TRENDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACHIEVEMENT SCORE OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE STUDENTS OF NNAMDI AZIKWE UNIVERSITY, AKWA (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
This study which is aimed examining the trends in English language Achievement Score of Educational Foundations and English Language and literature students of NnamdiAzikwe University, Akwa.
In obtaining the data relevant to this research work, a total of 298 students scores in English Language from Educational Foundations and English Language and literature, that offered Modern Comedy (ENG281) and English Literature of Victorian Period (ENG382) during 2014/2015 1st semester in the institution were utilized.
The study highlights that Students of Educational foundation are inferior to their colleagues in English Language and literature as they performed woefully in the course Modern Comedy (ENG281) and English Literature of Victorian Period (ENG382) during 2014/2015 1st semester.
It was concluded that there are different factors that can be responsible for these underachievement in English Language among Educational Foundations students. Some of these possible factors are academic level, test anxiety and other possible factors.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study
Before the coming of the colonial masters, British merchants and missionarieswho arrived in Africa earlier had gone a long way to introduce the English language into the area that eventually became Nigeria. The merchants taught the middle men at the coastlines the English language so that they could keep simple records while the missionaries introduced the formal school system when they discovered their converts would be better if they can read and write. By the time they set to introduce their government, English was already in use by a small fraction of Nigerians (Eruchalu, 2012).
Moreover, The British invaders were not keen on learning African vernaculars. As far as they were concerned, African vernaculars are of no value. Little wonder Omolewa as cited by Eyisi and Ezeukoquoted Rev M. Sunter as stating that:
These languages…(are) only interesting to the comparative philologist and never likely tobecome of any practical use to civilization… The natives must and will know English in spite of all well-meaning but diseased notions; it is the language of commerce and the only education worth a moment’s consideration. (2008:196)
