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THE PROBLEM OF TEACHING ORAL ENGLISH IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY OF UVWIE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE

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Abstract

This research is aimed at examining the problems of teaching Oral English in Secondary Schools in Uvwie Local Government Areas of Delta State. Chapter one is the introduction which comprises: the background of study, purpose of study, significance of study, research hypothesis and delimination of study. Chapter two is the literature review in which literatures that talked about the problems of teaching Oral English in Schools were examined. Chapter three focuses on methodology, that is, design, population, sample, and sampling procedure, instrument for data collection, method of data collection and method of data analysis. Chapter four focuses on the analysis, discussions and findings. Chapter five dwells on the conclusion, some useful recommendation, bibliography and appendix.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

There are hundreds of languages spoken in Nigeria. The major languages are Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Ibibio, Edo, Fulfulde, and Kanuri. The official language of Nigeria, English, the former colonial language, was chosen to facilitate the cultural and linguistic unity of the country. English, however, remains an exclusive preserve of the country’s urban elite, and is not widely spoken in the rural areas which comprise three quarters of the country’s population.

(Wikipedia 2013)

 

Uvwie Local Government Area, which is the focus of this research, is located in Delta State in Nigeria. A number of problems confront the teaching of Oral English in Secondary Schools in Uvwie Local Government Area. These problems which do not only include external factors such as lack of laboratory material but teacher’s incompetence, have negatively affected the teaching of Oral English.

One of the chief characteristics of the human is his ability to communicate to his fellows complicated messages concerning every aspect of his activity. A man possessing the normal human faculties achieves this exchange of information mainly by means of three types of sensory Stimulation, Auditory and Visual. This child will learn from a very early age to respond to the sounds and tunes which his elders habitually uses in talking to him; and in due course, from a need to communicate, he will himself begin to imitate the recurrent sound patterns with which he has become familiar. (Gimson 1980)

However, the teaching of Oral English presents particular difficulties. And of course, the teaching of Oral English in Uvwie Local Government Areaof Delta State has been an enigma over the years that students in Secondary Schools in the area complain bitterly. This has greatly contributed to the rampant poor performances if students in English Language both in internal and external examination.

According to Obriri (2007), “Although many concerned pundits have charted numerous ways to simplify its teaching, many more problems are mounting and need to be thoroughly addressed urgently as they are alarming”.

According to Adioin an article:“Nigeria:Poor spoken English Necessitates Communication Development Skills” posted on the website of Nigerian Tribune in 2010,As part of the continued effort of the governments to sanitize education at primary and secondary levels, an independent three-day training:‘The Trainers’Workshop was organized for selected teachers for the Universal Basic Education Boards in Nigeria held in Lokoja, Kogi State,courtesy of the National Organizing Committee, President’s School Debate Programme And Development Planning And Management Consultants,Abuja.” Worried over the workshop looked into various strategies to boost Oral communication skills of Nigerian Students at all levels. One of the major strategies the workshop considered was the re-introduction of debate in school curriculum from primary school level.

I wish to maintain that though efforts have been put in place to improve Oral English, a good result is yet to be seen. Students in Secondary Schools in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State continue to perform below average in Oral English. The cause of this negative development is certainly because a lot of energy are being channeled only towards the learners problems, and not the problem of teaching. The problems confronting the teaching of Oral English in Uvwie Local Government Area range from teacher incompetence, inadequate instructional materials, disgust for the emphasis on the British accent, poor teaching skills, poor motivation for the students,to other problems which could have been caused by school proprietors or the government.

 

1.2 THE PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of this study is to identify the problems militating against the teaching of Oral English in Secondary Schools in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, and to provide practical ways of eliminating such problems.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study will be beneficial to the following:

1. The Secondary School Students in Uvwie Local Government Area and other students in Delta State
2. Principals and proprietors of secondary schools within and outside Uvwie Local Government Area;
3. Teachers of Oral English in secondary Schools in Uvwie Local Government;
4. Ministry of Education in Uvwie Local Government Area;
5. Delta State Universal Basic Education Board; and
6. Delta State Ministry of Education, and so on.

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

1. Can students perform well in Oral English when the teacher commits a lot of phonological errors?
2. Is there a significant relationship between good instructional materials and students performance in Oral English?

iii. Are practical Oral Exercises necessary in the teaching of Oral English?

1. Is noise inimical to the teaching of Oral English?

1.5 DELIMINATION OF STUDY

First, the researcher will focus his inquiry on teaching problems of Oral English and Learning problems.

Secondly, the researcher will limit his work to ten selected secondary schools in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. These include:

1. Sunshine Schools, Ekpan
2. Ekpan Secondary School, Ekpan
3. Kezina International Academy, Ekpan
4. Classical International Schools, Ekpan
5. Chinkelly Schools, Ekpan
6. Word of Faith Secondary School, Effurun
7. Edulyn College, Ekpan
8. Destiny Model School, Ekpan
9. Regent International School, Ekpan
10. Success International School, Ekpan