THE IMPACT OF LITERATURE IN ENGLISH ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

THE IMPACT OF LITERATURE IN ENGLISH ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

CHAPITER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND

English has remained a core subject in both Junior and Senior Secondary schools and is one of the courses taken by Senior Secondary School students and other candidates for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). In order for the results of their entire examination to mean anything, candidates must pass this topic (Edoho, 2016). A applicant who has “A” grades in every subject offered in the WASSCE but fails the English language is ineligible for admission to any university, according to the departmental requirements of different schools. No matter the field of study, a credit pass is a requirement for admission to any higher education institution. The JAMB brochure for 2009/2010.

Because of the aforementioned, English language education in Nigeria focuses on making sure that students have a thorough grasp of the language. There are numerous learning challenges caused by Nigerian children’s use of the English language in school. Many students are from homes and environments where English is neither spoken or understood. As a result, students struggle greatly to understand the language. English proficiency is required for admission to tertiary institutions and for employment. In order to comprehend and speak on a variety of topics, this ability necessitates that students have reading, understanding, structural competence, and a wide vocabulary. A learner with insufficient vocabulary would not be able to understand comprehension passages or construct sentences with which to express oneself freely on a variety of topics, according to Akabogu (2002).

Specialized abilities like reading comprehension are essential for a student to succeed in the classroom. Reading, deciphering, and constructing concepts from the text’s content are all made possible by effective compression (Akpama, Egong, & Akwa, 2005). Reading and comprehension must function as a unified concept because of their similar relationship. The act of reading naturally leads to comprehension. It doesn’t happen without reading, and reading without comprehension is neither engaging nor important. Understanding is the purpose of reading, regardless of why a student chooses to do so, and a reader will quit reading if he or she does not grasp the material.

For pupils, effective comprehension is essential in context-specific domains. According to Akpama et al. (2005), students’ responses to comprehension questions on exams show how well they understand various language components, such as grammar, vocabulary, and content. This highlights how students’ overall performance in the English language suffers when they are not proficient in any of these areas.

The West African Examination Council, the government, universities, and the general public have long complained about candidates’ consistently poor performance, especially in the English language. Over 70% of applicants failed the English Language Exam 1 (English Paper 1), according to Onukaogu (1993), who found that this was because they performed poorly on the comprehension and summary sections. He asserts that over 40% of those who failed this section received less than 10% because their inability to comprehend a piece prevents them from being able to summarize it. All of these signs point to the fact that most students are not introduced to written language. In addition to being unprepared, they lacked the necessary language and response mechanisms for understanding issues. The majority of students duplicated passages rather than reading and understanding the texts, developing the themes in the passage in their own words, and then responding to particular questions in their own terms (Onukaogu 1993). Additionally, due to their lack of exposure to major reading, many children perform poorly on vocabulary tests. The kind of language kids use to describe vocabulary words on tests serves as evidence of this.

Word recognition is only one aspect of reading. The utilization of many modes of cognition is required for the meaningful interpretation of words, phrases, and sentences (Eyisi, 2005). Nobody can ignore reading and expect to succeed in a formal context because it is the foundation of formal education. In line with this claim, Wilkins (1972) contends that vocabulary meaning can only be learned by extensive exposure to language, which he believes can only be achieved through significant reading. Similarly,

Chukwuma & Otaburuagu (1997) also note that linguistic proficiency increases with the volume of reading a text. The ability to manipulate grammatical structures with assurance and accuracy, to choose the right words for speech and writing, and—most importantly—to communicate more effectively all imply increased English proficiency.

Both literary and non-literary works are included in comprehensive reading lists. Literary works include plays, novels, poems, short stories, and folktales, among others. Daily newspapers, weekly or monthly magazines, biographies, memoirs, and social commentary are examples of non-literary works. The study of English literature can expose students in the senior secondary level to literary works, which may enhance their proficiency in the English language. The basic attribute of literature, according to Wikipedia Americana, is that it is seen principally as a category of art distinguished by functionality, creative imagination, and the use of language as its tools. Instilling a reading culture in students and exposing them to the language in its natural setting are two techniques that might be used. Ossisonwa (1997) asserts that a creative prose writer possesses a variety of tools, including the use of lexical items, syntactic patterning, semantic field, and distinctive semantic use (idioms and figures of speech), to paint a clearer picture of literature’s role in effective communication and information. In light of the aforementioned statement, these linguistic skills give readers the ability to become proficient in both oral and written communication when they are properly formed in their thoughts. It makes a big difference in how well they understand a piece.

SITUATION OF THE PROBLEM

In Nigeria, English is the only language used for instruction at all levels, and it is used to assess a person’s degree of education. Despite its significance, the West African School Certificate results show that secondary school pupils generally lack English language ability (Edoho, 2016). The poor performance could be attributed to a number of factors. Some English language instructors lack the qualifications necessary to instruct it successfully, and as a result, students are unable to go beyond what is taught. Additionally, English literature, which can be taught in a way that supports language learning, is not taught well. Despite the fact that language and literature are intertwined, teachers nevertheless teach them separately, claims Obi (2018). The teaching of English language and literature is not combined; rather, it is thought that students who are weak in the sciences should focus on English literature. The goal of the study is to ascertain how senior secondary school students’ proficiency in the English language is impacted by their study of English literature.

1.3 STUDY’S OBJECTIVES

This study’s primary goal is to determine how English-language literature affects senior secondary students’ proficiency in the language. This study specifically aims to:

i. Determine the extent to which English-language literature has affected senior secondary school pupils’ language proficiency.

ii. Ascertain whether senior secondary school pupils’ success with the English language is impacted by their study of English literature.

iii. Identify the ways in which English-language literature influences senior secondary school pupils’ proficiency in the language.

iii. Consider the difficulties senior secondary school pupils have when studying English literature.

1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

The following research queries will be addressed by this study:

i. To what extent does English literature affect senior secondary school pupils’ proficiency in the language?

ii. Does senior secondary school pupils’ proficiency in English language depend on their study of English literature?

iii. How does English-language literature impact senior high school pupils’ proficiency in the language?

iv. What difficulties do senior secondary school pupils have when studying English literature?

1.5 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER STUDIES

The results of this study will benefit learners, teachers of English, authors of literary works, and curriculum designers while also adding to the corpus of knowledge.

The results of this study will be helpful to secondary school students because they will teach them the importance of studying literature in both English and the language in which it was written. They will have a wider vocabulary as a result, improving their ability to communicate.

Teachers of English in secondary schools will also gain from the study. Despite the fact that the two subjects are stated separately on the syllabus, it will help educators integrate English language and literature instruction. The usage of a variety of literary genres by the teachers helps the students’ language skills grow in a variety of ways.

The use of vocabulary suited to the students’ age and academic standing is something that authors of various secondary school-aged literary works are aware of. By doing this, it will be impossible for a recommended text to contain terms that are either outside the linguistic capabilities of the pupils or that add no visible value to their comprehension.

The study will also aid curriculum designers in realizing the necessity of requiring all senior secondary school students, regardless of their enrollment in arts or scientific subjects, to study English literature. This is because reading English-language novels will help them become more fluent in the language overall. Additionally, curriculum designers will understand the need of choosing literary works that employ appropriate and conventional terminology.

The research will add to the body of knowledge already available and remove the misconception that English-language literature is just for those who have difficulty with the sciences.

1.6 THE STUDY’S SCOPE

The primary goal of this study is to evaluate how English-language literature affects senior high school students’ proficiency in the language. The specific goals of this study are to ascertain how much literature in English affects senior secondary school students’ proficiency in English, whether studying literature in English affects senior secondary school students’ proficiency in English, how literature in English affects senior secondary school students’ proficiency in English, and the difficulties faced by senior secondary school students in s.

Respondents for this study would be teachers and students at particular secondary schools in the Etsako West LGA of Edo State.

Limitations of the study: 1.7

The primary focus of this study is to evaluate how English-language literature affects senior high school students’ proficiency in the language. The specific goals of this study are limited to determining the extent of the impact of English-language literature on senior secondary school students’ proficiency in the language, determining whether studying English-language literature has an impact on this success and identifying the mechanisms by which it does, as well as examining the difficulties faced by senior secondary schools.

The respondents for this study will be teachers and students at particular secondary schools in the Etsako West LGA of the Edo State. As a result, the sample size was small because only a small number of respondents were chosen to complete the research instrument, and the findings cannot be applied to secondary schools in other locales.

The researcher also ran into some logistical and budgetary issues, but was able to sort them out because the study turned out to be effective.

1.8 TERM DEFINITION

Impact: A noticeable outcome or effect

Secondary school: The term “secondary school” refers to both the institution that offers secondary education and the physical location of that institution.