ABSTRACT
This research is an attempt to find out the
attitude of students towards English Language and how it affects their actual
performance in English language examinations, using some selected schools in
Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta State. the schools include; Obiaruku
Grammar School, Amai College, Ezeonum Grammar School, Obiaruku Girls College,
Obietum Comprehensive High School. all in Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta
State. the researcher carried out an interview, questionnaire for the teachers
and students of the aforementioned schools. Although this meant going from one
school to the other, efforts was made to ensure that the findings will be
accurate. And solutions were given according to the findings in each school.
Finally, suggestions were given generally on how student can improve on their
performance in English Language Examination.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to The Study
English Language was introduced to Nigeria in 1842, by the batch of
missionaries who arrived Badagry to evangelize as well as educate the natives
(Tomori, 1981). The British Government became the colonial masters of Nigeria
from the cession of Ukwani LGA of Delta state as a colony in 1861. The
representatives of the queen that was sent back to look after her majesty
colony officialised English language in the colony and informally introduced by
the early missionaries. The teachers of English Language became prominent at
the turn of the nineteenth century by the European missionaries and the freed
African slaves who believed that the adoption at European cultures and values
would save Africa from barbarism, ignorance, poverty and disease. English since
then has occupied a central position in Nigeria and its importance has been
growing by leaps and bounds. Though many people would agree that there is an
observable fall in standard of education in Nigeria. Nobody in his wildest
imagination would have believed that university education in Nigeria has fallen
to an abysmally low level as a world bank study has shown in a report that
university education in Nigeria has degenerated in the past fifteen to sixteen
years.
The shocking news which was reported as are of the lead headlines in the
guardian, one of Nigerians major daily newspapers, was published on
19th February, 2001. The screaming headline reads “World Bank Reports
Scores Nigerian Graduates Low”. The guardians newspaper quoted the World Bank
sponsored study that, Nigeria graduates are poorly trained and unproductive on
the job. Graduates skills have steadily deteriorated over the past decade (PI).
According to the report, the poor performance of Nigerian graduates is
particularly evident in two areas, poor mastery of English Language and lack of
requisite technical skills, it was ascertained in the report that the
deficiencies in both vital areas make Nigeria graduates of the past fifteen
years unfit for the labour market, and sometimes the larger society
shortcomings were particularly observed in oral and writing communication, and
applied technical skills.
The study also indicated that a serious disconnection exists between
universities trainings and the needs of the labour market and this has
been socially costly to the country. The report showed that in many cases employers
of labour compensate for deficiency in academic preparation by organizing
remedial courses for new employees at great expenses. This often increased the
companies operating cost and reduced profitability. Though the study may have
identified major areas of the decline in the university education, the actual
problem may have its root at the secondary school level. For it is at the
secondary school level that the potential undergraduates are given inadequate
foundation in the use of English. A mastery of written and spoken language is
highly desirable, yet its teaching and learning is beset by a myriad of
problems at the secondary school level (Kalawole, 1998).
1.2 STATEMENT
OF
PROBLEM
Majority of students who are admitted into
the university have no apple opportunity to study English Language anymore,
except those who are admitted to study English and related subjects. Such as
linguistics and literature in English. Though all students admitted into the
universities in Nigeria are encouraged to talk few courses in the English
usage, the content of these English courses are grossly inadequate for the
students to acquire requisite skills in the effective use of the language for
communication and for the give and take of social experience. In order to study
English as a second language and be successful at it, the students must be
willing to have a grasp of the mastery of English language usage and this in
turn has to do with their attitude towards English language. And the teachers
must also help the students to acquire skills in fair language art. Namely
speaking, reading, listening and writing.
Language is the vehicle of social interaction and requires practical everyday
language use to function properly in the work place, social interaction,
mobilization and indeed for functional literacy. It must be emphasized that “a
person is functionally literate when he has acquired the knowledge and skills
in reading and writing which enable him to engage effectively in all those
activities in which literacy is normally assumed in the culture of his group.
(Gray, 1969:24) in an analysis of the senior secondary school certificate
result in English language between 1988 and 1996 Olapopoo (1`998) indicated
that the percentage of failure was between 53.36% and 72.31%. A rich and
stimulating language environment and during the early years and beyond is
essential to the development and improvement of verbal and intellectual skills
necessary for language learning Malinowsk (1991) asserted that composition
writing is a difficult skill to acquire, and recommended therefore, that
teachers must use a variety of meth0od for teaching English Language. Ellis and
Tomlison (1980) recommended some basic skills to be taught to learners so that
they can write easy proficiently, such skill includes spelling, punctuation,
linguistic skills and convention of style, Reyner et al (2001:57) ascertained
that “many good teachers are adaptive rather than rigid in their approach to
teaching children and only loosely base their instruction and a given method.
There are odds against the Nigerian students in learning English. Trifonovitch
(1981) indicated that a student is automatically placed at a disadvantage when
he is asked to learn another language. Majority of secondary school students in
Nigeria had already mastered their mother tongue before they are admitted into
school. Nigeria is reputed to have over 250 languages. With the poor
performances of students and graduates in English language in Nigeria,
educators, parents, employers, are worried and express great concern. The
problem therefore is how the student’s attitude towards English language has
affected their actual performance in English language examinations and every
day proficient use of it.
1.3 PURPOSE
OF THE
STUDY
This study examined the performance of
students in English Language examinations, daily efficient use and their
attitude towards English language use which of course tell on their actual
performance in the language. The study is also aimed at suggesting ways to
improve on their performance at the secondary school level. Such suggestion
bear on methods of handling the students to help in the swing of negative
attitude pendulum to effect positively in same towards the language.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The usefulness of the work cannot be over emphasized the major factors
affecting the performance of students in English language in general i.e. both
examinations and daily use. Students attitude towards learning and what should
be done to help them adopt positive mind set towards learning and mastery of
English language would be found invaluable to improve performance excellently.
Most especially the secondary school students who leave school convinced that
they are bad in English and certainly also not able to use their mother tongue
with confidence outside the limited purpose and situation of their immediate
social group. Furthermore the study will no doubt be immense use to language
teachers especially teachers of English language. Curriculum planners of
language. English and the ministry of education in making English language
teaching and learning more interesting and meaningful.
1.5 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The following research questions have been
formulated to guide the direction of the study.
i.
What is the relationship between students attitude towards English language and
their daily efficient use of it.
ii.
Do teachers of English language use appropriate methods in the teaching of it?
iii.
Does the learning environment affect the students attitude towards learning the
language?
iv.
What are those factors that influence prevalent students attitude towards their
language performance?
1.6 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
Barbarism: Old ways or system of belief by a
group of persons, or culture. It can also be called obsolete.
Colony: A country or an area that is governed
by people from another, more powerful country.
Language: The system of communication in
speech and writing that is used by people of a particular country or area.
Leaps and Bounds: A figurative expression
which means “all round” to spread across many places.
Proficiency: The ability to do something well
because of training and practice. Ability to master English and also it
proficiently.