A Critical Study on: The Impact of Mother Tongue on Bhutanese Students While Learning English Language for Effective Communication Among Class Ten.

Sonam Norbu; Sherab Tenzin

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i02.70790

A Critical Study on: The Impact of Mother Tongue on Bhutanese Students While Learning English Language for Effective Communication Among Class Ten.

Author(s)	Mr. Sonam Norbu, Sherab Tenzin
Country	Bhutan
Abstract	This study examined how managing mother-tongue (L1) use influences English learning and classroom communication among Bhutanese Class Ten students. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control-group design involved 40 students at Garpawoong Middle Secondary School: 20 received scaffolded English immersion, while 20 continued usual practice, with L1 permitted when necessary. The intervention comprised eight assessment cycles conducted for more than two months. Quantitative data included cycle-based English tests and a 20-item five-point Likert questionnaire administered before and after the intervention. Qualitative data came from semi-structured student and teacher interviews. Across the cycles, the experimental group’s mean test score increased from 2.20 to 8.65, compared with an increase from 4.20 to 6.90 in the control group. Questionnaire scores rose from 70.50 to 73.30 in the experimental group and from 66.45 to 67.85 in the control group. Controlling for pre-test scores, the experimental group achieved a significantly higher post-test score (p = .003, partial η² = .215). Interview findings indicated that L1 supports comprehension and participation but that unrestricted use may limit English exposure, vocabulary growth and fluency. The findings support English as the principal classroom language, with L1 used briefly and strategically as a bridge to increasingly independent English use.
Keywords	Bhutan, mother tongue interference, English language learning, classroom communication, second language acquisition, Class Ten students
Field	Sociology > Education
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 2, March-April 2026
Published On	2026-03-07
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i02.70790

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A Critical Study on: The Impact of Mother Tongue on Bhutanese Students While Learning English Language for Effective Communication Among Class Ten.

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