ABSTRACT
This study investigated “Teachers’ communication strategies and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in Abia State”. The study adopted correlational research design which sought to explain the kind of relationships between the variables. The population of the study consisted of 36,068 students in 481 registered private secondary schools in the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to generate the sample size of 396 students using Taro Yamane’s formula. Seven research questions and seven hypothesis guided the study. The research questions were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Linear regression was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that there is a high positive relationship between teachers’ communication strategies and students’ academic performance; moderate positive relationship between teachers’ verbal communication strategies and students’ academic performance; high positive relationship between teachers’ written communication strategies and students’ academic performance; moderate positive relationship between teachers’ symbol communication strategies and students’ academic performance; moderate positive relationship between teachers’ electronic communication strategies and students’ academic performance; moderate positive relationship between teachers’ kinetic communication strategies and students’ academic performance; moderate positive relationship between teachers’ visual communication strategies and students’ academic performance, and all the relationships were significant. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that government, missionaries/religious organizations and private individuals who own and manage schools should sustain the use of various good communication strategies in the teaching-learning process by organizing seminars and workshops for training and re-training of new and old teachers on the use of ideal communication strategies; providing the necessary facilities including Language Laboratories towards the improvement of students’ academic performance. The researcher is of the opinion that if the recommendations are well considered and implemented, it will go a long way in addressing the problems of poor academic performance of students recorded in English Language and Mathematics in recent times in both internal and external examinations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover page i
Title page ii
Certification iii
Declaration iv
Dedication v
Acknowledgment vi
Table of content vii
List of tables ix
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 8
1.3 Purpose of the Study 10
1.4 Research Questions 10
1.5 Hypotheses 11
1.6 Significance
of the Study 12
1.7
Scope of the Study 14
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 15
2.1 Conceptual
Framework 15
2.1.1 The Concept of communication 15
2.1.2 Communication strategies 19
2.1.3. Channels of classroom communication and learning. 26
2.1.4.
Communication process in the classroom 28
2.1.5. Academic Performance 29
2.1.6. Teachers' effectiveness on students' academic
performance 32
2.1.7 The influence of ineffective communication
in secondary schools 35
2.1.8 The
impact of internal communication pattern on the school organizational
Climate 36
2.2 Theor1tical Framework 39
2.2.1 Communication Accommodation Theory (1971) (CAT) BY Howard Giles 39
2.2.2
Self-determination theory (SDT) (2000) by Deci and Richard Ryan 40
2.2.3 Theoretical model of academic motivation (1970) Frymier 40
2.2.4 Systems theory (1983) Ludwig Von Bertalanfy 42
2.2.5
Climate description framework (1966) Halpin 43
2.3 Empirical Studies 43
2.4 Summary
of Related Literature Reviewed 49
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY 51
3.1 Design of the Study 51
3.2 Area of the Study 51
3.3 Population of the Study 52
3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques 52
3.5 Instruments for Data Collection 52
3.6 Validation of the Instruments 53
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 53
3.8 Method of Data Collection 53
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 54
CHAPTER
4
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 56
4.1 Results 56
4.2 Summary
of Findings 68
4.3 Discussion
of Findings 69
CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS 76
5.1 Summary
of the Study 76
5.2 Conclusion 78
5.3 Recommendations 78
5.4 Educational
Implications of the Study 79
5.5 Suggestion
for Further Studies 79
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
LIST OF
TABLES
Table 4.01: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pr) between
Teachers’
Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance 55
Table 4.02: Linear Regression Analysis for the significant relationship
between
Teachers’ Communication Strategies and Students’
Academic
Performance in Private Secondary School in Abia State 56
Table 4.03: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pr) between Teachers’
Verbal
Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance 57
Table 4.04: Linear Regression Analysis for the significant Relationship between
Teachers’
Verbal Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Private Secondary Schools in Abia State 58
Table 4.05: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pr) between Teachers’
Written
Communication
Strategies and Students’ Academic Performance 59
Table 4.06: Linear Regression Analysis for the significant Relationship between
Teachers’
Written Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Private Secondary Schools in Abia State 60
Table 4.07: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pr) between Teachers’ Symbol
Communication
Strategies and Students’ Academic Performance 61
Table 4.08: Linear Regression Analysis for the significant Relationship between
Teachers’
Symbol Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Private Secondary Schools in Abia State 62
Table 4.09: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pr) between Teachers’
Electronic
Communication
Strategies and Students’ Academic Performance 63
Table 4.10: Linear Regression Analysis for the significant Relationship between
Teachers’
Electronic Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Private Secondary Schools in Abia State 64
Table 4.11: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pr) between Teachers’
Kinetic
Communication
Strategies and Students’ Academic Performance 65
Table 4.12: Linear Regression Analysis for the significant Relationship between
Teachers’
Kinetic Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Private Secondary Schools in Abia State 66
Table 4.13: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pr) between Teachers’ Visual
Communication
Strategies and Students’ Academic Performance 67
Table 4.14: Linear Regression Analysis for the significant Relationship between
Teachers’
Visual Communication Strategies and Students’ Academic
Performance
in Private Secondary Schools in Abia State 68
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Communication
strategies in any organization like private school are very vital to the
survival and smooth running of the system. Without communication strategies,
administrative and academic functions will be difficult to achieve in the
school. Communication is crucial in the teacher professional involvement. This
is because it will help increase mutual understanding between teachers and
students leading to the enhancement of academic performance in the private
schools. A good communication network in the school therefore helps to orient
and increase teacher professional involvement and commitment to the main
objectives of the system (Sareen & Kumara, 2011). Communication strategies
in secondary schools can be achieved through teaching learning strategies in
the classrooms. It involves sharing
experience between teachers and learners and has to do with expression of an
intention with the aim of bringing about a desirable change in the performance
of the learners. Communication strategies are effective ways to improve
students’ communicative competence in the classroom where teaching and learning
take place. Effective communication is the veritable tool and bedrock upon
which the indispensable and significant roles of the teachers and learners are
built and it enhances complete and meaningful interaction between teachers and
the students.
It
is noteworthy that many of the problems emanating from the schools results from
ineffective communication of the entire school system. So, successful teaching
and learning can only take place when there are effective communication
strategies that facilitate students’ academic performance in the classroom.
Communication strategies help students to learn easily, create a positive
atmosphere in the learning environment. Communication improves the academic performance
of students, foster ability of students to engage in strategic learning to
construct their own meaning and in the process become aware of their own
thinking. It helps the students to achieve their goals, increase opportunities
for expanded learning and strengthens the connections between students and
teachers. It also helps the students to understand the different types of
communication strategies like kinetic, tone of voice audibility, facial
expression, symbols, electronic, visual, verbal communication and create the overall
positive experience in their academic performance Teachers have been known to
have important influence on students’ academic performance and they also play a
crucial role in educational attainment because the teacher is ultimately
responsible for translating educational policies and principles into actions
based on practice during interaction with the students (Afe, 2012). Both
teaching and learning depend on teachers. No wonder an effective teacher has
been conceptualized as one who produces desired results in the course of his
duty as a teacher.
In
terms of ineffectiveness of communication flow, Ekundayo and Alonge (2010) found
that there is wide communication gap between the students of private secondary
schools and teachers because the school management denies the students the
opportunity of being part of policy making in related matters of their welfare.
Ineffective communication strategies can result to poor instructional delivery,
poor management, poor motivation of students and teachers. It can lead to
communication breakdown in the school. Poor specification of function is also a
source of communication problem in the school system, poor communication can
have drastic effect on students’ academic performance and cordial relationship among
the teachers and students, lack of adequate information in private secondary
schools lead to frustration with low morale. All these will have adverse effect
on school climate. When communication gap occurs in a school, the different
units of school management tend to operate in isolation and perhaps in conflict
with the other components to the detriment of the overall objective of the
school. According to lezotte (2016), this situation is likely lead to a
breakdown in communication in a school and consequently leads to confusion and
frustration of teachers and school authorities. Considering the observed
deterioration in the academic performance, attitude and values of secondary
school students in private secondary schools, one wonders if the high failure
rates and the failure of the students especially in external examinations is
not a reflection of the instructional quality in the schools. Therefore, the
ineffectiveness of teachers in classroom interaction with the students could be
responsible for the observed poor academic performance of students and the
widely acclaimed fallen quality of education in Nigeria.
Teachers’
effectiveness has been accepted as a multi-dimensional construct since it
measures a variety of different aspects of teaching such as; subject mastery,
effective communication, lesson
preparation and presentation. The influence of teachers’ teaching effectiveness
on the learning outcome of students as measured by students’ academic performance
has been the subject of several studies. The studies suggest that effective
teaching is a significant predictor of students’ academic performance.
Therefore, effective teachers should produce students of higher academic performance.
Poor academic performance of students in Nigeria has been linked to poor
teachers’ performance in terms of accomplishing the teaching tasks, negative
attitude to work and poor teaching habits which have been attributed to poor
motivation (Ofoegbu, 2014) It has also been observed that conditions that would
make for effective teaching such as resources available to teachers, general
conditions of infrastructure as well as instructional materials in private
secondary schools in Nigeria are poor.
The
prevailing conditions would definitely show a negative or positive influence on
the instructional quality in private schools, which may translate to either
good or poor academic performance, attitude and values of secondary school
students. The quality of the teaching force in schools is the key to raising
students’ performance.
Consequently,
Lassa (2010) claimed that education cannot be provided by just anybody. It
requires a teacher who plans and delivers the lessons or instruction in such a
way that objectives can be achieved. Collaborating this, Owolabi (2010) stated
that government should find all possible means to retain veteran and
experienced teachers who are still willing to serve so that they can contribute
their wealth of experience to improve the system. Although teachers’ strong
effect would significantly influence students’ academic performance, other
factors such as socio-economic background, family support, intellectual
aptitude of students, personality of students, self-confidence, and precious
instructional quality have been found and also influence students’ examination
scores either positively or negatively.
Communication can be defined as the
process through which people, acting together can create, sustain and manage
meanings through the use of verbal, non-verbal signs and symbols with a
particular context. Communication as a relational process during which sources
transmit messages using symbols, signs and contextual cues to express meaning
and influence behaviour. Again communication from the view of Nakpodia (2010)
is the ingredients which make organization. It is the vehicle through which the
basic management and administrative functions are carried out. Similarly,
Keyton (2011) saw communication as a process of transmitting information,
messages, ideas, knowledge, experience, intellectual ability and common
understanding from one person to another. In
other
words, communication is the transfer of thoughts from one person to another by
post-telephone, tele-printer and messages by other means.
Communication
strategies can be verbal, visual, written, kinetic, symbol, electronic
communication. Verbal communication is the type of communication strategy which
involves talking to one another, face to face interaction between the teachers
and the students, students to students, teachers and students and so on. It is
the most effective and significant means of classroom interaction among
teachers and students in knowledge acquisition. It allows for immediate
feedback such that the teacher teaching can be reinforced with simple language,
voice inflection and a combination of such other physical devices. This method
of communication strategy should be encouraged in the classroom for effective
learning and to enhance students’ academic performance.
Written
communication is a communication strategy that is practiced in private
secondary schools that equally promote students’ performance in the classroom.
It occurs when the teacher presents his facts and figures on the chalk board
while explaining things to the students. It includes chalkboard summary,
writing of questions for students, giving assignment and giving students short
note to copy in the classroom. In doing this, the teacher needs to write in a
clear and simple language. The hand writing must be legible and his writing on
the chalk board must be from left to right hand side. Equally, the teacher
needs to check the students note books from time to time in order to ascertain
that correct information is written by the pupils as given by the class teacher.
Symbol communication refers to communication that
involves a shared message between the sender and receiver. Examples include
speech, signs, language, writing, pictures and tactile communication. Symbol is
anything one says or does to describe something, and is something that can have
an array of many meaning.
Electronic communication is any transfer of signs, signals, writing,
images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in
part by wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo electronic or photo optical system,
or electronic communication is the meaningful exchange of information at a
distance by technological means, particularly through electrical signals or
electromagnetic waves (Wayne et al., 2013).
In
kinetic communication the real intention of the communicator is shown through
body gestures as the eye contact, facial expression, postures, dress, and even
physical setting of the classroom (Nwankwo, 2014). This para-linguistic make
nonverbal communication to be more effective than verbal and written form of
communication.
Visual
communication is equally an effective
communication strategy in the classroom. It involves the use of relevant
pictures in conveying teacher’s message to the students. The use of teaching
aids as pictures, overhead projectors, multisensory communication system and
other instructional materials.
A
good understanding of the strategic communication could avail the classroom
teacher the opportunity to pass his/her pedagogical knowledge and skills across
to the students in the classroom with ease. This strategy occupies a central
position in the classroom daily interactions as learning only takes place when
pupil (student) understood the message of the teacher through the teaching. The
three fundamental element of effective communication in the classroom are: The
communicator (teacher), the message (the impacted knowledge), and the receiver
(students) (Salami, 2010).
The
teacher serves as a source of the message, who is obliged to teach certain
concept for students to understand and learn in the classroom. The instructional
method indicates the teacher teaching
approaches to ensure that learning takes place, the approaches includes among
others, the instructional materials, the method of teaching adopted and most
essentially the language and style of passing his/her lessons across to the
students. The receivers are the students
who are taught to learn and acquire knowledge in the class. This can only take
place when effective communication strategies occur. The reaction from the students
who are observable in their behavior, serves as a feedback to the teacher. When
the students respond positively or knowledgably to the teachers’ questions or
evaluation, then the effective communication strategies has taken place.
In the view of Salami (2010) teaching
involves a kind of communication that has an impression in the mind of the
learners in such a way that he or she accepts the desirable new experience. It
enables the skillful or professional teacher to develop the students through
certain subjects in the school curriculum in order to facilitate student’s
overall development in the school. Certain specialized knowledge and skills are
required by the teacher.
A
teacher should be academically equipped to teach effectively and confidently.
Capable of inspiring the children (students) under his care and be ready to
learn throughout life, able to meet the emotional, physical, intellectual and
social need of a child’s personality development, capable of exercising
intelligent appreciation of the global world sensitive and flexible to changes
and effective innovative practice. Ready to promote continuity of thought on
the desirable elements in the moral, cultural and social heritage of society
he/she serves. Help the students to develop thinking and scientific attitude to
life problem solving, able to help children (students) develop attitudes that
will promote the desirable solidarity and unity of the society, able to help
the children appreciate their cultural and aesthetic value. He should be able
to help students learn patterns of relationship and inter-relationship that
will help them to function effectively as members of the society.
Academic
performance in the school refers to students’ success in learning precise
curriculum content as shown by the continuous assessment and examination. Performance
is a guage of the extent of success in carrying out explicit task in a subject
matter or course of study by students after being exposed to the learning
experience (Ali, 2013). Considering the above facts, the teachers in the private
secondary school can be seen as a source of information that enhance students’
academic performance. This is the reason the researcher decided to investigate ‘Teachers’
communication strategies and students’ academic performance in private
secondary schools in Abia State’.
1.2
STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
The
ideal situation of teacher communication strategies in private secondary
schools seems to create a positive atmosphere in the learning environment. The
students can interact with their teachers in a more positive manner by
answering teachers’ questions confidently in the classroom. The communication
strategies foster the ability of students to engage in strategic learning to
construct their own meanings and in the process be able to think for themselves.
It also helps the students to perform well to achieve goals, increase
opportunity for expanded learning, strengthens the connections between students
and teachers and creates the overall experience in their academic performance.
Incidentally,
from the researcher’s observations, the communication strategies are not
effectively used in Abia State private secondary schools due to inadequate
communication strategic skills possessed by the teachers. Some teachers in most
cases cannot speak with clarity of voice audibility, some teachers talk
aggressively and most of the teachers stand at a distance to teach not minding
if the students are understanding or not. This is what is called physical
distance between communicators.
The
poor academic performance of students in external examinations like WASSCE and
NECO can be attributed to poor communication strategies. This has caused a lot
of problems like contradicting verbal,
messages, distortions, message overload, wrong timing, learners perception
problems, psychological problems, emotional instability, loss of attention and
indiscipline. This could be responsible for the deterioration of the academic performance
of some students in the private secondary schools. Quite a number of students fail
not because they have low mental abilities to cope academically or lack
readiness for learning but because of the ineffective communication strategies of
some teachers in the private secondary schools. These communication strategies
when not properly utilized can shatter the academic ambition of students in
terms of academic performance in private secondary schools. It is therefore,
based on the above observed gap that the present study seek to examine the correlation
between teachers’ communication strategies and students’ academic performance
in private secondary schools in Abia State. The problem of this study put in
question form is: What is the relationship between teachers’ communication
strategies and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in
Abia State?
1.3
PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study was to examine the teachers’ communication strategies and
students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in Abia State.
Specifically, the study sought to:
1.
Investigate the
relationship between teachers’ communication strategies and students’ academic performance.
2.
Investigate the
relationship between teachers’ verbal communication strategies and students’
academic performance.
3.
Find out how teachers’ written
communication strategies relate to
students’ academic performance.
4.
Determine the
relationship between teachers’ symbol communication strategies and students’
academic performance.
5.
Ascertain the extent
teachers’ electronic communication strategies relate to students’ academic performance.
6.
Examine the extent to
which teachers’ kinetic communication strategies relate to students’ academic performance.
7.
Ascertain the extent
teachers’ visual communication strategies
relate with students’ academic performance.
1.4
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
This
following research questions were formulated to guide the study:
1. To
what extent is the relationship between teachers’ communication strategies and
students’ academic performance?
2. To
what extent is the relationship between teachers’ verbal communication
strategies and students’ academic performance?
3. How
does teachers’ written communication strategies relate to students’ academic performance?
4. To
what extent is the relationship between teachers’ symbol communication
strategies and students’ academic performance?
5. To
what extent does teachers’ electronic communication strategies relate to
students’ academic performance?
6. To
what extent does teachers’ kinetic communication strategies relate to students’
academic performance?
7. To
what extent does teachers’ visual communication strategies relate with
students’ academic performance?
1.5
HYPOTHESES
The
following null hypotheses guided the study at 0.05 level of significance.
H01: There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ communication strategies and
students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in Abia State.
H02: There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ verbal communication
strategies and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in
Abia State.
H03: There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ written communication strategies
and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in Abia State.
H04: There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ symbol communication
strategies and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in
Abia State.
H05: There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ electronic communication
strategies and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in
Abia State.
H06: There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ kinetic communication
strategies and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in
Abia State.
H07: There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ visual communication
strategies and students’ academic performance in private secondary schools in
Abia State.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
findings of the study if implemented could be beneficial to principals,
teachers, students, parents, government at all levels, Secondary Education
Management Board (SEMB) Supervisors, future researchers and education
stakeholders.
The
principals could use the recommendation to create communication strategies to
always inform and educate students on policy formulation and implementation in
the school which could go a long way to stop students’ unnecessary tension and
conflict. Nigeria principals could also
benefit from the study in the sense that the membership of (NUT) Nigeria Union
of Teachers, who are teachers could be better informed on the use of
communication strategies for the administration of their schools.
The
study could correct some of the lapses in the private secondary schools in Abia
State by educating the teachers to understand the various communication
strategies that could enhance the academic performance of students. It could
create good school enabling environment between the teachers, principals and
students. The findings could facilitate the strength and ability of teachers to
engage on strategic teaching and construction of ideas. The use of appropriate
instructional materials could effectively enhance the students’ academic performance.
The findings could be beneficial to teacher in that they could employ the same
communication strategies for effective teaching school system.
The
findings could help the students to understand various communication strategies
used by the teachers which could help to bring about smooth and favourable
teaching and learning environment in the school. The findings of this study could
be of good guide to parents who could communicate with teachers about their
children academic affairs. It could help them to understand what the teachers
are doing and why they are doing it.
The recommendation of the study could be of a
great assistance to government to formulate policies for secondary education by
providing to the principals and teachers certain communication strategies they
should employ in their administration. It could be of immense benefit to
missionary schools, private school proprietors and non-government organizations
in the sense that the findings could make them to use appropriate communication
strategies for the smooth administration of their own secondary schools.
To the school supervisors, the findings of the
study could help them communicate effectively with both the teachers and students
during school supervision. SEMB could benefit from this study in that it could
help them formulate policies that would bring about good communication
relationship between the school management boards and the schools.
The
findings could be a source of valuable information for all stakeholders in
education, lecturers and students as a reference point and more especially to
those involved in secondary school education. Finally, it could be of great
importance for further research work in other areas of research interest in
Abia State private secondary schools, hence, adding to the available literature
in education.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
study was delimited to teachers’ communication strategies and students’
academic performance in private secondary schools in Abia State. This study
focused on the relationship between
teachers’ communication strategies and students’ academic performance, the
relationship between teachers’ verbal communication strategy and students’
academic performance, how teachers’
written communication strategy relate to students’ academic performance, the
relationship between teachers’ symbol communication strategy and students’
academic performance, the extent teachers’ electronic communication strategy
relate to students’ academic performance, the extent does teachers’ kinetic
communication strategy relate to students’ academic performance and the extent
teachers’ visual communication strategy relate with students’ academic performance.
Private secondary schools were used for the study.
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