Blended-language instructional-approach as a determinant of science learning in rural classrooms

Abstract

Scientific concepts such as gravity continue to pose challenges for students in rural and under-resourced classrooms, where reliance on a single language of instruction often restricts access to meaning and limits conceptual understanding. This study investigated the impact of a blended English and Urhobo (BEAU) instructional approach on junior secondary one students’ learning and retention of gravity concepts in rural Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test non-equivalent control group design was employed with 243 students assigned to English-only, Urhobo-only, or BEAU instructional conditions. A validated 30-item multiple-choice gravity test was administered, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine differences while controlling for pre-test scores. The findings show that students taught using the BEAU language approach achieved better significantly in both post-test and retention tests compared to those taught using English-only or Urhobo-only instructional approaches. The findings provide empirical evidence that the blended language instructional approach enhances science learning outcomes in rural Nigerian contexts. Linguistically responsive instructional approach improves conceptual understanding and supports long-term retention of abstract scientific ideas, underscoring the importance of leveraging students’ linguistic resources to strengthen science education in rural and under-resourced classrooms.