The use of an ethnic community language may be a transitional solution to pedagogical processes where there are language difficulties.This paper explores Ngoni people’s attitudes towards the use of Kingoni in teaching beginner classes. The Tanzania educational policy designates Kiswahili as the only language of instruction in public primary schools. The data were collected in Songea Rural District using interviews, a questionnaire and classroom observations. The study is guided by the ethnolinguistic vitality framework, which informs decisions on language attitudes and inclination to language use. The findings show that 77% of the participants wanted Kiswahili to be used, while the rest had different choices, including English. The more disadvantaged groups such as peasants showed more ambivalent attitudes towards the use of Kingoni. The study concludes that parents support the use of Kiswahili and not Kingoni, but this attitude has pedagogical and linguistic implications in that children cannot follow instructions; and that they are denied their right to be taught in a language they know well.