INFLUENCE OF STUDY SKILLS ON TEST ANXIETY LEVELS AND ACHIEVEMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

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Abstract

The study investigated the influence of study skills on test anxiety levels and achievement of senior secondary school students in English Language. This study was prompted by the continued rate of poor academic achievement in secondary schools. Four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A structured study skills inventory (SSI) consisting of 29 items, Test Anxiety scale (TAS) consisting of 32 items and a standardized English Language Achievement test were administered to 400 SSIII students (200 boys and 200 girls) in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation. A mean score of 2.50 was adopted the baseline. The t-test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses. The study found that study skills have no significant influence on students’ test anxiety level; study skills have a significant influence on students achievement; students’ test anxiety levels are significantly influenced by gender; the female students showed higher test anxiety than their male counterparts, gender has a significant influence on students’ achievement in school. The males performed better than the females in an English language achievement test in Nsukka Urban. The following recommendations were made: Curriculum planners and the government should strive to incorporate study skills into the curriculum of secondary education;, government should encourage the school guidance counselors and also provide conducive learning atmosphere to reduce anxiety and help the students to develop good study skills; there should be workshops, seminars, or public awareness programmes. This will educate parents on how to help their children or ward(s) develop good study skill, since study skill, have been found to have influence on the students’ achievement

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The current standard of Education in Nigeria points to the fact that the educational system in Nigeria leaves much to be desired. Infact, there has been a drastic drop in the quality of Nigerian educational system. Many years ago, Nigerian educational system was ranked among the best in the world (Egwu, 2009). This decline in the quality of education system calls for immediate research and subsequent solution. Identifying factors influencing students’ achievement and academic performance is a quest for most teachers and a primary goal of most educational researchers (Eggen & Kauchak, 1999). Consequently, much concern is being expressed over the continuous poor academic performance of students in Enugu state, especially in Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE). The quality of students’ school achievement is influenced by a wide range of factors like environmental factors (Aremu & Sokan, 2003); teacher factor, (Wool & Hogan, 2003), and psychological factors within the student (Ngwoke, 2006). Such psychological factors encompass the individual’s cognitive variables such as motivation, anxiety, adjustment and study skills.

Many students are unable to attain mastery in learning because they do not have good study habits or skills. Studying is a process of learning. In schools, effective studying is the most important avenue to effective learning. It is a key to success in school. According to Okeke (1990), studying is an important part of learning because achievement in school depends greatly on the students’ study skills and habits.

          Study skills, simply put, are strategies learners employ to attain learning objectives. According to Ezeani and Ibegbulem (2009), study skills are critical to success in schools; are considered essential for acquiring good grades and are useful for learning throughout one’s life. Study skills refer to those things that individuals do when they have to locate, organize, and remember information (Tuner, 1991). It has been observed that the most important learning is “learning to learn” (Apeji in Mole, 2007). Developing in students the skills or ability to read, locate and use information effectively to solve a particular problem or make a decision has become a major theme of modern education.

          Study skills are discrete techniques that can be learned, usually in a short time, and applied to all or most fields of study. They should therefore, be distinguished from strategies that are specific to a specific field of study and abilities inherent in the student (Gruber, 2011).

          Though there may be no generally agreed upon method of studying, every learner approaches learning uniquely. However, Dunn, (1991) sees study skills as the way in which each learner begins to concentrate, process, and retain difficult information. It is a combination of many biologically and experientially imposed characteristics that contribute to effective learning. Broadly, any skill which boosts a person’s ability to study and pass examinations can be termed a study skill.

          There are ways a student can study to increase his ability to retain information and to think critically. They are classified into mnemonics, effective note taking, effective time management, summarizing, use of key words and others. There are also several other methods of studying. Such methods are based on memorization, communication skills, flashcard training, condensing information, summarizing, use of keywords, acronyms and mnemonics, exam strategies, effective time management, organization and life style changes (Parker, 2010).  

Some researchers have attempted a grouping of the various methods students have approached learning tasks. Dodgson (2001) grouped these methods to include employing one of those procedures known as “SQ3R”and others. The SQ3R method includes a series of five steps designated by the initials S-Q-R-R-R.

The first step is to survey the material by reading the parts of the chapter that give an overview of the topics covered. The next step is the “Q” in SQ3R which represents question. Formulate a question either aloud or in writing-before actually reading a section of the material. The next step is to read the materials. This involves reading carefully and even more importantly, reading actively and critically. The next step is the second “R” which stands for ‘recite’ meaning to look up from the book and describe to one or ones reading partner. The final “R” refers to review. This will involve looking over the information and re-reading the features in one’s textbook that provide one with an overview of the chapter.

          Research efforts have not found any one study skill that is best for all students in all learning tasks (Devin, 1991). There are many useful study skills and the ones that a particular individual uses will depend on the individual and the learning situation (Anderson, 1984). Some other skills that researchers have found particularly effective in helping students include summarizing (Brown, 1992); outlining and the use of graphic organizers such as mapping, (Devine, 1991); self questioning (Anderson, 1984); and SQ3R, Brown (1984). Kizlik (2007) also identified study skills to include Advance Organization, Directing Attention, Selective Attention, Self Management, Advance Preparation, Self Monitoring, Delayed Production, Self Evaluation, Self-Reinforcement and working alone or with other people depending on the material being studied.