ABSTRACT
The
study investigated teaching and learning prose: a study of Oko-Afo Senior Secondary
School and Government Senior College, Badagry. The researcher mode use of 50
secondary school students and 10 teachers from two different school in Badagry
Local Government and five research questions were also used to test the opinion
of the students. The researcher also used simple percentage. Suggestion and
recommendations were mode.
TABLE OF
CONTENT
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Content vii
Chapter One
1.0 Introduction
1
1.1 Background
to the study 1
1.2 Statement
of the problem 5
1.3 Purpose
of the Study 6
1.4 Research
questions 6
1.5 Significance
of the study 7
1.6 Limitations
of the study 8
1. 7 Delimitations
of the study 9
Chapter Two
2.0 Literature
Review 10
2.1 The
Concept of Literature 10
2.2 Prose
as a Genre 13
2.3 Characteristic
/ Features of Prose 16
2.4 An
Overview of the chosen data 20
2.5 Issues
in Teaching and learning of prose in Nigeria 21
2.6 Instructional
materials and students' performance in prose 25
Chapter Three: Research Methodology
3.0 Introduction 32
3.1 Research
Design 32
3.2 Population
of the Study 32
3.3 Sample
and Sampling Technique 33
3.4 Research
instrument 33
3.5 Validity
of Instrument 34
3.6 Reliability
of Instrument 34
3.7 Method
of Data Collection 35
3.8 Method
of Data Presentation 35
3.9 Method
of Data Analysis 35
Chapter Four: Presentation of Data
Analysis
4.0 Introduction
37
4.1 Presentation
of Data 37
4.2 Analysis
of Research Questions 45
4.3 Discussion
of Findings 47
Chapter
Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
5.2 Conclusion 48
5.3 Conclusion 49
References 51
Appendix 55
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUNDTO THE STUDY
According
to Aristotle(1956) in his book "Peotic" literature is defined as
serious enterprise bringing out its special differentiating qualities,
demonstrating its functions, and vindicates literature against those who consider
it useless or immoral page (20)
Literature
refers to any kind of composition 'in prose or verse which has for its purpose
not the communication of facts but the telling of a story or the giving of
pleasure through some use of the inventive imagination in the employment of word.
Literature by implication springs from our in-born live of narrating a story or
experiences. It is the totality of man's action in his social environment
GENRES
OF LITERATURE
All literary
works are grouped under three basic classes. These classes are technically termed
genres. The three branches of literature constitute the component parts of
imaginative or artistic creative work. Have the following.
·
DRAMA
·
PROSE/NOVEL
·
POETRY
The basic
difference in this various divisions depends on the narrative language used in
each of them.
NATURE
OF PROSE
Prose
basically refers to all types of writing that use the normal linguistic apparatus,
marked by plain sentences, paragraphs and chapters, as distinct from drama and
poetry. It is unique as a form of story telling art characterized by a subject matter.
Prose
means an ordinary form of spoken or written language. It is arranged in verses
and rhymes. It comes, in sentences form through dialogue and conversation, the
sentences are added together to make paragraphs. Prose is a genre(s) of literature
which is one of the subjects in the school curriculum. It explains, describes
and narrates events.
Adejumo
(2003) claims that ''prose simply means story telling" It requires that usual
comprehensive skill that has the ability to identify the imagery or figurative
expression used in the chapters.
Prose
demands the individual interest, dedication, commitment and, time. It should be
noted that even English language which is considered very important cannot stand
without literature and there is no way a teacher will teach Iiterature without
English prose being integrated in it.
TYPES
OF PROSE
There
are sub-genres of prose like short story, the novel, novella and the novelette.
The
Short Story: This is the shortest form of prose that
shares all that features of an averages novel. The short story simply distances
itself from the novel by its length or coverage. It is absolutely complete on its own, in
terms of presentation of characters, setting and theme.
The
Novel: The novel is the
most ambitious of the sub-genres of prose. It relates its story in manners resembling
the others sub-genres, nonetheless, it does this through a rational
coverage. It is total and wide ranging
in its coverage of those actions presented. Moreover, characters are wholly
developed, with well marked-out complexities, presented in a relaxed manner.
The
Novella: The word novella is an Italian word applied by the
Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio. It is known as the intermediary prose form;
this is varied between the short story and novel, equally sharing all the
qualities of the novel. It reveals a
natural tendency of being longer than the short story but shorter than the
novel.
The
Novelette: The novelette is
another Italian word for the genres which is an anthology of short
stories. More than one story is
incorporated within the volume of novelette.
The problems
encountered in teaching and learning of prose and the suggestion of possible
solutions as well as what should be the teachers role in teaching and learning
of prose constitute our focus in this study.
Over
the years the rate at which students fails their final examinations especially
in literature (prose) has given causes for public concern. The achievements of students in WASC
examinations for the past five years was nothing to write on according to Momoh
(2010). Many blame the government for
this deficiency while others believe that parents and even teachers are parties
to the failure of the students themselves.
It is therefore against this back chop that we decided to carry out this
research in other to find solution to the stated problems and possibly improve
the teaching and learning of prose in schools.
It
is our believed that having outlined the problems of teaching and learning the
above subject. Useful recommendations
and suggestions for overcoming such problems could then be offered with a view
to improving the teaching and Iearning of prose (literature) not only in the
selected schools, but also for others offering the course as well. Education planners Curriculum developments,
teachers, student and others concerned individual could find this project
useful.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The
study is to find possible solution to making the teaching and learning of prose
effective in Oko-Afo Senior Secondary School and
Government
Senior College, Badagry. The following problems are outlined.
First
the problem of qualified teacher is a great hindrance that affects the teaching
of prose in schools.
Second
the issue of overcrowding in class of literature (prose) makes learning
ineffective in a literature class.
Also,
the, problem, of instructional materials is another issue facing student’s
performance in English literature.
However
the problem of irrelevant textbooks affects the effectives of prose teaching.
1.3 PURPOSE
OF STUDY
This
research project is designed to investigate the following.
1. To identify
and examine the cause of the problems of the students failures in literature in
external examinations.
2. To
investigate the teachers role in teaching prose in our data.
3. To examine
factors that enhances and negates the teaching and learning of prose in Oko-Afo
Senior Secondary School and Government Senior College Badagry.
4. To proffer
possible solution to make the teaching and learning of prose meaningful.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
following are raised to guide the research study in finding solutions to
problems of teaching and learning of prose in Oko-Afo Senior Secondary
School
and Government Senior College Badagry.
1. What are the
causes of students' failure in literature in examinations?
2. To what
extent does the teacher of literature contribute in students’ performance in
the learning of literature in schools?
3. What factors
enhance and negate the students learning literature in schools?
4. What is the
solution to effectives teaching and learning of literature in our chosen data?
5. What are the
criteria for choosing textbooks at secondary school level?
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
teacher and student of English will find the result of this study helpful in
many ways.
1. It could
serves as sources of further knowledge in solving problems that might be militating
against the effective teaching and learning of prose.
2. This research project will help teachers
in Oko-Afo senior secondary
Schools
and government senior college Badagry and help students development their
vocabulary and reading speed.
3. It also
hoped that this project will help the students to re-shape their reading
ability and vocabulary.
Some
useful information derived from the result of this research could be a description
about the nature of materials used for teaching of prose, the attitude of
teachers towards the subject English and the students. The project will help the teacher to rectify
the deficiency in the subject.
The
importance of this project study could be felt when most of the solution
suggested' are put into practice. Potentials
researchers could find the result useful to them and may serve as stepping
stone to provoke further research studies:
1.6 LIMITATIQN OF THE STUDY
The
research tend to make this research study to be of immense value to the
teaching and learning of prose in Oko-Afo Senior Secondary Schools and
Government Senior College Badagry, it should be comprehensive enough to take care
of all secondary schools.
The
study is limited to Oko-Afo Senior Secondary School and Government Senior
College Badagry while selected samples were obtained from the students and
teachers.
The research
work is limited to only novels as a sub-genre of prose.
1.7 DELIMITATION
OF THE STUDY
The
study is delimited to the problems of teaching and learning prose in two
selected schools in Badagry. The researchers delimit the research work to
Oko-Afo Senior Secondary School and Government Senior College Badagry.
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