The Relationship Between Teaching Methods and Academic Performance of Junior Secondary School Students in Nigeria
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The study was guided by the following objectives:
- To investigate the extent to which teachers’ academic qualifications influence performance of students in English language in junior secondary schools in South-West, Oyo State.
- To determine the extent to which teachers’ attitude influence performance of students in English language in public secondary schools in in South-West, Oyo State.
- To examine the extent to which teachers’ teaching method influence performance of students in English language in Junior secondary schools in in South-West, Oyo State.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Chapter two was divided into two main sub sections. These were empirical literature and the Theoretical framework. The empirical literature addressed the teaching methods on students’ performance in English language as discerned in the literature. It would review literature related to the study. The chapter was divided into sections, basing on research objectives. The sections were divided into; level of teachers’ academic qualification, attitude, workload, and professional advancement on students’ performance in English language. On the other hand, theoretical literature sheds some light on some key theories related to learning and performance.
Teaching Methods
According to Ayeni (2011), teaching is a continuous process that involves bringing about desirable changes in learners through use of appropriate methods. Adunola (2011) indicated that in order to bring desirable changes in students, teaching methods used by educators should be best for the subject matter. Furthermore, Bharadwaj & Pal (2011) sustained that teaching methods work effectively mainly if they suit learners’ needs since every learner interprets and responds to questions in a unique way (Chang, 2010). As such, alignment of teaching methods with students’ needs and preferred learning influence students’ academic attainments (Zeeb, 2004) Adu and Adeyanju (2013) pointed out that a teacher could have all the qualifications but could yet cause academic failure of his students if he has a poor method of teaching. The effect is that the students do not gain from the lessons. Topics of different nature will require different methods of teaching but if the teacher uses the same method all the time, then the students are unmotivated. This could also lead to truancy on the basis of “our teacher does not teach well”. If such is said of trained teachers, what then will be said of untrained teachers? Emunemu et al. (2014) emphasized in this regard that additional classroom practices, such as individualization, collaboration and authentic assessment should be put in place. Individualization means that the teacher instructs each student by drawing upon the knowledge and experience that a particular student already possesses. Collaborative learning means that teachers allow students to work together in groups, while authentic assessment refers to the fact that assessment occurs as an artifact of learning activities. All these can be accomplished, for instance, through individual and group projects that occur on an ongoing basis rather than at a single point in time.
This then suggests that this set of classroom practices if well tailored and used can produce qualitative improvement in the academic performances of all students, regardless of their background. Decisions made by teachers about classroom practices can either facilitate student learning or become an obstacle irrespective of the level of preparation students bring into the classrooms. The secondary school child is squarely within the adolescent years and it is known, or it should be known, the problems of children during this period. The child’s mind must be at peace with what goes on in the school before he can profit from it. To channel the immature minds of the adolescents to purposeful endeavors needs judicious guidance services in every secondary school. The contacts with the schools revealed that only a small percentage of them have some measure of guidance services. One says, “Some measure of guidance services” because the guidance counselor is often made to teach specific subjects. A good majority of the schools have no guidance counselors (Adu and Adeyanju 2013). One of the reasons why the services of guidance counselors are extremely necessary in the secondary school apart from psychological and emotional reasons is the inordinate ambition of some parents especially among the elite group. They compel their children to study certain subjects leading to specific careers in life even though their children are not interested in these subjects and since they are not interested they hardly do well in them. In their attempt to keep to their parents’ wish and in the absence of guidance counsellors, they end up neither learning the subjects dictated to them by their parents, nor the other subjects they were originally interested in. A few of them who prove tough and continue to work in order to fulfil the wishes of their parents may end up as broken personalities. Eventually they fail the WAEC examination in these subjects. If one has adequate guidance services in the school, the guidance counselor could even reach out the parents of such children and counsel them to avoid compelling their wards to learn specific subjects
Teacher-Centered Methods
Under this method, students simply obtain information from the teacher without building their engagement level with the subject being taught (Boud & Feletti, 1999). The approach is least practical, more theoretical and memorizing (Teo & Wong, 2000). It does not apply activity based learning to encourage students to learn real life problems based on applied knowledge. Since the teacher controls the transmission and sharing of knowledge, the lecturer may attempt to maximize the delivery of information while minimizing time and effort. As a result, both interest and understanding of students may get lost. To address such shortfalls, Zakaria, Chin & Daud (2010) specified that teaching should not merely focus on dispensing rules, definitions and procedures for students to memorize, but should also actively engage students as primary participants. Under this method, students simply obtain information from the teacher without building their engagement level with the subject being taught (Boud&Feletti, 1999). The approach is least practical, more theoretical and memorizing (Teo& Wong, 2000). It does not apply activity based learning to encourage students to learn real life problems based on applied knowledge. Since the teacher controls the transmission and sharing of knowledge, he should attempt to maximize the delivery of information while minimizing time and effort. As a result, both interest and understanding of students may get lost. To address such shortfalls, Zakaria, Chin and Daud (2010) specified that, teaching should not merely focus on dispensing rules, definitions and procedures for students to memorize, but should also actively engage students as primary participants.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter covered research methodology which was divided into the following themes; research design, target population, sample size and sampling procedure, data collection instruments, pilot testing of the instruments, validity of the instrument, reliability of instruments, data collection procedure and data analysis techniques.
Research design
A descriptive survey design was used to obtain the data that was used to describe the existing phenomena. It was used for exploring the existing two or more variables at one given point of time. It was the method suitable for collecting original data for the purpose of describing a population which was too large to observe directly, (Mugenda and Mugenda, 1999).
Target population
Mugenda and Mugenda (1999) noted that target population was a population to which the researcher wanted to generalize the results of the study. In this case the target population for this research would comprise of 120 teachers of English and six English heads of departments in both public and private schools in the area of study. This was based on theassumption that each school will have four English teachers
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSIONS
This chapter presents data analysis, presentation, interpretation and discussion in the following subtitles: Respondents return rate, Background information of the respondents, influence of teacher’s level of academic qualification, teacher’s attitude, teacher’s workload, teacher’s professional advancement on students’ performance in English language in public secondary schools in South-West Oyo District.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the summary of the findings as well as the conclusions of this study. It also presents the recommendations of this study and its contribution to the body of knowledge.
Summary of the findings
This study investigated the influence of a teacher on students’ performance in English language in JSS in South-West, Oyo in Nigeria. This was based on teachers’ level of academic qualification, attitude, and teaching methods of teachers
With regard to the first objective on the extent to which teachers’ level of academic qualifications influence students’ performance in English language in JSS in South-West, Oyo in Nigeria, it was observed from the findings that teachers’ academic qualification positively affected the students’ performance in English language in public secondary schools which was measured in terms of teachers’ academic qualification and area of specialization. According to the findings, 17(63%) of the teacher respondents had degrees, 8(30%) had diplomas while only 2(7%) had advanced degrees. In addition to this, 19(70%) of the teacher respondents were specializing in English Literature, 5(19%) had specialized in English while only 3(11%) had specialized in Literature.
In respect to the second objective, teachers’ comfort ability in handling their teaching subjects in JSS in South-West, Oyo in Nigeria, the study established that 15(55%) of the teacher respondents were comfortable with teaching Literature, 11(41%) were more at ease with handling English Language while only 1(4%) was not contented with handling any of the subjects which Were being investigated. 17(63%) of the teacher respondents also considered changing their profession while 10(37%) of the teacher respondents had never considered changing their profession. Teachers who were willing to change profession cited low pay and very large work load while those who had not considered changing their profession said they had interest in teaching especially English Language.
To examine the level at which workload influence the performance of English in JSS in South-West, Oyo in Nigeria, 11(41%) agreed that their schools had adequate staffing. However, 16(59%) of the teacher respondents believed that there was high student-teacher ratio due to inadequate staffing in their schools. 18(67%) of the teacher respondents also indicated that they had other additional responsibilities of whom 8(44%) agreed that these additional responsibilities affected the performance of English in public secondary schools to a very large extent. Similarly, 26(96%) of the teacher respondents indicated that theyt were giving extra work to their learners to cover the syllabus, for practice and for evaluation purposes. Only 1(4%) of the respondents indicated that they were not giving extra work to their students.
With regards to the fourth objective on the professional advancement, it was indicated by 11(41%) of the teacher respondents had an experience of between 1-3 years, 8(30%) of the respondents had 4-6 years experience, 6(22%)) of the respondents had 7-9 years experience while only 2(7%) had over 9 years of experience. In addition to this 19(70%) of the teacher respondents had also attended other courses in management and computer to enhance their record keeping skills and overall class management.
Conclusion
This study concluded that teaching methods the students’ performance in English Language in JSS in South-West, Oyo in Nigeria. The study concluded that professional qualification, terms of employment and area of specialization of the teachers ninfluenced the performance in English. Lower professional qualification made the teachers to less competent in tackling subject content. Teachers were motivated in discharging their professional duties depending on their terms of employment. teachers were underpaid and hence were less productive as compared to the T.S.C. employed teachers.
Similarly, the study concluded that the attitude of the teacher played an important role in students’ performance in English. Attitude depended on the type of school one taught in, the general performance of the class and teachers urge to change the profession. While some teachers preferred teaching in a girl school, others preferred boys’ schools and even others favored mixed schools. Each category of teachers had their own reasons which would in turn affect their performance in teaching and hence directly affecting the students’ performance in English. General performance of class in English could either pake the teacher motivated to put in more effort or discouraged them hence affecting performance accordingly. The urge of some teacher to change their profession to other fields made them not to settle down and do their best while teaching. The end result was poor performance in English among students.
The study also concluded that teachers’ workload influenced students’ performance in English. Extra responsibilities assigned to the teacher, number of teachers, students’ enrollment were some of the aspects that played an important role in determining the outcome of students’ performance in English. More responsibilities assigned to the teacher inhibited his or her performance in teaching as there was no adequate time to prepare for the lessons and hence lowering productivity. Shortage of teachers of English meant the few who were available being overworked hence making them less productive. High student enrollment in most schools strained the meager human and physical resources (teachers, textbooks, classrooms and writing materials). This could not allow good performance in English to be posted.
Teachers’ professional advancement also played an important part in determining students’ performance in English language. Attendance of external workshops and seminars in English and other courses for professional advancement equipped the teacher with necessary current knowledge and skills that would make him or her better teacher.
Recommendations
In order to improve the performance of students in English language JSS in South-West, Oyo in Nigeria, it was recommended that the bottlenecks that caused the poor performance were addressed. The bottlenecks included: low attitude among teachers of English, over enrolment, lack of adequate preparation among teachers of English, lack of exposure, shortage of relevant teaching/leaming materials and interference from other responsibilities. The following recommendations were made:
1) The school management to ensure that teachers of English prepared adequately for the lessons by preparing necessary documents such as lesson plans.
2) The government would as well introduce some incentives in schools like presidential award, scholarships to reward both students and teachers who put in more efforts to improve the performance in the English language.
3) Schools would as well be forced to admit the number of students that consume rate with the number of teaching and learning material available.
4) Government and other humanitarian agencies would always organize to rehabilitate the teaching and learning infrastructure so that smooth learning and teaching was maintained.
5) School management would ensure its teachers attend workshops, seminars and other courses in order to equip themselves with new ideas and attain promotions.
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