CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study:
English language holds a pivotal role in Nigeria's educational landscape, serving as the medium of instruction from primary to tertiary levels. It is a compulsory and core subject crucial for achieving educational goals and enhancing citizens' communicative competence. The Nigerian government recognizes its significance and has mandated its inclusion as a core subject in schools. Despite its importance, there has been a consistent decline in students' performance in English language examinations, raising concerns about the overall standard of education in the country.
A report from the May/June West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2007 highlighted deficiencies such as weak writing skills, loose sentence construction, transliteration issues, and grammar rule abuses leading to poor performance. Similar challenges persisted in the November/December WASSCE of 2009, indicating problems with punctuation, capitalization, tense usage, and paraphrasing.
Teacher-related factors have been identified as potential contributors to students' poor performance. Studies emphasize the significance of teachers' qualifications and classroom management skills. Qualified and experienced teachers are deemed more effective, and their behavior in the classroom can significantly impact students' learning. However, challenges arise when inexperienced or underqualified teachers handle the English language, leading to suboptimal outcomes.
Statement of the Problem:
The declining performance of students in English language at the senior secondary school level has been linked to various deficiencies, including the quality of teaching. Inexperienced and underqualified teachers, coupled with challenges in classroom management, are considered major contributors to this problem. The demands of the senior secondary school syllabus require skilled and experienced teachers to effectively impart knowledge.
This study aims to investigate the relationship between teacher factors (such as gender, qualification, years of experience, behavior, and class management ability) and students' academic achievement in English language in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. By understanding the influence of these teacher-related factors, the research seeks to provide insights that can contribute to improving the teaching and learning of English language in senior secondary schools.
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1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to determined the difference in students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary school in Eket Local Government Area based on teacher factors. In specific term, the study sought to:
1. Determine the difference in students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ qualifications.
2. Access the difference in students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ behaviour.
3. Ascartain the difference in students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ gender.
4. Determine the difference in students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ years of experience.
5. Determine the difference in students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ class management ability.
1.4 Research Question
The following research questions were framed to guide the study:
1. What is the difference in students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ qualification?
2. How does students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools differ based on teachers’ behaviours?
3. To what extent does students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools differ based on teachers’ years of experience?
4. How does students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools differ based on teachers’ gender?
5. How does students’ academic achievement in English language in secondary schools differ based on teachers’ class management ability.
1.5 Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were formulated to give direction to the study:
1. Students do not differ in their academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ qualifications.
2. Students do not differ in their academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ behaviour.
3. Students do not differ in their academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ gender.
4. Students do not differ in the academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ years of experience.
5. Students do not differ in their academic achievement in English language in secondary schools based on teachers’ class management ability.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study investigated teacher related factors as predictors of senior secondary students’ achievement in English in selected public schools in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The sucessful completion of the study and its findings would be beneficial to teachers, future researchers, students and curriculum planners.
Umoren and Ugbodo (2007), in a search on method of teaching suggested that the ability of the teachers to impact knowledge depends greatly on the method they apply during the teaching and learning process, where the method is defective, the students stand to lose, as they do not benefit from the lessons.
According to Uya (2008), for a teacher to ensure classroom order and enhance classroom learning, he/she has to possess necessary pedagogical skills, which have to be systematic and methodical. He/she has to explore and make good use of his/her knowledge of instructional skill/strategies. The primary purpose of teaching is to bring a fundamental change in learner and this can be achieved when teacher apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives of what is to be learnt.
The study would provide empirical information on the teachers’ related factors that could predict students’ academic achievement in English language. The study would also contribute to research efforts geared towards finding a permanent solution to the problem of poor performance of students in English language. It will also serve as an eye opener to teachers and other stakeholders on which of the teacher related factors could predict students’ academic achievement in English language.
Teachers factors on students academic performance in English language shows that the teacher is the number two (2) factor that influences students academic performance. Teachers are facilitators of learning process, teachers are unique in that they are architects managers and engineers of pedagogy. This is why teaching and learning process is central to any educational system. The study examined the role played by teacher factor in providing quality secondary education as signified by students academic performance.
The findings of this study would also create students understanding of the negative influence of teacher factors on the academic achievement of senior secondary school students in English language. It would place teachers in a better position to appreciate the problem faced by students as a result of their characteristics and enable them adjust their strategies in teaching such learners.
Curriculum planner and development require the input of different stakeholder such as teacher, school head, the role of the teacher involves defining different courses components that are considered relevant, in line with the latest technological development in the education sector in addition to developing the curriculum, teachers help in executing the curriculum development findings. Teachers continuously contribute to the development of school curriculum by developing periodic course teaching plans and giving consideration to the special needs of the students (Dillon, 2009). Therefore, having a good curriculum without the input of teachers cannot help in achieving the learning objectives and goals.
The findings of the study will provide curriculum planners, school administration and policy makers with information about the effect of teachers factors on the academic achievement of senior secondary school students in English language.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study was delimited to teacher factors and students’ academic achievement in English. The study was further delimited to senior secondary schools two (SS2) in Eket Local Government Area. Teacher variables used in the study were categorized into teachers’ gender, teachers’ educational qualification, teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ behaviour and teachers’ class management ability. These were the independent variables, while the dependent variable was delimited to students’ academic achievement in English language.
1.8 Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined in the study.
Teachers’ Factor: This refers to teacher related factors that affect the students such as teachers’ gender, educational qualification, years of experience, behaviour and class management ability.
Academic Achievement: This refers to the student’s average performance in school especially in test and examination.
Teachers’ Qualification: This refers to the educational attainment of the teacher.
Teachers’ years of Experience: This refers to the number of years a teacher puts in the teaching profession as an English teacher.
Teachers’ Behaviour: This refers to the conduct and manner of acting by the teacher with the students.
Teachers’ class management ability: This refers to the teacher’s skill in handling and controlling the class during the teaching-learning process.
