects are strongest for pupils from tonal language backgrounds including Yoruba and Tiv. The study provides empirical support for additive multilingual instruction policy in FCT schools. Keywords: Igbo instruction, mother-tongue literacy, cross-linguistic transfer, FCT, quasi-experimental study.