ABSTRACT
This study examined lesson time, lesson duration, school climate and class size as predictors of students’ Mastery of English studies in Lagos State Secondary Schools. This study adopted a Descriptive Survey Design. The population of this study comprised all the public secondary school teachers in Education District II, Lagos State. A simple random sampling technique was adopted for this study. Two English teachers were randomly selected from ten(10) public secondary schools. A total of twenty (20) English teachers were selected. The instrument for data collection was a researcher made questionnaire. The data collected were analysed using the frequency counts and percentages for the demographic data and research questions while question 1 was analyzed using the multiple-regression at 0.05 level of significance. The findings shows that classroom variables of lesson time, lesson duration and school climate contribute significantly to the Mastery of English Studies and that there is a significant relationship between teachers qualification and Mastery of English Studies among others. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendationwere suggested: English lessons should be fixed in the morning hours on the time table. This will facilitate teaching and learning as the mind is still fresh and not yet stressed up as a result of the days activities. The lesson duration should not be too long else, the students will be discouraged and it should not be short so that the curriculum content will be covered among others.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background of the Study
The complex nature of language makes its proper teaching and learning a tasking exercise, requiring time and dedication on the parts of the teacher and the learner. In Nigeria, English language plays a dominant role not only in the field of education but also in other spheres of the Nigerian society such as the economic, social, political, and religious. According to Jowitt (2000) English language began to play a significant role in the Nigerian society in the nineteenth century when white men began coming into Nigeria in increasing numbers. The establishment of British rule in 1900 brought with it fresh influx of white officials to fill the new Government posts. The colonialists promoted the use of the language as the official language and language of education. In this regard, Ike (2001:17-18) notes that:
The ascendency of English language in Nigeria was the brain-child of the education ordinance of 1882 which formally made English language a compulsory subject in all Nigerian schools as well as the main channel of instruction and a vehicle for the training of the much needed manpower to run the fledging government service. The Education ordinance of 1882 was followed in quick succession by those of 1896, 1918 and 1926 all ingeniously aimed to promote the new language for general internal use.