ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study therefore was to students’ attitude and performance in the teaching and learning of English Language. The study would provide understanding of some of the learners’ behaviours as a result of their attitudes towards the subject and would go a long way in helping the learners to develop positive attitudes which is a recipe for better learning and performance in the subject. This study adopted a descriptive survey design due to the implicit nature of the study. The study involved some seven sampled public secondary schools in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area of Lagos State and the target population were the form four students who were about to sit for their WAEC examinations. Purposive and random samplings were employed in selecting the schools and the students from those schools respectively with the use of students’ questionnaires as a method of data collection. The questionnaires were designed to capture some of the students’ perceptions and beliefs regarding the subject which were grouped according to themes including liking, difficulty, usefulness and future expectations regarding the subject, learners’ mathematical ability and performance. These factors were adapted from the Fennema-Sherman attitudes scales and the students were expected to respond to these scales. The data was captured and arranged with the use of statistical package for social sciences (spss). The data was then transferred to Excel sheet where analysis was done by calculating simple frequencies and percentages. These findings were used to make inferences and conclusions. The study found out that most students had a positive attitude towards English Language and that they perceived English Language as doable, learnable and important yet this did not translate to good grades. The findings also show that perceptions and beliefs, perceived learning abilities and competencies and previous performances of students in English Language affected their level of motivation leading to low outcomes. The study recommends the use of varied instructional strategies by the teachers, which promote discovery and elicit learner interest. The students should be encouraged to apply the taught knowledge and skills through feedback and assignments. There is therefore, a need to offer and build on experiences and opportunities that inspire the students to engage fully in the material fact and acquire knowledge and skills that would enable them excel in the English Language because they like and value it.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT

1.0 Background of the study

English Language is a language that was brought into Nigeria by the white men. Nathn (2005). According to Alabi (1999), the first obstacle confronted by the visitors (White men) was the communication barrier between the natives and them. There was then a pressing need to dislodge this obstruction, hence the need to teach the Basic English for communication, business transaction, missionary activities and for other official functions.

Since the introduction of English language in Nigeria by the British, it has waxed in importance in the minds of Nigerians. In recent years, its mastery is so valued that it is consciously or unconsciously equated with erudition by Nigerians. It is apparently its equation with learning, its economic utility and the people’s seemingly natural desire for proficiency in a “foreign tongue” that can explain the enthusiasm and anxiety that characterizes the study of English at all levels of education in Nigeria. Amuzie (2009).

Abraham (2005) opined that since Nigeria is a country that is rich in its indigenous cultures and has so many ethnic groups with different languages, it became imperative that the English language be used as Lingua-Franca as well as an official language. It is a language of business and communication among Nations.

Adua (2001) states that the English language has become an important resource for self- enhancement. Social and political empowerment and also, an access to educational and job opportunities.

In spite of all the importance attached to it, the current status of English is viewed as ambiguous. Idiagbon (2007). This, in the sense that the importance of English as a lingua-franca and official language is in contrast with the neglect of the English instruction and failure to upgrade the language in general, among a great portion of the population.

Mediocre teachers and lectures who are unqualified in the field are employed to teach the subject. Daniel (2008).

According to Daniel (2008), there is the lack of a standard scheme of work to guide the teaching process. The current scheme of work especially that of English is not only porous (lacking some essential Items’ or topics that can enhance the students’ mastery of lexical and syntactic complexities of the language) but it is also infested with some incongruous topics which do not exist in English.

Idiagbon (2007) states that there is an ethnic influence on the English language, which hinders the population from learning and speaking the standard British English. The Hausa people seem to be least that attaches great importance or exert pressure on themselves in speaking British Standard English. They do not regard their language as a primus interpose among Nigerian languages but also see the English language as a language of Christianity. Hence, dialectical English enjoins more recognition among them.

In the eastern part of the country, the influence of Pidgin English is highly noticeable. Pidgin, for long has been adopted as a language of inter- ethnic communication. As a result, the ‘freedom’ enjoyed in the speaking of pidgin is hereby transferred to the real English language, already characterized by ethnic markers. This inhibits positive attitude and performance of students from those regions.

There have been no proper measures to upgrade the English language among a larger number of the society.

Coupled with these, Trifonovitch (1981) indicated that a student is automatically placed at a disadvantage, when he already has a language of his own and is asked to learn another language.

According to Bolaji (2006), it has .been observed that since students are learning the English language as a second language (L2), after acquiring basic knowledge of their indigenous language (L1), it becomes difficult and tasking to fully understand it. The students encounter so many challenges mentally, emotionally, and psychological adapting to the new language.

Most Nigerian students are apprehensive and afraid of the subject; English language especially the grammar classes. They are afraid of making grammatical errors when reading or writing the language. This is due to the importance the English language holds in the society and the world at large. The students are aware that much is required from them in the study of the language, if they really want to fit in properly in the society but these children are not positively motivated in the study of the language due to the lack of qualitative instruction given in schools. Adejoke (2007).

The ethnic influence on the language also reduces the user’s commutative competence and promotes a lackadaisical attitude of Nigerian students towards attaining a standard form of E English. Abdullahi (2007).

1.2 Statement of the problem

Students are negatively motivated to learn English language due to the lack of qualitative instruction in English that is taught and the method at which the subject is handled in the school system.

The general public as well hasn’t improved the situation. The kind of environment the students find themselves is not encouraging enough to facilitate the learning of standard British English. Thus, they have developed a negative attitude towards learning the language and this in turn has necessitated poor performances in the subject.

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study is to help teachers develop effective strategies for successful classroom pedagogies. It would reveal the problems that inhibit positive attitude and performance of students in the subject and aid the teachers in better preparation and dissemination of instruction to students.

1.4 Objectives of the study

i. To determine the perceptions of students about English Language in public secondary schools in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area of Lagos State.

ii. To examine the factors influencing student attitudes towards English Language

iii. To investigate how the students’ attitudes affect their learning and performance in English Language iv. To seek recommendations on how to improve students attitudes towards learning and performance of English Language.

1.5 Research questions

i. What was the perception of students towards English Language?

ii. What factors influenced students’ attitudes towards English Language?

iii. How did the students’ attitudes impact on their learning and performance in English Language?

iv. In which ways could the student attitudes be improved towards better learning and performance in English Language?

1.6 Significance of the study

The relevance of this study is to help the teachers understand the pedagogy of the language profession, so as to help the students learn it easily as well as gain mastery and competence in it.

It would also be a yardstick to the teaching and learning of the language, which would thereby encourage the students to adopt new approaches to learning the instruction. This would expose them to conceptualize and effectively manage their own learning. Thus, reinforcing it and transferring their training to practical situations.

1.7 Limitations of the study

The study was carried out in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area of Lagos State. The region has quite a number of both public and private secondary schools. The study would focus only on public secondary schools due to the fact that the schools enjoy the same fee funding and subsidies from the government. The respondents may not have been willing to give the genuine information as expected. The questionnaires used or distributed were not all collected while others were collected with some sections not answered. The sample size may not have been representative of the entire school population in the area. The findings might have been ambiguous as may not show the real cause of failure in the subject is due to attitudes. Learners gave varied views which were difficult to harmonize as were not consistent in some sections.

1.8 Scope of the study

The study-is concerned with the factors that affect the attitude and performance of students as well as the effective teaching and learning of the English language. The study will cover three secondary schools in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area of Lagos State.