The Effects Of Qualification Of English Teachers On The Performance Of Secondary School Students In External Examinations
Introduction
1.1 Background
To The Study
The quality of education
is directly related to the quality of instruction in the classrooms. It is a
fact that the academic qualifications, knowledge of the subject matter,
competence, and skills of teaching and the commitment of the teacher have an
effective impact on the teaching-learning process (National Education Policy 1998-2010).
Quality improvement in education depends upon the proper training of teachers.
The teachers cannot play any of the roles unless properly trained (Yadved and
Singh, 1988). The performance of students especially in external examinations
goes a long way to show the level of preparedness of the student definitely by
qualified teachers.
Teaching is an art. It
can be refined by training and practice. The availability of competent teachers
is central to the reconstruction of the educational system. English has
acquired the status of a global language (Crystal, 1997). Keeping in view the
growing need and importance of the English language in every walk of life,
English is made a compulsory subject in Nigeria from the very beginning of the
academic career. This increasingly necessitates good quality initial
preparation for non-native speaker teachers in the school system (Cullen,
1994).
English is taught as a
compulsory subject and also the whole teaching-learning process is carried out
in the English language. In other words, English is also the medium of
instruction in Nigerian schools. This enables the students of these schools to
learn English in an environment where most of the interaction between the
teacher and the students is in English (Fuller & Clark, 1994). As a result,
the students of these schools are more proficient in English and perform well
in external examinations.
In some schools, however,
the teaching of English is done somewhat differently and the proficiency in the
language is somewhat inadequate. The traditional grammar-translation method is
a favourite with the teachers and there is hardly any exposure to the English
language inside or outside the class. Most of the activities in the class are
done in the vernacular or the mother tongue. Even the English language is
explained through Urdu or the vernaculars (Al-mutawa&Kailani, 1989). The
students resort to memorization and cramming.
The teacher is the
facilitator of examinations rather than of learning. The students memorize,
translate and retranslate and, finally reproduce the crammed information or
knowledge in the external examinations. No creativity is witnessed on the part
of the students from this kind of teaching experience (Baumgardner, 1993). The
reason is that the teachers themselves are not qualified or competent enough to
teach English efficiently. This causes poor results in English eventually
leading to the highest failure percentage in English at external examinations.
Thus English becomes the biggest hurdle (particularly for the students from
rural areas) on the way to getting a higher education and key administrative
posts. In its annual report, Federal Public Service Commission (1998) reported
that the English language as the medium of expression in the external examination
is depriving the students of some poor institutions to compete with their
counterparts from highly placed institutions.
English as a language
plays a number of roles in the socio-economic, political and cultural
development of Nigerian society. The continued slide in the performance of
students in the English language in external examinations is a course of great
concern not only for the teachers but also for all stakeholders in the business
of education. This is more worrisome when one considers the fact that English
doubles as a medium of instruction in Nigerian schools as well as our
linquafranca. The central role of English cannot, therefore, be wished away.
The pattern of failure has, however, shown that the incidence appears to be
higher in some schools than it is in other schools. A number of factors have
been linked to the courses but more relevant is the issue of qualification of
the teachers. This is more important because, in the business of teaching and
learning, teachers offer only what they have; you cannot offer what you don’t
have. The qualification of teachers involved in teaching and learning has a
great role in the performance of students and it is to find out these effects
that this study set out to accomplish. Chomsky (1972) “states that one can not
really teach a language but can only present the conditions in which it will
develop spontaneously in the mind in its own ways”
1.2 Statement
Of The Problem
Language teaching has
been the primary focus of applied linguistics. Formal instruction does not work
in a vacuum. The school environment, teacher qualifications, curriculum and
instructional approaches, and many other factors interact to produce growth in
student academic skills and knowledge. There is sufficient empirical evidence
that suggests that the academic performance of students relies substantially on
the teachers they are assigned. Classroom-based research is valid enough to
determine whether the learners are receiving appropriate content instruction or
not. Pennington (1989) says that the quality of teaching must be considered in
determining what results can be expected. He further states that teachers make
decisions about classroom management based on achievement gains. Thus we can
say that findings about the relationship between teacher characteristics and
student academic performance scores are important in determining the policy
regarding teachers. It is assumed that only those who have professional
training in English teaching should teach the English language. The English
teacher should be the one whose competence and proficiency in all the language
skills are good measures. But especially in written and conversational English,
is not deficient. The English teacher should have a good knowledge of current
usage and the theoretical aspects of English. In Nigeria today, most students
in secondary schools and in fact even in universities lack the ability to
communicate efficiently in English, both oral and written. This is still the
major problem faced by English students today. It is therefore important to
find out if the qualification of the English teachers has any effect on the
performance of the students in written and spoken English in external
examinations.
1.3 Objectives
Of The Study
The following are the objectives
of this study:
1. To
examine the effects of qualification of English teachers on the performance of
secondary school students in external examinations.
2. To
examine the criteria for producing a qualified English teacher.
3. To
determine the factors that can improve the academic performance of secondary
school students in external examinations.
1.4 Research
Questions
1. What
are the effects of qualification of English teachers on the performance of secondary
school students in the external examinations?
2. What
are the criteria for producing a qualified English teacher?
3. What
are the factors that can improve the academic performance of secondary school
students in external examinations?
1.5 Hypothesis
HO: There is no
significant relationship between the qualification of English teachers and
secondary school student performance in external examinations.
HA: There is a
significant relationship between the qualification of English teachers and
secondary school student performance in external examinations.
1.6 Significance
Of The Study
The following are the
significance of this study:
1. This
study will serve as a painter to the ministry of education to verify whether
the qualification of teachers has any effect on the student performance in the
senior secondary school certificate examination (SSCE). The finding will also
help people who want to conduct such research to serve as a reference.
2. This
research will also serve as a resource base for other scholars and researchers
interested in carrying out further research in this field subsequently if
applied will go to an extent to provide new explanations for the topic
1.7 Limitation
Of Study
Financial constraint-
Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing
relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data
collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher
will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This
consequently will cut down on the time devoted to the research work.
EDITOR SOURCE:
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