PHONOLOGICAL INTERFERENCE AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE READING COMPREHENSION

Uzoechi, Felicia; Utah, Nduka David

Didactiques
Volume 15, Numéro 1, Pages 137-151
2026-06-30

Phonological Interference And Secondary School Students’ Achievement In English Language Reading Comprehension

Authors : Uzoechi Felicia . Utah Nduka David .

Abstract

This study employs survey and correlation research designs to investigate the extent of phonological interference and its impact on students' achievement in English language in Imo State, Nigeria. This study is anchored in Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) and Interlanguage Theory, which explain how first-language phonological systems influence second-language acquisition and performance. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population comprises 82,734 senior secondary school students (41,898 males and 40,836 females) from 284 Government-owned Secondary Schools in the 2020/2021 academic session. The sample size of 400 students from ten selected Government-owned Secondary Schools was determined using the Taro Yemen formula, employing purposive, cluster, and simple random sampling techniques. Two test instruments, the Phonological Interference Assessment Test (PIA) and Reading Comprehension Test (RCT), were utilized for data collection. Content and face validation by three specialists in Language Education and two specialists in Measurement and Evaluation ensured the instruments' validity. The PIA demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.85, determined using the Kuder-Richardson formula twenty (KR20). Data analysis involved means, standard deviations, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) to address research questions. Hypotheses were tested through z-test and t-test statistics at a 0.05 level of significance. Hypotheses were tested using z-test and t-test statistics, selected based on sample size assumptions and the need to compare sample means with population expectations, as well as to determine the significance of correlation coefficients. The findings are interpreted within existing phonological acquisition frameworks, highlighting how L1 interference systematically constrains L2 reading comprehension development. The findings reveal a significant relationship between phonological interference and students' achievement in English language reading comprehension, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions in language instruction. This study contributes valuable insights to educators, policymakers, and researchers for enhancing language learning strategies and improving overall language proficiency among students in Imo State.