TEACHER EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: A CONCERN FOR EFFECTIVE HAUSA LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

Nigeria is a multilingual nation blessed with over four hundred languages major and non-major. Based on this, the country's vision in the teaching of three major languages is that, in future, one will emerge as Nigeria's official national language. Based on this, the Federal Government, through trilingual approach, encourages the growth and development of three languages without overt imposition of any of them. It is in this light that this paper opens by conceptualizing the Hausa language. The paper also looks at the objectives of teaching indigenous languages. It further analyzes the place of indigenous languages at the basic and tertiary levels. The paper also delves into modern versus tradition methods of instruction in teaching indigenous languages. In addition, it looks at the relevance and development of indigenous languages. The paper also highlights problems militating against the teaching of indigenous languages. It concludes that, the long term objective of teaching Hausa as a national language to Nigerian children will be realized. Based on this, the paper recommends among others that, Federal Government should set the necessary machinery in motion with a view to developing a language policy which will subsequently lead to the emergency of an indigenous language as the national language.