Speaking the English language to our kids while they grow is now a common trend in Nigeria. It has become so popular and accepted that many illiterate parents also force themselves to speak English to the kids.

I've asked myself on several occasions why most Nigerian parents now fancy this practice but the only logical reason I came up with is that most parents believe that such training helps the kids learn very fast when they begin school.

YES! It truly does. The Nigerian Lingua Franca is English and it is the language that is adopted in teaching all over the country. It has been proven that kids that speak English at home get to learn faster than those that speak local languages.

I was tutoring a Twelve year-old JS1 girl that came to stay with my grandma and I was shocked to realize she doesn't know what “Ewure” (Goat) is called in English. The little girl speaks yoruba almost flawlessly( with very strong Ibadan accent). I got to know about her weakness after I saw her very woeful 2nd term result. I was crestfallen and really disappointed in myself that why would I be in this house and this girl will be performing so terribly in her academics. It was quite late for me to make a landmark difference because I was aware of her poor ability when 3rd term exams almost begun.

It was really difficult to help her in that short space as she couldn't even read most of what she had in her lecture notes. Nevertheless, I adopted a strategy and that strategy really worked. She was promoted to JSS2.

Many Nigerians complain about how fast our culture is fading away and I think this practice of raising our kids with the English language is one of the factors responsible for that. Many Nigerian kids speak English fluently but suck when they try to speak a local language. You see them looking like they've received death sentence whenever the Yoruba/Igbo teacher enters the class. Check out their O'level results and you'll be amazed at the number of F9s they make in Yoruba/Igbo. Why this thing hurts me is simply because these local languages are very cheap in O'level. At least, I know of Yoruba to be a piece of cake.

The situation is worsen by the rate at which Father and Mother now speak English to each other(At least the kids will pick the local language if dad and mum interact with it) . Grandparents also speak English to these kids and these kids also tend to hate seeing local movies. Virtually all the avenues for learning the local language have been blocked. The height of it is when the kids are brought up by wealthy parents that live in an estate where the kids can't have contact with an old woman that sells roasted plantain, onions and pepper(at least, they could get to hear someone speak the local language). Where the kids don't board commercial vehicles and the local language is almost totally alien to them.

The most infuriating part of it is that many young Nigerians now see it as swag if you cannot speak fluently or speak at all the local language. They even tell you confidently that “Me I don't understand Yoruba o”. Trash! The funniest thing is that these category of people are not even the best speakers of English, they are not as grammatically sensitive as some of us that were brought up with Yoruba/Hausa/Igbo. In fact, I realized that most Nigerians that are very proficient in speaking and writing English speak fluently at least one local Language. Yes! You heard me right. My parents spoke Yoruba to me while I grew and till today, I speak Yoruba at home. I can confidently say that I speak English fluently( My Grammar is impressive, my Accent is sweet and I pronounce well). Truth be told, I had to do a lot of self-development *covers face*

In conclusion, I think it's good to speak the English Language to our kids as they grow but we should try and make them understand the local language too.
As for me, I will speak both English and Yoruba to my kids, speak both English and Yoruba to my wife, ask my mum and dad to speak both Yoruba and English to my kids. I'll play decent Yoruba movies for my kids as well as other decent movies. And I'll also teach them to be like their papa that speaks both Languages fluently.

WHAT LANGUAGE WILL YOU SPEAK TO YOUR KIDS?

they would taught in english in school so its igbo at home

DoctorAshley: they would taught in english in school so its igbo at home

hmmm

I speak both English and Igbo to them. My daughter understands Igbo but speaks a little.

Oya make i swear for myself....
No matter how wealthy i am, my children must learn and speak igbo... AMEN...

During there formattive years children are at the most sensitive n receptive stage, dey pick up languages easily, but wen e don pass d stage omo na wahala o

My children understands Igbo but can not speak it fluently. Bt I know that gradually, they will be perfect.

I guess when u said u wil speak yoruba with ur wife you plan on getting married to one, cos I was born into an intertribal home and I grew up speaking jst english, most of the time, the parents are at fault though but then I dnt blame my parents cos language can be a great communication barrier, all my life NYSC inclusive has been in Lagos and of course I understand yoruba cos I wanted to though cant speak fluently so I guess its English all the way to my children but wuld encourage future hubby to teach his language to both his children and I.

ENGLISH!!!!
The only language that will open ALL DOORS FOR THEM!

I'll speak Igbo to them.I can speak Igbo fluently cause my parents are Igbos and they always speak it at home and I'll do same with my kids... ..

Savigne:
I'll speak Igbo to them.I can speak Igbo fluently cause my parents are Igbos and they always speak it at home and I'll do same with my kids... ..

Aren't you bothered if speaking only Igbo to them will make them learn slower in school?

Yoruba strictly at home, English and French in school and Arabic at Ile-kehu

My 2years old, understands, speaks.

ENGLISH

Olutola88:
Aren't you bothered if speaking only Igbo to them will make them learn slower in school?

Nope...It didnt slow my progress in school so I see no reason why theirs should be any different.

Savigne:
Nope...It didnt slow my progress in school so I see no reason why theirs should be any different.

hmmm

Olutola88:
hmmm

Hmmmmm too

English. . .
The language of PURE LOVE and SOUND ECONOMICS!
I don't want them to grow up as "country BUMKINS" aka 'BUSHMEATS' any hoo!

Olutola88:
hmmm

Hmmmmm too.....

Olutola88:
Aren't you bothered if speaking only Igbo to them will make them learn slower in school?

And who is feeding you with this rotten fodder?
The most brilliant students in class are even those who can speak, read and write in their mother tongues..
Talking about learning fast, I doubt the likes of chimamanda and Achebe didn't learn fast.
What have today's children achieved with early English speaking if not the continuous fall in education standard?
No amount of English spoken at home can convert a dull student to match his brighter mates at school who can speak in their mother tongues

Yoruba- where communication is most succinct

I'll be paying to have them taught English in school anyways so why not maximize my owo iyebiye and save myself the stress

my two years old son speak both Igbo and English, me and my hubby used to speak Igbo in the house.

I would have love to speak both English and Ishan to them o,but my parents didn't communicate in Ishan to us and THEY ARE FROM THE SAME L.G.A.

I just pray my hubby would be Ishan and understands too,he would teach both the children and I

We speak Igbo at home and he speaks nd understands. whenever he starts school, let him learn English. He has learnt English by just watching cartoon, even alphabets, colours, numbers, shapes nd I do home school him until he enters school next year sept at 4. Even at that, I intend to enroll him in French immersion school, meaning most of what he will be taught will be in French. At this age, they have the ability to learn languages so let me take the advantage

Hotstepper:
We speak Igbo at home and he speaks nd understands. whenever he starts school, let him learn English. He has learnt English by just watching cartoon, even alphabets, colours, numbers, shapes nd I do home school him until he enters school next year sept at 4. Even at that, I intend to enroll him in French immersion school, meaning most of what he will be taught will be in French. At this age, they have the ability to learn languages so let me take the advantage

hmmm. Fascinating

It definitely has to be ENGLISH.... I have come to realize that with good command of the language, even when you speak/write balderdash, you still seem INTELLIGENT.
On the lighter note, it has become the world's lingua franca, so its imperative my wards be fluent in its usage.

Chinco

moca:
Chinco

lmao! Like say u sef fit speak am

undisputedk:
It definitely has to be ENGLISH.... I have come to realize that with good command of the language, even when you speak/write balderdash, you still seem INTELLIGENT.
On the lighter note, it has become the world's lingua franca, so its imperative my wards be fluent in its usage.

where and how will they learn their native language or it's necessary?

Hotstepper:
We speak Igbo at home and he speaks nd understands. whenever he starts school, let him learn English. He has learnt English by just watching cartoon, even alphabets, colours, numbers, shapes nd I do home school him until he enters school next year sept at 4. Even at that, I intend to enroll him in French immersion school, meaning most of what he will be taught will be in French. At this age, they have the ability to learn languages so let me take the advantage

You are so right. Matter fact children before the age of 4 have an ability to arn and speak 3 or more languages at thesame time. Learning your language does not in any way hinder him from learning any other one

This topic was discussed in this thread: http://nigerianparentsforum.com/index.php/kunena/indigenous-language-acquisition

Also here:https://www.nairaland.com/1008492/kids-speak-understand-language

undisputedk:
It definitely has to be ENGLISH.... I have come to realize that with good command of the language, even when you speak/write balderdash, you still seem INTELLIGENT.
On the lighter note, it has become the world's lingua franca, so its imperative my wards be fluent in its usage.

No way!!!!