THE LEVEL OF ORAL ENGLISH PERFORMANCE OF PUPILS IN SELECTED PRIMARY SIX CLASSES IN ZARIA
THE LEVEL OF ORAL ENGLISH PERFORMANCE OF PUPILS IN SELECTED PRIMARY SIX CLASSES IN ZARIA
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Date
1986
Authors
OGUNROMBI, DEBORAH JOLADE,
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Abstract
For the Nigerian child, the knowledge and skills he has to
master by the end of primary education are given through the medium of
English language. English is therefore an important tool and a mastery
of its skills should enhance the child's educational and career progress.
This study is interested in finding out the level of oral English
performance of primary pupils in their final year.
Some 120 primary-six pupils from four schools represented four
geographical locations within Zaria township and three approaches to
the learning of English as a medium of Education in Nigeria. The four
schools showed effects of some identified extra-language variables on
their performances. The variables are: language facilities, language
environment at home and school, the parents' level of education and
the ages of the pupils.
The tools of the study included three tests, namely: the
listening comprehension, the oral reading and the free response tests
as well as the school observation reports.
The study's findings are:-
(1) That most of the subjects scored passing grades in the listening
comprehension tests due to a familiarity with similar exercises
in their previous school experiences.
(2) That conversely, most of the subjects scored poorly in both
the oral reading and the free response tests due to an inadequate
and irregular exposure to the learning and use of English language.
(3) That of all the variables, the availability of language facilities
or otherwise language environment of the school and the age at
which the subjects got exposed to the learning and use of English had
more significant effects on their performance.
(4) That the age variable was positive when subjects got exposed to
learning English early, and negative when the exposure was
irregular and late. This is a singular and established finding
of this study.
The study recommends:-
(1) That testing oral English at the primary school level, which is
at present rather neglected and new, should be encouraged for its
beneficial wash-back effects on language teaching at all school
levels.
(2) That the methods used by those primary schools who got their
pupils exposed early to the learning and use of English language
with such significantly beneficial results be recommended for all
primary schools based on the outcomes of this study.
Description
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
(T E S L)
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA
1986.
Keywords
LEVEL,, ORAL,, ENGLISH,, PERFORMANCE,, PUPILS,, SELECTED,, PRIMARY SIX