ABSTRACT
This study was about the identification and remediation of the causes poor performance in English Language in secondary schools. The study was lead by four research objectives which were to examine the influence of cultural backgrounds on students’ performance in English Language, to identify influence of teacher - students’ relationship on student’s performances in English Language, determining the nature of school environment where teaching is practiced and to examine influence of school management system on teaching and learning process in English Language. Relevant literatures were reviewed on theories and findings that emerged from different authors. The study involved 4 secondary schools, 8 English Language teachers and 60 students. These were obtained through simple random sampling. Four academic masters and four head of school from four schools were purposely selected. Data collection was done by using questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, observations and documentary review. The findings indicated teaching and learning of English Language was facing challenges such as poor teaching environment, English Language departments were not well-managed, inadequate self-practice and students’ poor background in English Language. Therefore, the researcher recommends teachers to make assessment on the background of their students in to decide teaching methods that can help students perform better in English Language. Moreover, students should put self-efforts and practice in learning English Language. Lastly, the researcher recommends future research on individual factors that affects students’ learning of English Language.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
English Language is one of the most important school subjects in the curriculum worldwide. It is a subject that has direct relationship with other subjects, particularly technical and sciences. English Language is also a subject that cuts across primary and secondary school as a compulsory subject. Umameh, (2011) in Tshabalala and Ncube, (2013) was of the view that English Language is bedrock and an indispensable tool for scientific, technological and economic advancement of any nation. In addition to that Davies and Hersh, (2012) see English Language as the important subject not only from point of view of getting an academic qualification at school or college, but also is a subject that prepares the students for the future as well irrespective of which work of life they choose to be a part of. Mefor, (2014) summarized it all by saying that English Language relates to everything in the universe from the smallest to the largest. Umameh, (2011) added that English Language is intimately connected to daily life and everybody’s life-long planning. Therefore, English Language is a subject that education and human life cannot function effectively without it. Equally, in Nigeria, English Language is given all the necessary importance in the curriculum and all policies related to education, right from primary to higher levels. In relation to that Federal Republic of Nigeria (FGN) (2004) categorically stated that English Language is one of the core or basic subject for all primary and secondary school children. In addition to that English Language is one of the compulsory subjects that must be passed at credit level by students before getting admission into any tertiary institution in Nigeria.
The Daily Trust of Wednesday, August 25, 2010 as cited by Sa’ad and Usman (2014) reported that “seventy-five per cent of candidates who sat for May/June WAEC 2010 examinations failed to meet the minimum entry requirement into tertiary institutions. Again, the Daily Trust of 21st August, 2014 in Sa’ad and Rabiu (2014) reveals that the recently released WAEC results indicated that over seventy percent fail in November/December results. 86,612 candidates, representing 29.17 percent of the total number of candidates who sat for the NOV/DEC examinations of West African Examination Council (WAEC), obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and English language. Again, the WAEC has released its May/June 2014 WASSCE results, recording mass failure in English Language and English language. Head of National Office, WAEC Charles Eguridu, while announcing the results said “A total of 529,425 candidates; representing 31.28 percent obtained credits”. According to him when compared to the 2012 and 2013 May/June WASSCE, there was marginal decline in the performance of candidates as 38.81 percent was recorded in 2012 and 36.57 in 2013.
Specifically, many studies and authorities presented many causes of poor performance in English Language among students. For instance, Vudla, (2012) in Tshabalala and Ncube, (2013) was of the view that shortage of well trained teachers, inadequate of teaching facilities, lack of fund to purchase necessary equipment, poor quality of textbooks, large classes, poorly motivated teachers, lack of laboratories and libraries, poorly coordinated supervisory activities, interference of the school system by the civil service, incessant transfers of teachers and principals, automatic promotions of pupils, the negative role of public examinations on the teaching learning process and inequality in education opportunities all hamper the smooth acquisition of English Language knowledge. In addition to the above causes of poor performance in English Language, STAN, (2002) as cited by Ojimba, (2012) was of the view that prominent causes of poor performance in English Language are:
Ø Acute shortage of qualified professional English Language teachers.
Ø Exhibition of poor knowledge of English Language content by many English Language teachers.
Ø Overcrowded English Language classrooms.
Ø Students negative attitude toward English Language.
Ø Undue emphasis on the coverage of English Language syllabus at the expense of meaningful learning of English Language concepts.
Ø Inadequate facilities and English Language laboratories
It is however against this background that the researcher decides a research on the identification and remediation of the causes poor performance in English Language.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The high rate of poor performance of students in Nigeria has been a source of concern to researchers, educators, government and parents over the past years. Obviously, the great importance that education has on the national development of the country made it so. Research report indicated a consensus of opinion about the fallen standard of education in Nigeria (Adebule, 2004). Parents and government are in total agreement that their investment in education is not yielding the desired dividend. The reports from the West African Examination Council chief examiners indicates that the general performance of the candidates in English Language for the May/June 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2024 examinations did not differ significantly from those of the previous years (WAEC, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2024). However, the Chief Examiners also reported that candidates’ performance in English Language is declining and getting worse every year, even the rate of failure in all subjects appeared to have decline when compared to previous years (WAEC, 2013 & 2014), but there is still low percentage of students passing English Language excellently it is however the aim of the researcher to make research on the student’s performance in English Language in Nigeria.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objectives of this study is to find out the identification and remediation of the causes poor performance in English Language, specifically the study intends to:
1. Find out whether there is any relationship between teacher attitudes towards English Language and students achievement.
2. Find out the relationship between available English Language teaching resources and students performance in English Language.
3. Examine the school based factors that affect student performance in English Language in secondary schools
4. Find out the socio-cultural factors that affect student performance in English Language in secondary schools
5. Investigate student personal factors that affect student performance in English Language in secondary schools
6. Establish strategies that can be adopted to improve performance in English Language by students in secondary schools
1.4 Research Questions
1. Is there is any relationship between teacher attitudes towards English Language and students achievement?
2. What is the relationship between available English Language teaching resources and students performance in English Language?
3. What are the school based factors that affect student performance in English Language in secondary schools?
4. Is there any socio-cultural factors that affect student performance in English Language in secondary schools?
5. Is there any student personal factors that affect student performance in English Language in secondary schools?
6. What are the strategies that can be adopted to improve performance in English Language by students in secondary schools?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study is important to other researchers as a reference on studies concerning students’ performance in English Language. It is the sincere hope of the researcher that by going through this work, it will make English Language teachers to help their students perform well in English Language. Teachers will consider students’ cultural backgrounds before actual classroom teaching to know if the students have the basic concepts in particular unit of study in English Language. Then teachers can be in a position to improve students’ performance in English Language. The study will also help future researchers to come with findings on how school environments and teachers backgrounds are connected to students’ cultural backgrounds that affects performance in English Language.
1.6 Limitations of the Study
The foreseen possible limitations in this study were characteristics of the respondents for both teachers and students. The researcher was not able to involve every member of the population but the sample of study was randomly selected from both teachers and students. The head of schools and academic masters were purposively selected while English Language teachers and students were randomly selected. These were the representative sample for which findings was found from and generalized.
1.7 Delimitation of the Study
The study was done in ordinary level secondary schools in Lagos state. The district was rich in nature resembling to other districts in the country as there were public and privately owned secondary schools. Some of the schools in Lagos state were located in urban and rural areas. English Language teachers were in a position to be involved in the sample of study as they would provide reliable information on teaching and learning process and students’ performance in English Language as they concerned in teaching English Language.
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