TEACHING METHODS AND STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
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TEACHING METHODS AND STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ABSTRACT
In junior secondary schools in south-west Oyo State, students’ performance in English language depends on the teaching strategies utilised by their instructors.
In this study, junior secondary school pupils in Nigeria are examined with regard to their academic achievement and instructional strategies.
The study used a descriptive research design but used a variety of methods for gathering and analysing data. The study issue was answered using descriptive statistics of percentages and inferential statistics tested at the level of significance of 0.05.
The target population consisted of 120 teachers at Junir Secondary School. The majority of teachers’ methods of instruction have a significant impact on students’ academic performance,
according to the study’s findings. Based on these findings, the student-centered method and the teacher-student interactive method were suggested as ways to raise students’ academic performance.
CHAPITER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The most powerful force for social and personal change that has a formative impact on learners is education. Any level of education’s main goal in teaching is to fundamentally alter the student using a variety of teaching and learning techniques (Oigara, 2011).
The choice of the teacher’s teaching methodology has a significant impact on how well this teaching and learning process works. Whalen (2012) suggests that a teaching method’s efficacy can be seen in the results of the teaching-learning process, which include marks, grades, and mean scores.
One of the most crucial elements of human resource development is education. The performance of the students is crucial in creating the highest calibre graduates who will serve as the nation’s future leaders and labour force, contributing to the economic and social progress of the nation.
One of the main considerations for employers when hiring employees, particularly for recent graduates, is academic achievement.
Thus, in order to get good grades and prepare themselves for future professional chances while also meeting the demands of the employer, students must exert the most effort in their academic endeavours.
Whether a student will continue on to a university to pursue a higher degree or be able to get employment as a teacher depends on their academic success in the junior secondary schools.
The quality of instruction that prospective teachers will impart to children at the basic and secondary school levels is also based on their performance.
According to Oigara (2011), teaching strategies can be divided into learner- and teacher-centered approaches. Drilling, questioning, and the lecture style are examples of teacher-centered strategies.
In a teacher-centered method, learning occurs when teachers offer concepts to students and then have them apply what they’ve learned by having them complete exercises that are linked to what the teacher presented during or after the lesson.
This is done in order to determine whether students understood the information that the teacher had taught them. It is seen advantageous for teachers to be conversant in the language that the students are learning.
Language is essential to the teaching and testing processes in order to identify students’ weaknesses or areas of confusion during the learning process (Brad, 2000).
In learner-centered teaching methods, students construct their own knowledge of the subject matter and form emotional attachments to the topics they have learned (Collins, 2003).
This indicates that a student-centered approach emphasises problem-based learning and inquiry, placing the student at the centre of the learning process.
Learner centred approaches use techniques like question and answer sessions, group projects, demonstrations, guided learning, role plays, and project-based learning.
Students have a say in the course material, activities, resources, and learning pace, which is an important aspect of student-led learning.
The student-learning model places more emphasis on the student as a key player in the school’s teaching and learning process.
The instructor provides supportive supervision to students as they study and generates opportunities for them to learn independently and from one another.
The effectiveness of this teaching and learning process largely depends on the teacher’s choice of instructional strategy.
English Language performance has been poor in both internal and external exams, including the Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination (JSSCE), despite being a core and mandatory subject that contributes to a student’s overall mean score at both the school and national levels.
The majority of secondary schools in Nigeria received a mean grade between 51.02 and 44.879 out of a possible 100 percent from 2013 to 2017 (Lang’ata Sub-County Education Office Report, 2018).
According to Mocho (2012), ineffective teaching strategies have been held responsible for English Language subject underachievement since Kiswahili teachers are given the freedom to choose what to cover and when to cover it at a particular learning level, such as Forms One, Two, Three, or Four.
Some Kiswahili teachers will even go so far as to teach every connected facet of a subject at a certain level without taking the learner’s cognitive aptitude or current stage of learning into account.
Furthermore, according to Odundo (2013), English Language I teachers tend to use tried-and-true pedagogical techniques like the lecture method, drilling, and questioning, which may have a negative impact on learning outcomes.
But because of this, K English Language performance in secondary schools in Oyo State currently falls short of expectations.
Few studies have been done to determine the efficiency of the teaching methods used to teach the English Language subject in secondary schools in Oyo State,
Nigeria, despite the dismal performance in this subject. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how teaching strategies affected students’ academic performance in the English Language course at secondary public and private schools in Oyo State, Nigeria.
1.2 Statement Of The Problem
Every school in Nigeria is expected to use the adopted English curriculum to teach students in English. Because less than 10% of the students at the school under investigation are native English speakers, the catchphrase “taught in English” has become popular (Gomes, 2015).
Students must be given the chance to learn and improve in the English language while studying and mastering key curriculum subjects that are taught completely in English in order to succeed academically and get a JSSCE in the local schools.
Authorities at educational institutions look for ways to foster and ensure fluency while employing the most effective technique for giving students the resources they need to learn and achieve in an English-speaking classroom.
According to Alos et al. (2015), the success of any programme is dependent on the teacher’s capacity to instruct. They also stressed the need of having competent teachers in the teaching profession.
The entire structure will collapse if this component fails. As a result, education implementation, selection, preparation, and supervision will be impacted.
Dewett (2007) said that effective teachers are continually looking for strategies and teaching resources that would make learning relevant.
Experiences can be given to increase comprehension by carefully choosing and utilising a variety of instructional materials or audio-visual assets. Nigeria’s education system has been in crisis for many years, partly as a result of the sector’s inadequate funding.
Due to this, the system is currently experiencing a scarcity of both human resources and instructional materials. Inadequately qualified teachers, a high teacher turnover rate, a lack of classrooms, inadequate teacher pay, and a host of other issues plague the education sector.
According to Olabiyi and Abayomi (2010), Nigeria’s economic crisis had a significant impact on the educational system and contributed to a reduction in the standard of education provided in the nation.
The fate of every kid born into a nation, especially those who are privileged to pass through its academic walls from the elementary level of education to the tertiary institution, determines much of that nation’s future.
Therefore, national development has been founded by those who are experts in their fields of specialisation, and this would not have been possible without the instrumentality of the educational system (Adediran, Ojomo & Adeyanju, 2015).
Education is an important industry for social, political, and economic development and is being affected by the environment within which it exists. Every nation makes an effort to give its citizens access to high-quality education.
A thorough research is needed to determine the core causes of the poor academic performance in Nigerian colleges of education.
In order to make recommendations for improving academic performance in the study area and throughout Nigeria, it was necessary to establish the factors influencing students’ academic performance in colleges of education in southwest Nigeria.
Any level of education’s main goal in teaching is to fundamentally alter the student (Tebabal & Kahssay, 2011). Teachers should use the most effective teaching techniques that best meet specific objectives and level exit outcomes in order to facilitate the transmission of knowledge.
In contrast to student-centered methods, many teaching professionals used teacher-centered techniques in the traditional era to convey knowledge to students.
Questions regarding the impact of teaching strategies on student learning have historically generated a great deal of attention in the subject area of educational research (Hightower et al., 2011).
Additionally, studies into teaching and learning always look into how much various teaching strategies can help students learn more.
Surprisingly, teachers’ use of inefficient teaching strategies to impart knowledge to students is substantially linked to the majority of students’ routinely poor academic achievement (Adunola, 2011).
According to extensive studies on the effectiveness of teaching strategies, student accomplishments frequently reflect the calibre of the teacher’s instruction.
Ayeni (2011) claims that teaching is a process that entails bringing about positive changes in students in order to reach particular goals.
Adunola (2011) asserts that teachers need to be familiar with a variety of teaching techniques that take into account the degree of complexity of the subjects to be taught for the teaching approach to be effective.
One of the key disciplines in the Nigerian educational system, English language education prepares students for future vocations in communication and technology.
However, the students’ performance had remained subpar. According to Amuthelezi (2006), this performance in the English language was a disturbing trend across the board. He stated that it was vital to look at what was causing students’ weak reading and comprehension skills.
That was done with the intention of solving the issue permanently. Nigerians spoke English as well as other languages used around the world for communication.
English was used in information and communication technology (ICT). It also determined whether or not students would be admitted to reputable schools and universities and their. future potential.
There have been numerous research done to determine the causes of low English language performance. Some of these studies (Eshiwani, 1983, Thuo 1985, Kathuri, 1986, Shiundu, 1987, and JSSCE examination) linked poor English performance to a variety of factors,
including ineffective teaching techniques, students’ attitudes towards the subject, a weak connection between primary and secondary school levels, psychological factors, economic factors, and a lack of motivation.
These factors led to the current study’s goal of determining how much teaching strategies influenced students’ English language proficiency in junior high and secondary schools in Oyo State.
1.3 Objectives Of The Study
The following goals served as the study’s direction:
To find out how much instructors’ academic backgrounds affect pupils’ English language proficiency in junior secondary schools in South-West, Oyo State.
To ascertain how much teachers’ attitudes affect pupils’ English language performance in South-West, Oyo State’s public secondary schools.
To assess the degree to which teachers’ methods of instruction affect students’ performance in the language of English in junior secondary schools in South-West, Oyo State.
1.4 Research Questions
The following goals served as the study’s direction:
How much do instructors’ academic backgrounds affect pupils’ English language proficiency in junior high schools in South-West Oyo State?
How much do junior secondary school teachers’ attitudes affect their pupils’ performance in English language classes?
How much do teaching strategies affect students’ English language proficiency in junior high and secondary schools?
Research Hypotheses
HA1 Academic credentials of teachers affect junior secondary students’ success in English language
HA2 Teachers’ attitudes affect students’ success in English language proficiency in junior high and high school
The effectiveness of HA3 teaching strategies on students’ English language proficiency in junior secondary schools in
1.6 Significance of the research
It was hoped that the study’s findings would be helpful to all parties involved by providing information on how teachers affect students’ performance in the English language.
This information would help teachers and educational planners address these issues by coming up with solutions that would improve students’ performance in the language.
1.7 Limitations Of The Study
The results were limited to public secondary schools as private schools were not covered, so generalising the findings to the entire population may require further research.
Some respondents would answer the questions dishonestly to please the researcher or would tell what is not true for fear of victimisation or intentions, especially in the area of a questionnaire as a data collection tool.
1.9 Definitions of Key Phrases Used in the Study
Effect: The predicted level of knowledge that students should obtain after getting instruction.
Between primary level and senior secondary level of education is the junior secondary level of education.
Mathematical modelling is the process of developing an equation in order to solve word problems. One-step problems are word problems with a single mathematical operation in the statement.
Problem solving is the process of converting and interpreting a word problem into a mathematical format and providing a solution to the problem.
In addition to their first or mother tongue, junior secondary school maths teachers may also utilise a second language (SL) for instruction.
Student proficiency: The degree to which a learner comprehends both the language of instruction and the new idea being studied.
Students’ performance: Students showed proficiency in solving word puzzles quickly.
Teaching and learning is the interaction between instructors and students as they learn new concepts or abilities.
English language proficiency of teachers and their capacity to maintain students’ attention in word problems
English language competence of the teachers: their capacity to teach mathematical modelling in English.
Law that governs the teaching and learning processes in junior and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Written sentences or English structures that can be converted into mathematical words or algebraic expressions pose a word puzzle.
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