Influence of Mother Tongue on LSRW English Learning Proficiency of D.El.Ed. Students in Tripura: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of mother tongue (Bengali and Kokborok) on English language proficiency across four key skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing (LSRW) among Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) students in Tripura, India. A total of 414 students from District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) institutions participated in the study (Bengali speakers: n = 314; Kokborok speakers: n = 100). Proficiency scores were measured using standardised assessments for each language skill. Independent samples t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests revealed no statistically significant differences between Bengali and Kokborok speakers across all four English language skills (p > 0.05). Mean scores ranged from 28.6 to 30.3 across all skills for both groups, suggesting comparable English proficiency levels regardless of mother tongue. These findings challenge assumptions about differential mother tongue influence on English language acquisition and have important implications for teacher education programmes in multilingual contexts.