Preserving the Cultural Identity of the English as a Second Language Learners in Nigeria Using TESOL Principles for ESL Education Standards

Abstract

Nigeria among other nations of the world is today facing different degrees of conflicts. The divide is heightened by ethnicity, religion and multiplicity of languages. In so far as English is the official language in Nigeria, its growth in the globalised world is sending many languages into extinction and bringing about loss of national consciousness. The cultural identities of Nigerians must be preserved in the English language classroom to awaken and promote this battered national consciousness. For decades, the argument of English only or bilingualism in an ESL classroom has persisted. These writers join in the view that language transmits the culture. The basic thesis we would want to develop in this paper is that a people's language is a uniquely powerful instrument in unifying a diverse population and involving individuals and subgroups in the national system. This paper therefore looks specifically at a critical area that is often overlooked, that is, cultural identity. In particular, we will address how we can help students retain their cultural identity as we help them learn the English language and succeed in the mainstream classroom using TESOL principles for ESL education standards.