Mohamed Jarmouni
Laboratory of Nanomaterials Technology and Innovation, Superior Normal School, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tetouan, Morocco
Mohamed Bellaihou
Laboratory of Nanomaterials Technology and Innovation, Superior Normal School, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tetouan, Morocco
Zayd Labdouti
LPMR, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco
Assia Arectout
Radiations and Nuclear Systems Group, FS, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan, Morocco
The impact of the language of instruction on academic achievement is a critical issue, particularly in multilingual settings. This study investigates how using French as the medium of instruction affects the academic performance of first-year physics and chemistry students at Moroccan universities. The research, conducted at Mohamed I and Abdelmalek Essaadi Universities, involved 365 students and 20 teachers. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. We conducted a correlation analysis to examine the relationship between French proficiency and academic performance in physics and chemistry. A frequency analysis identified common difficulties students face when studying these subjects in French. An ANOVA determined if using French as the medium of instruction significantly impacts academic performance. The results show a significant relationship between students' proficiency in French and their academic performance in science subjects taught in French. Our analysis indicates that instruction in a non-native language has a negative impact on academic success. Many students expressed discomfort with French, citing difficulties with scientific vocabulary and comprehension. Teachers corroborated these challenges, noting that students' limited French proficiency impedes their understanding of complex scientific concepts, contributing to higher failure rates. Additionally, a strong positive correlation was found between French language proficiency and academic performance in physics and chemistry. Students with lower proficiency in French tend to have poorer academic performance in these subjects.
[1] Herridge, M.D.H., 2016. Student identification of problem topics in general chemistry [Ph.D. Thesis]. Missouri, USAL Missouri State University. p. 23.
[2] Ryoo, K., Toutkoushian, E., Bedell, K., 2018. Exploring different types of assessment items to measure linguistically diverse students' understanding of energy and matter in chemistry. Chemistry Education Research and Practice. 19(1), 149–166. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C7RP00141
[3] Dafouz, E., Camacho-Miñano, M.M., 2016. Exploring the impact of English-medium instruction on university student academic achievement: The case of accounting. English for Specific Purposes. 44, 57–67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2016.06.001
[4] Lin, T., Lei, J., 2021. English-medium instruction and content learning in higher education: Effects of medium of instruction, English proficiency, and academic ability. SAGE Open. 11(4), 1–10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211061533
[5] Maican, M.A., Cocoradă, E., 2021. Online foreign language learning in higher education and its correlates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainability. 13(2), 781. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020781
[6] Stroumpouli, C., Tsaparlis, G., 2022. Chemistry students’ conceptual difficulties and problem solving behavior in chemical kinetics, as a component of an introductory physical chemistry course. Chemistry Teacher International. 4(3), 279–296. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cti-2022-0005
[7] Febliza, A., Yulis, P.A.R., 2018. Mapping learning difficulties in general chemistry course. Jurnal Pendidikan Kimia. 10(2), 372–376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24114/jpkim.v10i2.10772
[8] Lee, J.S., 2010. Offering English-mediated chemistry classes in South Korea: A note on this nationwide experiment. Journal of Chemical Education. 87(5), 470–471. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ed1001152
[9] Yore, L.D., Hand, B., Goldman, S.R., et al., 2004. New directions in language and science education research. Reading Research Quarterly. 38(3), 347–352. Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4151776
[10] Adams, A., Jessup, W., Criswell, B.A., et al., 2015. Using inquiry to break the language barrier in chemistry classrooms. Journal of Chemical Education. 92(12), 2062–2066. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ed500837p
[11] Bodner, G.M., Mayo, P.M., 2007. The bilingual learner. What happens when the language of instruction is not the language of discourse. Educación química. 18(3), 228–234. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22201/fq.18708404e.2007.3.65953
[12] Alshehri, A.A., 2018. Learning Chemistry in English: Challenges Faced by Non-Native English Speakers [Ph.D. Thesis]. Missouri, USA: Missouri State University. pp. 50–52.
[13] Maliki, S., Housni, H., 2019. Linguistic diversity in Morocco: An Overview. Proceedings of the 41st International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social Development; Belgrade, Serbia; 23–24 May 2109; pp. 361–364.
[14] Bernhofer, J., Tonin, M., 2022. The effect of the language of instruction on academic performance. Labour Economics. 78, 102218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2022.102218
[15] Mlay, N., 2010. The influence of the language of instruction on students' academic performance in secondary schools: A comparative study of urban and rural schools in Arusha-Tanzania [Master’s Thesis]. Oslo, Norway: University of Oslo.
[16] Civan, A., Coskun, A., 2016. The Effect of the Medium of Instruction Language on the Academic Success of University Students. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice. 16(6), 1981–2004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12738/estp.2016.6.0052
[17] George, J., 2013. Influence of language of instruction on academic achievement of pre-school children in Rongo district Kenya [Ph.D. Thesis]. Nairobi, Kenya: University of Nairobi. pp. 40–44.
[18] Genesee, F., Lindholm-Leary, K., Christian, D., et al., 2006. Educating English language learners: A synthesis of research evidence. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. pp. 58–61.
[19] Ben Hammou, S., Kesbi, A., 2023. The teaching of science subjects through foreign languages in Moroccan secondary schools: Science teachers’ perceptions and experiences. RELC Journal. 54(3), 757–772. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211035
[20] Coyle, D., Hood, P., Marsh, D., 2010. CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. pp. 1–10.
[21] Lasagabaster, D., Sierra, J.M., 2010. Immersion and CLIL in English: More differences than similarities. ELT Journal. 64(4), 367–375. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccp082
[22] Dalton-Puffer, C., 2011. Content-and-language integrated learning: From practice to principles. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics. 31, 182–204. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190511000092
Copyright © 2024 Mohamed Jarmouni, Mohamed Bellaihou, Zayd Labdouti, Assia Arectout
This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
