PERCEPTION OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ON THE CAUSES OF FAILURE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
English is the medium of communication in our post-primary and higher education institutions, as well as the official language of the country. As a result, secondary school students must have strong English language skills in order to function properly or improve their performance. “A person is functionally literate when he has acquired the knowledge and abilities in reading and writing that enable him to engage successfully in all those activities for which literacy is frequently assumed in his group’s culture,” writes Fema (2003). Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are the four fundamental skills required for the English language. It is the primary medium of instruction in our schools and a subject that is required at all levels of education in Nigeria (Danladi, 2008).
It is, however, disheartening to note that the poor
The performance of students in the English language on public tests has been cited as a major factor in the recent decline in academic performance and educational standards in Nigeria. “Difficulties in completely comprehending the contents and concepts of various disciplines taught in the target language appear to be one of the most significant obstacles that English as a first language students face in their specific course of study,” writes Oluwole (2008). This could be due to their deficiencies in the English language (their medium of instruction), which could have a negative impact on their overall performance.
The general public has recognized the magnitude of the problems and their danger. The English language’s relevance and value have declined.
in the eyes of students. Students nowadays do not take the English language seriously and place little value on it. Recent events have shown that the problem of English language failure is not limited to Nigeria; it occurs all over the world. In the Nigerian context, it is self-evident that discipline is one of the most pressing concerns in society, with English language failure on the rise (Danladi, 2008).
According to history, only a small percentage of the 6,000 regular and private school students who took the school certificate exams received a final credit in the subject; the rest failed. It is a well-known fact that many unscrupulous parents do not encourage their children to take an interest in the English language, which, while beneficial, is not always the case.
In Nigeria, is a borrowed language that should be taken seriously. There is also the issue of low teacher morale and morality.
According to Oye (2017), the need to determine why students failed the WASSCE English language component may prompt one to investigate the factors that contribute to secondary school students’ failure of the English language. It is clear that teachers’ teaching methods have a significant impact on learning and can directly or indirectly affect students’ performance; the internet and related technology also have a significant impact because, in the process of speeding up communication, many grammatical and punctuation rules are broken and yet deemed acceptable or text-friendly or web-friendly. This study is concerned with these and other issues.
1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT
The alarming rate at which students fail the WASSCE each year, particularly in English, demands immediate attention, and something must be done about it. According to Okoye (1986), the significant failure rates in public examinations reported annually are only a symptom of a widespread national failure syndrome. Rufai (2012) attributed widespread student failure to a lack of high-quality teachers, among other factors.
1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES
The primary goal of this study is to investigate teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the causes of failure in the English language. Other specific goals of this research include:
i. Determine the extent of English language failure in secondary schools.
ii. To investigate
the causes of failure in English language in secondary schools.
iii. To investigate methods for improving English language performance in secondary schools.
1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
This study will address the following research questions:
i. What is the extent of English language failure in secondary schools?
ii. What are the causes of English language failure in secondary schools?
iii. How can English language performance in secondary schools be improved?
1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE
The importance of this study is demonstrated by the fact that it seeks not only to elicit instructors’ and students’ perspectives on the causes of English language failure, but also to impose specific and attainable practical methods for eradicating this problem. This is the intention.
Instructors will benefit greatly from this research because they will gain an understanding of the various methods by which this act is carried out and will also be able to keep an eye on their students.
This study will also benefit students because the findings will reveal the causes of English language studies and how students can improve their English language proficiency.
Finally, scholars will benefit from this study because it will provide additional material for future research and reference.
1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES
In general, the purpose of this study is to investigate teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the causes of failure in the English language. This study is specifically interested in determining the extent
of failure in English language in secondary schools, investigating the causes of failure in English language in secondary schools, and investigating ways to improve English language performance in secondary schools.
The enrolled respondents for this study will be selected teachers and students from Uyo High School in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS
As with any human endeavor, the researcher encountered minor setbacks while conducting the study. Because there was a scarcity of literature on the subject due to the nature of the discourse, the researcher incurred additional financial expenses and spent additional time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as during the data collection process, which is why the researcher chose a small sample size.
Furthermore, the researcher conducted this investigation in conjunction with other scholarly endeavors. Furthermore, because only a small number of respondents completed the research instrument, the findings cannot be generalized to other secondary schools outside the state. Regardless of the constraints encountered throughout the investigation, all aspects were minimized to ensure the best results and most productive research.
1.8 TERM DEFINITION
Perception is the way something is perceived, understood, or interpreted.
A teacher, also known as a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is someone who assists students in acquiring knowledge, competence, or virtue. Anyone can take on the role of teacher informally.
A student is primarily someone who is enrolled in a school or other educational institution. and who is learning with the intention of gaining knowledge, developing professions, and obtaining employment in a desired field.
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