Abstract
The study investigated the strategies for improving low academic performance in English language in senior secondary schools in Ife Central Local Government, Area, Osun State, Nigeria. The methods used by English language teachers in teaching the students in the study area was also ascertained, as well as the influence of school factors on the students’ performance. The sample comprised 20 public secondary school teachers and 100 students from secondary school three (S. S. 3), selected using multi-stage sampling technique. An instrument titled “Questionnaire on Causes and Strategies for Improving Low Academic Performance in English Language” (CSILAPE) was used to collect data. Data collected were analysed using simple percentage, frequency counts and chi square. The findings showed that most of the teachers (54.7%) adopted questioning and assignment methods in teaching English language, while 50% of them used demonstration method. It also revealed that school factors (availability of facilities and the role of English language teachers) influenced students’ performance in English language (χ² = 58.942; p < 0.05). Finally, it revealed that, well explained school rules, discipline, teachers’ welfare and proper supervision are strategies suggested to improve academic performance in English language (73.3%). It is, therefore, recommended that, school needs to be provided with necessary teaching aids and facilities regularly.
Keywords: Strategies, low academic performance, secondary schools.
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Background of study
Education is a key component of human qualities essential for generating high incomes and sustainable socio-economic development. It is a socially organized and regulated process of continuous transference of socially significant experience from the previous generations to the followings. Also, it involves the acquisition of knowledge by individuals; and characterized as an essential ingredient in poverty eradication (Nwaham, 2023). Students’ performance has been an issue of great concern since the beginning of modern education. Majority of the countries have realized that in the heart of educational process are the students. Further, it has been noted that all the innovations being seen in education without good performance are destined for failure. Globally, the main objective of education in any democratic society is to provide learners with quality education that makes them productive members of the society.
More importantly, it should also be noted that the modern trend in education and the complex nature of learning and instruction have made the role of the teachers more tasking. This new role does not just involve the more transmission of information to students but it involves looking at the problems associated with learning and instruction. National Policy on Education (NPE, 2004) in Nigeria emphasizes that children should be educated properly, so that they can acquire skills and competencies that would enable them function well and solve problems in the society. The accomplishment and realization of these important educational goals in Nigeria lies in the new trend in the educational approaches. These new approaches to learning and instruction therefore, expose the students to conceptualize and effectively manage their own learning process. This then, reinforces their learning and transfers their training in practical situations.
Language is one of the most useful tools existing among humans. Without it, expression cannot be made to others, nor could one engage in the activities that commonly take place in the society built for oneself. Thus, language is not everything in education, but without language, everything is nothing in education. English is the medium of instruction right from the Basic four to the tertiary institution (NPE, 2014) and is taught from the basic classes as a school subject. It is the government that decides which language should be the instructional medium. Therefore, as a result of globalization, English has been embraced as one of the commonly used means of communication all over the world. Even in the world of science, globalization, commerce, trade, politics, history, education, entertainment, media and technology and the likes, English is the language that is mostly used. Despite the new approach to learning and instruction, English language at the Senior Secondary School level in Nigeria has been plagued with poor results and low achievements.
Annual results from West African Examinations Council (WAEC) reveal woeful performances from the students who have made enrolment for English language examinations a yearly ritual. It is worrisome to note too that the performance of these students has continued to deteriorate year after year (UniProjectMaterials, 2018). It is understood that if the situation in English Language remains like this, it will affect both the economic and technological growth of the nation. This is because a good mastery of English language is mandatory for all students in order to do well in other secondary school subjects. Students who are handicapped in English language are therefore likely to be handicapped in the acquisition of skills in arts, science and technology related subjects. From the foregoing, therefore, one could easily conclude that English language is an indispensable language of communication in Ife Central Local Government Area, as this shows the importance of English Language as being paramount.
Strategy means a method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem. The art and science of planning and marshalling resources for their most efficient and effective use. It also refers to a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time; and the skill of making or carrying out plans to achieve a goal (Merriam-Webster, 2018). Sequel to this, language learning could be enhanced when attention is paid to affective teaching and learning strategies.
Teaching English as a second language in Nigerian schools has its own unique challenges among which include how the language works, patience and a show of dedication from teacher as well as students’ needs and expectations. The teaching needs to be challenging and the situations must be set up for the students to use the language. Throwing more light on the pathetic English Language teaching in Nigeria Methodological approach to the teaching of English therefore, emphasizes the introduction of various teaching pedagogies with a view to opening up students’ horizon to enable them acquire basic skills of the language, that can make them achieve a measure of proficiency in the use of the language (Ahmed, 2016). There are various instructional resources which are used by teachers in Nigeria of which both the students and teachers can expedite the acquisition of reasonable number of linguistic skills. The resources are lingual, visual, audio, audio-visual, the ICTs, the internet and many other modern language learning strategies to support students in their bid to learn the language. Therefore, secondary school students can process a lot of information through the use of these resources.
The approaches being used by teachers especially in Ife Central local government range from lecture-way, note taking, group discussions among others. However, most of the methods adopted by these teachers merely reduce students to passive listeners. It is only when students involve themselves in group work or discussions that they are found to be active, a situation that seems to rarely occur in this study area. Teaching English is more than just the imparting of grammatical knowledge or lexical elements. Words taught to students must meet their contextual definitions. Aspects of language introduced to students in classroom interactions must be contextually meaningful in ways students can practice them in their day-to-day interaction. It is very important to view activity-oriented approach to the teaching of English in Nigeria, which gives students the opportunity to explore meaning and simulate activities on their own using resources from both within and outside the classrooms, specifically secondary schools in Ife Central Local Government Area in Osun state. Once great priority is placed on the effective strategies, teaching-learning of English language will be improved; thus, resulting to an improved or better academic performance in English language among the students especially in this study area.
Academic performance describes how well one performs in school courses. Low academic performance has been a problem faced by students with low “Proficiency in English (PiE”) as literature has reported through many researches that have been carried out in schools as well as at graduation level in a several countries around the world. In the United States of America, it is recorded that schools comprehensively focus on the various tasks involved in learning English for pupils with low PiE. The transition and preparation of students academically in moving to a new culture is often lost on the wayside (Pardeep, 2014). In the U.S. students who have low Proficiency in English are placed in low track classes and are considered to be low level learners. They are instructed using lecture as well paper and pencil method. Scholars have demonstrated that learners of English become poor performers not as a result of low proficiency in English alone but as a result of the method used in instructing them. Therefore, the students feel that academics are not interesting, challenging, and also not engaging (Kotut, 2016). Furthermore, less is expected from them thus they become bored leading to a decline in their performance.
Therefore, it is paramount that schools emphasize improving methods of instruction to enhance English performance. This can be done through improved training of teachers which goes along way also in improving their attitude towards teaching the language. It should also be noted that, the poor academic achievements of students in national examinations, for many years have been attributed to low proficiency of the English language. The major cause of the decline in academic performance has been considered to be the proficiency in the language of instruction and the general decline of the standards of education. Indeed, adeptness in the language of instruction is a pre-requisite factor in the attainment of successful performance in education (Kotut, 2016).
Fakeye and Ogunsiji (2009) observed that students’ success in school is based on being proficient in the language of instruction (LI). If the students are good in communication skills and are well versed in English, their academic performance is increased. Moreover, English has been classified among the core subjects in the curriculum. This means that for one to obtain a better grade in national examinations and therefore gain admission into a university, he/she must pass in English at credit level. Though, currently, many teachers are pursuing further education to improve their professional qualification, however little research has been done to establish how this trend is improving the performance in secondary schools in Ife Central Local Government Area. Moreover, it is not clear whether there is sufficient in-service training and the extent this would influence performance of English in schools. It remains a matter of research whether the amount of training one acquires has any bearing on the performance of English in schools.
The reason for carrying out this study; strategies to improve low academic performance in English language in secondary schools, was due to the fact that every student needs to pass English Language in order to attain academic excellence and further his/her education, as it is a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions. However, it might be that the lack of the required skills and strategies in teaching of this subject by the teachers, is one of the reasons for the increase in the rate of failure in English language among the secondary school students in Ife Central Local Government. Therefore, adoption of innovative teaching strategy is necessary for teachers to cope with the ever increasing contents of the subject and to reduce the rate of failure to minimal. This study will therefore seek to establish strategies for improving performance of English in secondary schools especially in Ife Central Local Government
1.2 Statement of the Problem
English language is the means of communication in the academic institutions, as well as the official language of the country (Tata, 2014). Therefore, secondary school students need effective English language to function properly or perform better. However, it is disheartening to note that the poor performance of students in English language at public examinations in recent times has been explained as a major cause of decline in the general academic performance and standard of education in Nigeria. In view of this, it is the concern of this study to investigate poor academic performance and its causes, ascertain the types of facilities available and identify the role of teachers in teaching the students English language and identify the strategies for improving the low academic performance of students in English language.
1.3 Purpose of the study
This study is out to work on the strategies for improving low academic performance in English language in senior secondary schools in Ife Central Local Government, Area, Osun State.
Specifically, the objectives are to:
i. identify the strategies used by the teachers of English language in teaching senior secondary school students in Ife Central Local Government, Area, Osun state;
ii. ascertain the influence of the school factors (availability of facilities and the role of English language teachers) on the students’ performance in English language among the students;
iii. determine strategies for improving the low academic performance of students in English language.
1.4 Research Questions
This study attempted to provide answers to the following question:
(i) What are the strategies used by the teachers of English language in teaching senior secondary school students in Ife Central Local Government Area, Osun state?
(ii) What is the influence of each of the school factors (availability of facilities and the role of English language teachers) on the students’ performance in English language among the secondary school students?
(iii) what are the strategies for improving the low academic performance of students in English language?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study may be useful to the stakeholders in the Ministry of Education and policy makers to establish areas that have knowledge and skill gap. It will help the policy makers in human resource planning, allocation and disbursement of funds to public tertiary institutions in the country.
The findings of the study may assist in providing data and information for proper planning and decision at the Ministry of Education, leadership, administrators and NGOs. Researchers will apply the recommendations of this study in adding new knowledge in the area of study area.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study is delimited to the influence of school environment on the students’ achievement of University Nigeria Ikere Campus.
The content area covers school building, library services, school location and school facilities.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Environment: The totality of surrounding conditions, the area in which something exists or lives.
2 Achievement: This is something which someone has succeeded in doing, especially by superior ability, special effort and great courage.
3 Influence: The capacity to have an effect on the character, development or behaviour of someone or something. Deteriorating: To make or become worse or inferior in character, quality and value
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