ABSTRACT
This study examined lesson time, lesson duration, school climate
and class size as predictors of students’ Mastery of English studies in Lagos
State Secondary Schools. This study adopted a Descriptive Survey Design. The
population of this study comprised all the public secondary school teachers in
Education District II, Lagos State. A simple random sampling technique was
adopted for this study. Two English teachers were randomly selected from
ten(10) public secondary schools. A total of twenty (20) English teachers were
selected. The instrument for data collection was a researcher made
questionnaire. The data collected were analysed using the frequency counts and
percentages for the demographic data and research questions while question 1
was analyzed using the multiple-regression at 0.05 level of significance. The
findings shows that classroom variables of lesson time, lesson duration and school
climate contribute significantly to the
Mastery of English Studies and that there is
a significant relationship between teachers qualification and
Mastery of English Studies
among others. Based on the findings of
this study, the following recommendationwere suggested: English lessons should
be fixed in the morning hours on the time table. This will facilitate teaching
and learning as the mind is still fresh and not yet stressed up as a result of
the days activities. The lesson duration should not be too long else, the
students will be discouraged and it should not be short so that the curriculum
content will be covered among others.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Certification i
Dedication ii
Acknowledgment iii
Abstract iv
Table
of content v
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1
Background of the study 1
1.2
Statement of the problem 5
1.3
Purpose of study 6
1.4
Research questions 6
1.5
Significance of the study 7
1.6
Scope of the study 8
CHAPTER TWO
2.1
The concept of class size 9
2.2 Lesson time and mastery of English
studies 12
2.3
Class duration and mastery of English studies 20
2.4 School climate and mastery of English studies 22
2.5 Class size and mastery of English studies 24
2.6 Teacher qualification and mastery of English studies 25
2.7 Use of instructional materials and mastery of English 29
2.8 class interaction and
mastery of English studies 32
CHAPTER
THREE
3.0
Introduction 38
3.1
Design of the study 38
3.2
Population of the study 38
3.3
Sample and sampling technique 38
3.4
Instruments for data collection 39
3.5
Validation of instrument 39
3.6
Reliability of the instrument 39
3.7
Method of data collection 40
3.8
Method of data analysis 40
CHAPTER
FOUR
4.0
Introduction
44
4.1
Demographic data of the respondents 44
4.2
Responses to the Research Questions 45
Discussion
of findings 49
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0
Summary of study 51
5.2 Conclusion 51
5.3 Recommendation 52
5.4 Suggestion for further studies 52
References 54
Questionnaire
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1
Background of the Study
The
complex nature of language makes its proper teaching and learning a tasking
exercise, requiring time and dedication on the parts of the teacher and the
learner. In Nigeria, English language plays a dominant role not only in the
field of education but also in other spheres of the Nigerian society such as
the economic, social, political, and religious. According to Jowitt (2000)
English language began to play a significant role in the Nigerian society in
the nineteenth century when white men began coming into Nigeria in increasing
numbers. The establishment of British rule in 1900 brought with it fresh influx
of white officials to fill the new Government posts. The colonialists promoted
the use of the language as the official language and language of education. In
this regard, Ike (2001:17-18) notes that:
The
ascendency of English language in Nigeria was the brain-child of the education
ordinance of 1882 which formally made English language a compulsory subject in
all Nigerian schools as well as the main channel of instruction and a vehicle
for the training of the much needed manpower to run the fledging government
service. The Education ordinance of 1882 was followed in quick succession by
those of 1896, 1918 and 1926 all ingeniously aimed to promote the new language
for general internal use.
Schooling
has multiple purposes, in the long run, higher levels of schooling are
associated with higher earnings and economic mobility, better health, lower
mortality rates, and greater democratic participation. For these reasons, most
societies require children to attend school for a specified number of years or
until they reach a certain age. Many of the benefits of schooling occur in part
because students learn some new knowledge or skills that enhance their ability
to communicate, solve problems, and make decisions. Much of the debate over
schooling is essentially about how to maximize the amount of students learning,
typically as measured by various assessment instruments such as standardized
achievement tests. From a societal viewpoint, since resources most notably,
time are required for learning, and are scarce, the amount of learning needs to
be maximized at least cost.
Learning
is complex, involving cognitive processes that are not completely understood.
Typically, school system have established a primary mode of learning that
involves groups of students of about the same age interacting with a single
individual leading activities in a
confined physical space, directed towards learning a particular topic in other
words, students are placed in classes. The number of other students in the
class can vary. At the extreme, there can be one or more adults facilitating
learning with one or two students. At the other, a student may be one of a few
hundred being taught by a single instructor (or, with new internet technology,
one of millions).
The
number of students in a class has a potential to affect how much is learned in
a number of different ways. For examples, it could affect how students interact
with each other; the level of social engagement. This may result, for example,
in more or less noise and disruptive behavior, which in turn affect the kinds
of activities the teacher is able to promote. It could affect how much time the
teacher is able to focus on individual students and their specific needs rather
than on the group as a whole. Since it is easier to focus on one individual in
a smaller group, the smaller the class size, the more likely individual
attention can be given, in theory at least. The class size could also affect
the teacher’s allocation of time and, hence, effectiveness, in other ways, too
for example, how much materials can be covered. Teachers may choose different
methods of teaching and assessment when they have smaller classes. For
examples, they may assign more writing, or provide more feedback on students’
written work, or use open-ended assessments, or encourage more discussion.
Exposure to a particular learning environment may affect learning over the time
period of exposure, or it may have longer term or delayed effects (e.g by
increasing self-esteem or cognitive development that has lasting effects).
For
these reasons, changes to the class size are considered a potential means of
changing how much students learn. Not only is class size potentially one of the
key variables in the production of learning or knowledge, it is one of the
simplest variables for policy makers to manipulate. However, the amount of
student learning is dependent on many different factors. Some are related to
the classroom and school environment in which the class takes place, but others
are related to the student’s own background and motivation and broader
community influences.
An
individual simply cannot advance in any given area of study without committing
a certain amount of time to grasping new content, practicing and honing skills
and then harnessing knowledge and skills to realize specific aims. Think of the
chess master who plays match after match to improve his game or the scientist
who toils long hours in her laboratory to unlock the mysteries of an intricate
phenomenon. For them, becoming more adept in their chosen field results, in no small part, from the time they invest.
The
great irony is that nation’s public school system has, by its rigid adherence
to the conventional calendar of 18s six and a half hour days for roughly 100
years, essentially disregarded the fundamental connection between time and
learning. Considered that while the expectation for how schools prepare the
next generation of Nigerian workers and citizens have risen dramatically,
education and policy leaders have usually not updated policies and demands. The
school calendar looks much the same as it did a century ago. The complexity of
the world and the base level of knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the 21st
century have only grown. Having more time in school to meet these ever
intensifying demands would seem all the more pressing.
This
background therefore necessitates the study of the correlation between lesson
time, lesson duration, school climate and class size on mastery of English
studies.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Over
the years, results released by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) have
shown an alarming rate of failure in the Senior Secondary School Examination
(SSCE), particularly in the English Language, amongst several other subjects.
English
is a second language (L2) as well as the official language in the Anglophone
West African Countries. As an international Language, English serves as a
language of commerce and international relations. Thus, a high level of
proficiency in the use of the English Language is highly desirable for success
in an era of globalization. Given the consistently low level of performance in
the subject, it seems that the traditional method of teaching and learning of
the subject is no longer effective in handling the challenges. The problem is
that our public school system has by its rigid adherence to the conventional
calendar disregarded the fundamental connection between time and learning,
education and policy makers have usually not updated policies and practices
around learning time to meet the mounting demands. The school calendar looks
much the same as it did a century ago; the classroom are over populated, making it difficult for
the teachers to manage and this leads to students misbehavior, less engagement
in lessons, and consequent poor performance in their academic work.
It
is based on this backdrop, that this work embarked on a study of lesson time,
lesson duration, school climate and class size as predictors of mastery of
English Studies in Lagos State Secondary Schools
1.3 Purpose of study
The
major objective of this study is to examine the influence of lesson time,
lesson duration, school climate and class size on mastery of English Studies.
Other
specific objectives of the study are to:
1.
examine
the correlations between lesson time, lesson duration, school climate and class
size on mastery of English studies
2.
determine the relationship between
teachers’ qualification and mastery of English studies
3.
asses the relationship between the use
of instructional materials and mastery of English Studies
4.
relationship between teaching methods
and mastery of English Studies
1.4 Research questions
The
following questions were constructed in the study:
1.
What is the correlation between lesson
time, lesson duration, school climate and class size on mastery of English
Studies?
2.
Is there any relationship between
teachers’ qualification and mastery of English Studies?
3.
What is the relationship between the use
of instructional materials and mastery of English Studies?
4.
Is there any relationship between class
interaction and mastery of English Studies?
1.5 Significance of the study
This
study will be of immense benefit to the following stakeholders in the Nigerian
Education such as students, teachers, school administrators, policy makers and
the society.
Students
will benefit from this study as it will sensitize the teachers on the
appropriate teaching methods to use in facilitating the mastery of English Studies.
Teachers
will benefits because, the study will motivate the various authorities who are
concerned with the provision of instructional facilities to make adequate
provision for teaching and learning and this will increase teachers
productivity as they make use of the relevant materials in enhancing learning.
School
administrators will also benefit as this study will sensitizes them on the
various aspects of the school climate for academic excellence in the various
schools.
Policy
makers will benefits, hence the study will provide an insight on the areas that
require policy changes and adjustments as this will benefits the educational
institutions by enhancing the quality of education.
The
society will benefits because when students’ performance is improved upon, the
school graduates will join in building the nation in all ramification of
development.
1.6 Scope of the study
This
study will cover all the junior secondary schools in Education District II,
Lagos state on:
Ø The
correlation between lesson time, lesson duration, school climate and class size
on mastery of English Studies.
Ø Teachers’
qualification and mastery of English Studies.
Ø Use
of instructional materials and students mastery of English Studies
Ø Teaching
methods and mastery of English Studies
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