ABSTRACT
This research work deals on the factors responsible for mass failure in English language. English language is one of the most used languages in the world. In Nigeria, English is introduced here at the primary level, secondary till the tertiary level of education. A student has to study English as a compulsory subject in addition to other subjects At the secondary and primary level in Nigeria, English is taught for in all the classes. The project work was divided into five chapters. Chapter one deals with the background of the study, statement of the problems, research questions, significance of the study. Chapter two deals with review of related literatures. Chapter three deals with the methodology and population of the study. Chapter four deals with the analysis and interpretation of data collected. Chapter five deals with the summary of findings, conclusion and recommendations. The instrument for data collection was the structured questionnaire which was designed and administered by the researcher to respondents in the study area. One hundred respondents were used for the study and the simple percentage method was adopted for easy calculation by the researcher. The findings of the study include that lack of instructional materials in the teaching of English language affect the performance of students in the subject. Lack of in-service training for English language teachers also affect the performance of the students in subject. In the end some recommendations were made by the researcher which includes: (1) that government should also organize in-service training for English language teachers to improve their skills in English language (2) the teachers should also improve on their English language teaching skills on their own by doing more research in the subject area (3) students should not be afraid of English language as a subject rather they should embrace the subject and take seriously. (4) instructional materials should be provided by school authorities and the government for the teaching of English language (5) English language debates should be organized in schools to encourage the students to do more in the subject.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
Background of the study
Statement of problem
Objective of study
Research questions
Significance of study
Scope and limitation of study
Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
Literature review
CHAPTER THREE
Methodology and procedure of study
Population of study
Sample and sampling technique
Instrumentation
Administration of instrument
Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
Data analysis and discussion of results
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary of findings
Conclusion
Recommendation
REFERENCES
QUESTIONNAIRES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Different authors have tried to make an intensive review about the factors which are responsible for mass failure of students’ in English language at the secondary level across the country and beyond. Several researches on this topic were conducted in developing as well as developed countries. In developing countries some researcher showed that school factors were more important for students’ English achievement than family factors. Regarding Nigeria , there is no specific study on the issue. Therefore; further investigation is needed to determine which factors is responsible for mass failure of students in English language at the secondary level of Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria.
In a study conducted by Hasan (2005) on the ‘‘English Language Curriculum at the Secondary Level in Nigeria He discovers 82% of rural and urban secondary school students complain that English is not sufficiently used in the class; with an average 68% of teachers admitting that they do not arrange the practice of the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) of English language in the classroom.
Another survey shows that the trained teachers are more efficient than non-trained teachers at the secondary level of the English language in Nigeria (Johnson 2001). Moreover, Stephen Krashen (2002) hypothesizes the ‘affective filter’ that consists of various psychological factors, such as anxiety, motivation, and self-confidence which can strongly enhance or inhibit second language acquisition.
Snow (2004) advocates that students of any age, and in any culture will differ from one another in various intellectual and psychometric abilities. This is noticed in both general and specialized prior knowledge, in interest and motives and in personal styles of thought and work during learning. Furthermore, these differences often relate directly to differences in students learning progress.
Malaka (2001) has explored the motivational problems in teaching-learning English as a secondary language at high school level with a particular reference at standards in Nigeria. Rashid (2005) carries out research on the strategies to overcome communication difficulties in the target language situation of Edo State, Nigeria. He found that some distinctive new features have emerged as to the difficulties and the possible use of strategies in the communication of target language. The majority of the interviewees (85%) admitted that a great deal of anxiety; hesitation and inhibition, play a negative role among those who are not relatively fluent in English conversation.
Wilkins (2004) points out that a teacher is an important variable in foreign language situations, and teacher’s skill, and personalities are instrumental in creating the conditions for learning a language. Gardner (2005) proposes that second language acquisition is ‘truly a socio-psychological phenomenon. It is concerned with the development of communication skills between an individual and members of another cultural community. Krashen (2002) contends that learners with high motivation, self-confidence, self-efficacy, a good self-image, and a low level of anxiety are well equipped for success in second language acquisition. Gardner and Lambert (2002) have emphasized the significance of studying each language-learning setting in its own right, and thereby suggested that the configuration of variables obtained from one setting will not be necessarily valid in another setting. For example, the South Asian learners learn English for historical, political, social and cultural reasons, which are radically different from those of South-East Asian or African learners.