PRONUNCIATION DIFFICULTIES IN ARABIC SYLLABLE PATTERNS AMONG UPPER BASIC HAUSA-SPEAKING STUDENTS IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2017-07-05
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Alhikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
The relevance of Arabic language and its study in the world generally, and particularly in Nigeria, cannot be overemphasised. However, in the process of learning this language, there are always some indispensable learning difficulties, especially in the pronunciation aspect. Therefore, this study investigated the pronunciation difficulties in syllable patterns among Upper Basic Hausa-speaking students in Kano State, Nigeria. The data for the study were obtained from the 3 senatorial districts of the State, involving 9 Local Government Areas, through a researcher- designed pronunciation test. 180 Upper Basic Hausa-speaking students of Arabic were selected from 3 private and 9 public basic schools, using stratified and purposive sampling techniques respectively. The variables of interest were gender and school type. Frequency, percentage and chi-square were employed to analyse the data collected. Findings of the study revealed that students’ pronunciation difficulties cut across gender and school type as there was no significant difference in the syllable patterns that constituted pronunciation difficulties for male and female Upper Basic Hausa-speaking students in public and private basic schools in Kano State. It was concluded that, three of the six identified Arabic syllable patterns exist in Hausa and therefore do not constitute pronunciation difficulty for Hausa-speaking students. It was therefore, recommended that stakeholders, including curriculum developers, syllabus designers and textbook writers should take cognizance of the students’ pronunciation difficulties when producing their respective Arabic education-related instructional materials.
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Pronunciation Difficulties, Arabic Syllable Patterns, Hausa-Speaking Students, Phonemes