Kiswahili Language Support For Students Science Learning Outcomes In a Multilingual Classroom In East Africa: A Case Study Of Government-Aided Secondary Schools In Western Uganda

Abstract This study investigated the Kiswahili language support for students' science learning outcomes in a multilingual classroom in East Africa: A case study of government-aided secondary school in Western Uganda. the study was guided by three research objectives, questions, and hypotheses. The study employed an experimental research design, specifically, it employed a quasi-experimental research design. The method of data collection was a science achievement multiple choice question which is made of 60 items for students. The study has two groups, the experimental and the control group. The study's target population is all the senior four secondary school students in western Uganda and the sample size is one hundred and eighty students from the two schools randomly sampled for the study. The study data was analyzed using descriptive statistics which is used to compare the pretest and post-test scores and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at an alpha level of 0.05 level of significance. The result of the findings indicated that male students performed better than female students taught science using Kiswahili language support and there is a significant difference in the effect of Kiswahili language support on students' science learning outcomes in secondary schools. The study also shows that students who were taught science using Kiswahili language support have better learning outcomes than students who were taught using the English language and that there is a significant difference in science learning outcomes between students receiving Kiswahili language support and those who do not and finally the results indicated that Kiswahili language has a better learning outcomes in science compared to the use of English language which implies that there is no interaction between method and gender on students learning outcomes and that there is no significant interaction between methods and gender on students science learning outcomes. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers recommended that teachers should be encouraged to use Kiswahili as a support language in science instructions to improve understanding among students and also there should be further research on language support and science learning in the context of multilingual to inform policy and practice in Education.