Mother Tongue Interference into Learning English as a Foreign Language: Analysis of Afan Oromo Interference into Learning EFL, Orthography and Pronunciation (A Case of Batu Secondary School)

Abstract

This both qualitative and quantitative study describes the “analyses of Afan Oromo interference into learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) orthography and pronunciation: a case of Batu Secondary School,” It employed a Systematic Random Sampling technique. The most series interference manifestations include the knowledge of rules, revealed through resources like; grammar, vocabulary, spelling, tone, stress, syllable, semantic, etc., in both pronunciation and orthography. That, the major factors count on teachers’ low concern to teach and the students ignorance to learn proper orthography and pronunciation; besides, weak methodologies of teaching EFL, lack of ideal situations to use EFL, the dominant influence excreted from Afaan Oromo in everyday communications, lack of sufficient learned EFL elements, origin similarity of Latin alphabets between the MT and EFL, and low concern given to learning EFL orthography and pronunciation in the education curriculum. Hence, the researcher suggests that; EFL teachers and students ought to work critically on the distinct areas among the two languages, adopt supplementary materials, arrange special lessons, encourage outstanding activities, etc. Moreover, EFL curriculum developers, EFL education officials and concerned collaborators need to support, facilitate and control the orthography and pronunciation education; give trainings to update EFL teachers’ knowledge and skill, methodologically, materially, morally, financially, etc and control the quality of learning outcomes in some ways. This study, however, cannot cease all the information areas other than it recites the most recurrent problems and appeals for further studies about MT interferences into learning EFL.

Keywords: Afaan Oromo, Analysis, Interference, Orthography/ pronunciation