EVALUATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF FCT STUDENTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
Over the years in Nigeria, there has been a consistent decline in students’ performance in English Language. This sordid situation has caused teachers, parents, curriculum experts and evaluators a serious concern. This study therefore was set out to evaluate the factors affecting the performance of FCT students in English language. To carryout this investigation, data were collected from 50 English Language teachers randomly drawn from the Federal Capital Terirory (FCT), Abuja in Nigeria. Analysis of data revealed that poorly trained English Language teachers, poor instructional delivery, lack of infrastructural facilities, teachers’ attitude towards innovation, the traditional content/knowledge oriented curriculum and general students’ apathy in English language were factors associated with student’s poor performance in English Language. Based on these findings, recommendations were made on strategies that will improve the quality of instructional delivery and learning of English Language geared towards enhancing students’ performance in the subject at the Nigerian secondary schools.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Given the importance of English language as a subject, common sense demands that students should perform well in it. The fact that English language is the most important subject in the secondary school curriculum is incontestable. To be able to understand his or her teachers in all other subjects effectively, a secondary school student requires at least fair knowledge of the English language. Little wonder that English language is referred to as the key to all other subjects. To be eligible for admission to universities and other higher institutions of learning secondary school student must pass English language at credit or distinction level. English is the sole medium of communication in the university communities.
English language as a subject, is important and students are required to perform well in it. The statistics of results from West African Examination Council (WAEC) however reveal that year in year out. Only fewer than thirty percent of candidate who writes English language in this very important (WAEC) examination pass with a credit or distinction level. What a shameful and painful revelation owing to this ugly situation. Department of English in some Colleges of Education have established Pre-English programme for the benefit of some of the candidates that could not pass it at the ordinary level stage.
