PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF TEACHING AND SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SULEJA LEARNING

ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENT NIGER STATE

BY

JAMILA ADAMU YELWA (NTI/NG/BDP/2021/1171)

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE NATIONAL TEACHERS INSTITUTE (NTI) IN AFFLIATION WITH

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF BARCHELOR DEGREE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE [Link]

NOVEMBER 2023
DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to Almighty Allah for giving me the knowledge. wisdom and inspiration to
conclude this tasking project, and to my husband Abdullahi Liman ESQ (MCLRJ) who encouraged me all
the way and whose support and encouragement have made sure that I gave it all it took to finish that
which I have startedDICATION

I dedicate this project to Almighty Allah for giving me the knowledge. wisdom and inspiration to
conclude this tasking project, and to my husband Abdullahi Liman ESQ (MCLRJ) who encouraged me all
the way and whose support and encouragement have made sure that I gave it all it took to finish that
which I have started
DECLARATION

I declared that the Project is a product of an original research work conducted by me. It has not been
presented for the award of any degree in any University. The ideas, observations, comments,
suggestions and expressions herein represent my own convictions, except quotations, which have been
acknowledged in accordance with conventional academic tradition.

JAMILA ADAM YELWA NTI/NG/BDP/2021/1171 (NOVEMBER 2023)

This research Project has been read and approved by the undersigned authorities as meeting the
requirement for the award of Bachelor Degree in English Language. Bed/Bsc/BAed of National Teachers
Institute (NTI) Kaduna.

Name of Project Supervisor

Signature and Date

Name of Coordinator

Signature and Date

Name of External Moderator

Signature and Date

ii

iii

iv

vi

Title page

Approval page

Certification

Dedication

Acknowledgment
Table of contents

Abstracts

CHAPTER ONE:

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

1.2 Statement of the problem. 8

1.3 Purpose of the study. 10

1.4 Significance of the study. 10

1.5 Research Questions 11

1.6 Scope of study. 12

1.7 Limitation of study. 12

13

1.8 Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW

15

2.1 Theoretical Review

15

2.2 Problems of teaching and learning English Language

15

2.3 Solution to the problem

20

2.4 General ways of improving the teaching and learning of the English Language inSecondary Schools

2.5 The Public Concern

22
23

CHAPTER THREE:

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

25

3.1 Research Design

25

3.2 Area of the study

26

3.3 Population of the study

26

3.4 Sample and sampling techniques

27

3.5 Research Instrument

3.6 Validation of the instrument

27

3.7 Method of Data Collection

28

3.8 Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 RESEARCH QUESTION ONE

30

4.2 Research Question Two

30

4.3 Research Question Three

4.4 Research Question Four

31

39

4.5 Discussion of Results

CHAPTER FIVE:

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

5.1 Use of instructional resources/media

5.2 Conclusions

5.3 Recommendation

References

42

44
47

49

ABSTRACT

in The objective of this research work was to find out the problems and prospects of teaching and
learning English Language Secondary Schools in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State. This
research work as an investigation to find data for this study, a total of two hundred (200) respondents
were selected from population of one thousand people. After carrying out the research, the research
found that the teaching and learning of English Language in Secondary Schools in Suleja has a lot of
problems which include: a

(a) Lack of qualified English teachers in those schools.

(b) Lack of language laboratories in the schools

(c) Inadequate use of teaching materials and

(d) Lack of conducive environment for learning

(e) Lack of incentive and lack instructional material or teaching resources etc.

These entire problems affect the teaching and learning of English Language in Secondary Schools sin
those schools in Suleja.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
English is one of the major languages out of about 5000 estimated languages spoken in the world. About
200 years ago, English was simply the language of less than 15million peoples.

Today, however, English is used by more than 300million people and second only to Chinese as regards
the number of people using a particular language. Oga R.O (2007), ascertained that English Language is
one of the most influential and fast growing languages spoken across the globe.

One fifth of the earth's land surface use English either as native tongue or official language.

Of the entire World's Languages English is the most widely studies language, especially in areas where it
is not native. Today, English is used in several countries in the American continent including the United
States of America and Canada, New Zealand, Republic of South Africa, Australia, Nigeria and Ghana,
including other countries inthe West African, Sub continent. Though English was actually the language of
colonization in these countries like India they have since remained the official languages in most of the
colonized territories.

In other countries including Japan and China according to Udemba S.C (2007), English Language is
usually taught as the chief foreign language.

Equally, about half of the world's scientific and technical journals, as well as newspapers, are printed in
English.

During the cold war the former Soviet Union used English in their propaganda broadcasts across the
developing countries in Africa and Asia. The spread of English is further enhanced through the
establishment of British Council and United States information service by the British and U.S
governments respectively with centers and libraries in various countries including Nigeria.

All these factors have therefore made it easy for anyone who understands and speaks English, and
moves around major cities in the world to communicate effectively with one another.
According to Anibueze (2007), English Language is a lingua franca. As a lingua franca, it is the language
for unification. It is highly established so that the people of varied language will have purposes to relate
together maturely and work in union. For example, Hausa man may comfortably stay and effectively
speak with a Yoruba man or an Igbo man, advice versa.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The English Language has remained a very important tool for socialization and bureaucracy activities in
Nigeria, since the days of colonialism. Then, English was taught to their native servants just to equip
them for domestic functions.

It was only natural that emphasis wad laid on spoken English only and not either on written English or
both of them. However, with the emergence of a new class of people, with time, the civil servants, and
their new roles in the colonial administration, the teaching and learning of the language took another
forms: Written English become prominent. Edward W.T. (2003) ascertained that this was very important
as Nigeria which Is a British began to interact with other British Colonies and citizens in Africa.

Today English is the language for the international community, According to Ezugu (1995), the English
Language is the most widely spoken language in the world. It is used as either a primary or secondary
language in many countries. It is the Language of education administration, law, World trade,
International diplomacy as well as that of pop culture.

It is therefore worth while acquiring mastery of this very important language for whoever does not, has
deprived himself of access to the world's brightest of idea and modern technologies.

In Nigeria today English remains the language of pedagogy, students can hardly make commendable
progress in their studies without adequate mastery of English, through which most of the courses in
primary, secondary and tertiary institutions are taught and examined.

This calls for a system that would be both rudimentary and functional in its approach. This is important
for according to Umaru (2005) as a student learn a new language, very often he does not know how to
express what he wants to say in writing. Since the student uses a foreign language as a medium of
communication, he has to start from the scratch to learn the rudiments of the language. It is natural
then that this is the junction where the various problems arising from the teaching and learning of the
language meet the need to do so properly.

Language Teaching, according to Oluikpe (2003) the basic criteria for assessing students' proficiency in
writing and speak are generally control of the basic grammatical categories such as punctuation, tense,
number, gender etc.

Language Teaching in Nigeria had fraught with deficiencies. The major reason for these deficiencies is
our English teachers who are not well-trained only but are also non-professionals. And even if they are
some what trained, their training is not up to work. A situation where a teacher of language has no
mastery of it grammatical

adoptive rather than rigid in their approach to teaching children and only loosely base on their
instruction on a given method. Language is the official medium of communication to humans. It is one of
the things that differentiate man from animals. Signs and symbols have no International understanding
and may be difficult to understand. Picture, painting and sculptures cannot be read by all. This makes
language superior to all of them because it is easily understood and generally used. According to Ozohili
Oby (2007) language literally means the "tongue" a human organ used in speaking. According to Ozohili
(2007), traditionally, language is defined as a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by which thoughts are
communicated from one being to another.

Language Learning: Human beings has the ability to learn and to understand and think about things. He
has the capacity to gain and use knowledge. He can as well explore situations, collect information, plan
and execute 11

the plans. Man's high intelligence has also enable him to evolve a level of linguistic communication by
which life can be regulated. Theodore M.C, (2001) stated that language learning requires thoroughly
time, patience and practice. It cannot be done solely in school with the large class but requires few
minutes daily practice for individual students.

Therefore, pupils and students should be encouraged to practice this language in their leisure time
inorder to master the language as required.
Methodology: The methodology here refers to the method by which the teachers presents his/her
materials to the learners and engages them in the task at hand.

Methodology is very vital in every teaching-learning situation.

For according to Robert M., (2003) for effective teaching and learning to take place, the skillful teacher
needs to use the many different methods and techniques at his command.

Even though there is a great diversity in teaching methods and techniques, there is no one of them that
can be 12

regarded as the best for every teaching situation. This is however assumed that a carefully designed
teaching method can work wonders in making learning more effective.

The Teaching Materials: The teaching materials involves the dominance of textbooks, dictionaries,
chalkboards, workbooks, (which are rarely used) and posters in the teaching of English Language in
Secondary Schools in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State has been counter productive.

Modern media such as audio and video tapes, language laboratories, programmed texts, flash cards,
computers, magazines and newspapers are not in use. These findings agree with those of kolawole
(1998) who found that the teaching of English Language is bedeviled with many problems such as
inadequate of adequate and useful resources.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The English Language is our cultural window into the world of heterogeneous culture and traditions. It is
a gate 13

of all higher intellectual pursuit. It is our medium of instruction in schools from the kindergarten to
university level.
Therefore, students at the secondary school levels are expected to communicate effectively in writing
using the English Language.

It is however regrettable that the teaching of this important tool of both effective education and
national/international socialization at secondary schools in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State,
just like in other secondary schools in Nigeria had been suffering some defects and neglects alike.

Lack of qualified teacher equipped to groom the students Text seems to be the major problems in the
schools books are constantly changed thereby causing disjointed teaching method.

Other instructional materials are also not available. Language Laboratory to aid the acquisition and
master of English Sounds is a strange story to both the teachers and students in this area.

14

Above all, mother tongue interference poses a debilitating danger to the prospect of good English
acquisition in those secondary schools.

Since the students first acquired their mother tongue before learning the English Language this leads to
grammatical errors in time of their performance as these vernacular patterns are different from English
patterns.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The major aim of this study is to determine the problems facing the teaching and learning of the English
Language in the Secondary Schools in Suleja Local Government Area and possible prospects to that + d
specifically, the study indented to:

(i) Identify and classify these problems

(iii) Make recommendation for more language.

Remove

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Any academic research embarked upon must be aimed towards achieving a particular goal which will be
significant to the society.

Based on this, the findings of this study will provide us with the basic information on the nature and
causes of these problems, which will be of a great importance to teach the students in Suleja
educational zone. Therefore, they will go along way in improving teachers teaching method and
students standard in both written and spoken English, so as to enhance good performance of the
students in examinations. It will help teachers to know the areas in which these problems occur mostly
and frequently and then improve their teaching strategies.

The findings of the study will help authors and textbook publishers to know the areas to stress the
subject.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions have been formulated to guide the study:

15
Investigation

how

(a) Do Secondary School teachers use instructional resources frequently in teaching the English
Language?

Determine how

(b) Do the English Language teaches use appropriate methods in teaching and learning English Language

16

frequently? To find out thound

(c) Do Secondary School students in Suleja Local Government Area learn English Language environment
conducive to learning? in

4-To identity

(d) Do you think that the existing condition can be improved upon?

1.6 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Study is to cover So

Selected Schools in

The study covered the following: the problems of teaching Suly's Louk ca of Niger stade and learning
English Language, the methods and techniques of teaching and learning English in Secondary Schools, an
examination of problems encountered by teachers in their classes.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

In consequence with the topic of this project which is "problems and prospects of teaching and learning
English Language in Secondary Schools in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State". The researcher
has no 17

intention to study other Schools outside the given Local Government Area. Efforts made in the past
improving these problems will not receive attention for treatment here since the existence of the
problems prove them ineffective.

Again, the major focus would be on problems encountered by teachers in teaching the course.
Consequently, students' experiences would be treated referentially, while teachers become the main
guinea pig.

1.8 DEFINITION OF THE TERMS

The following words and phrases which form the foundation for this study are hereby explained for the
effective comprehension of this research work:
(i) Problems and prospects: Problems, for the purpose of this study refers to those situations whose
presence affects the smooth teaching of English in Secondary Schools in Suleja Local Government Area.
Prospects also refers to situations that could facilitate the process. 18

(ii) Language Teaching and Learning: With reference to English Language, this means the whole activities
that surround the process of acquiring English as second language by students in Suleja Local
Government Area.

(iii) Methodology: This means the various systematic approaches in language teaching. Methodology is
the method by which the teacher presents his material to the learners and engages then in the task at
hand.

(iv) Instructional materials: These are closely associated with the selection of teacher or student
activities are the necessary materials that will aid and facilitate learning.

These can motivate students and serves as effective ways to explain and illustrate subject content.

These materials include apparatus, chemicals, textbooks, specimens, charts, audio visual aids, models
and other items for individual and group use.