LANGUAGE NEEDS OF AGRICULTURE STUDENTS: IN AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE

No Thumbnail Available
Date
1994
Authors
OSHAGBAMI, IBIDAPO ELIZABETH (MRS)
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study is an attempt to c e r t i f y the language needs of a g r i c u l t u r e students offering courses in Agricultural Technology, Agricultural Engineering Technology, Home Economics, Animal Health and Production, and H o r t i c u l t u r e and Landscape Technology in Ahmadu Bello University constituent and a f f i l i a t e d Colleges of Agriculture. The study was concerned with the general and the specialised use to which the students are to put English, The study is considered s i g n i f i c a n t because it is the f i r s t of i t s kind in the colleges concerned. The data for the study were c o l l e c t e d through the administration of two s e t s of questionnaires - t h e s t u d e n t s ' and academic staff. The students' questionnaire contained 37 items and was administered to 268 s t u d e n t s . The s t a f f questionnaire contained 32 items and was administered to 29 l e c t u r e r s and Heads of Section. In the questionnaires, the researcher sought to find out the importance attached to the four language s k i l l s in performing g e n e r a l , a g r i c u l t u r a l and laboratory t a s k s . Also sought is to find the relevance of essay t o p i c s , comprehension passages and vocabulary taught in E n g l i s h Language to their agricultural courses. • . The findings revealed that the four language s k i l ls ( l i s t e n i n g , speaking, reading and writing) were considered important in performing general and agricultural tasks. From the ranking of the s k i l l s , it was revealed that each of the s k i l l s was more important for specific agricultural tasks than others. The result of the analysis of both sets of responses showed that the English Language course need to include listening speaking, reading and writing exercises and learning of vocabulary relevant to the students1 specializations. To improve the students' language performance, it was recommended that language syllabus should include what students need to help them perform their agricultural tasks easily and such that are relevant to t h e i r courses. Also, relevant text books of English language for agriculture students are urgently needed.
Description
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA 1994.
Keywords
LANGUAGE,, NEEDS,, AGRICULTURE,, STUDENTS:,, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY COLLEGES,, AGRICULTURE
Citation
Collections