COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １

EDU 313 - METHOD COURSES II

COMPILED BY A-MEDIA

THE CONCEPT OF DISCIPLINE, CAUSES AND SOLUTION IN THE CLASSROOM

Discipline can be viewed from different perspectives and knowledge. It can be

viewed in a negative concept such that it is defined as "an order and a form of control from
external forces such as corporal punishment". This definition is in a way not generally
acceptable or right should be viewed as a body of procedural steps including well
formulated rules through which order is maintained. Thus, discipline ensures the
maintenance of orderly and acceptable behaviour in a given society which requires some
sorts of control and self-respect.

Discipline in the classroom contexts is defined as the practice of teaching others to

obey rules or norms by using punishment to correct unwanted behaviours. In a classroom,
the teacher ensures that discipline is used to enforce the school rules, ensures students are
in safe learning environment and ensures that the routines are maintained. It is used to
teach students limits and boundaries to help them achieve their personal and academic
goals.

Cited in Ampofo (2016), Richards (2007) views indiscipline as being "lack of self-
control and disobedience resulting in blatant violation of rules and regulations which in
turns creates mayhem and commotion". He further quoted that acts of indiscipline are a
result of lack of self-discipline. According to him, it accounts for moral decadence,
displeasure and voracity.

Among the students of secondary schools, indiscipline manifests in many unruly

behaviours that are being exhibited by the students. This on its own is ruefully detrimental
to the achievement of the students' personal and academic goals.

In a case relating to the school generally, Rosen (1997) identifies ten types of
disciplinary problems among learners which - when the learners perpetrate such acts -
may lead to suspension as a way of punishing them. These are:

defiance to school authority;

class destruction;
１
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ２

truancy;

fighting;

the use of profanity;

damaging school property;

violation of school dress code;

theft or stealing;

leaving campus without permission; and

not reporting after being granted permission to leave school.

Causes of Indiscipline

The child

The child's group

The teacher

The school

The home and community

The large social order

1. The child: The child may personally be experiencing (physical, mental, social, economic
or emotional problems) from home, all these are capable of making a child to misbehave in
the class. Indiscipline can come from any angle, it may be form *physically handicapped,
slow learners, even fast learners (those that always feel they already know more than the
teacher) Some problems may even be related to eye sight, hearing problem of some of the
Students, poor Health (especially headache and fever) etc may affect and allow a child to
misbehave in class.

2. 2. Peer Group: you know when you came to school, majority of us don't know one
another, but almost all of us are now friends, It is under that this that "Social interaction"
comes into the scene, where u have come in contact and have to depend over one another
to be influential and cope in class. Peer group behavior is known the force individuals into
some patterns of behavior which may be against even such individual inner judgement and

２
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ３

conscience, the activities of peer group therefore becomes appealing to such individual
than the lesson that is to take place in the class.

3. The Teacher: teachers themselves are responsible for some of the misconduct in class
through the following:

i. Teacher's attitude towards the welfare of the Students and too disciplinarian towards
every mistakes from the students

ii. Lack of Confidence in the teacher, this mostly leads to display of immaturity in dealing
with class issues especially when the pupils see u as adult not their peers.

iii. Leadership style: in ability to effectively apply the three leadership class in class room
which are 1. Authoritative, 2. Democratic, Laissez faire, this three needs to be applied based
on situation.

The listed among others are Factors militating against effective class room Management

How to deal with indiscipline

1. Teacher's Personality: his attitude, commitment, familiarity with the pupils, gentleness.
This is evident because students look up to their teachers as role models while learning in
class therefore, the Teacher's personality needs to be attractive and seducing to the
Students.

2. Good Teaching Method: No matter how intelligent and brilliant a teacher who happens to
be the Director of the class room may be, his Teaching Method, if it is not effective and
suitable for the students individual differences is not useful. *A good Teaching Method
helps students to concentrate on the lesson* We also have supervision of the class by the
teacher, the teacher needs to be vigilant in monitoring the activities of the class.

A good physical environment and also appropriate use of punishment and reward in the
class room are also of importance to effective lesson delivery and class room

3. Constant involvement

4. Supervision

5. A good physical environment

6. Judicious use of punishment/ reward.

３
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ４

THE RELEVANCE OF RESOURCES AND MATERIALS FOR THE TEACHING OF LANGUAGE

In order to have a successful teaching and learning process, teaching materials and
resources are indispensable elements that are needed. Materials and resources in teaching
refer to the various instruments and teaching aids that a teacher uses to deliver
instructions.

Ishola (2010) described instructional materials as objects or devices that assist the
teacher to present their lessons logically and sequentially to the learners. Oluwagbohunmi
Abdul-Raheem (2014) acknowledged that instructional materials are such used by teachers
to aid their explanations and learning of subject matter making it understandable to
students during teaching and learning process.

The need for instructional aids at secondary school level is supported by Sections 4-
23 of the Nigerian National Policy on Education (NPE), (FRN, 2004). The NPE
recommended that each state and local government authority should establish Teachers’
Resources Centre, where teachers will meet for discussion, investigation, study workshops
and conferences.

The importance of instructional materials in teaching and learning cannot be

underestimated, they are indispensable and they have the following importance;

GAINING STUDENTS ATTENTION: A language teacher that wants to teach the topic
‘Formal Letter’ can bring a well prepared sample of formal letter on a cardboard or printed
(if printed could segregate each segments with colours, font or font size to differentiate
them and make it fun and easier to understand for the students). This would actually make
the teaching and learning process of the topic easier for the teacher to explain and for the
student to understand, especially when it was used by the teacher to explain the features.

CLARIFICATIONS OF TOPICS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING: A teacher of English

language that intends to teach sounds in English language can bring a chart containing a
diagram of the organs for sound production since the students cannot see their internal
organs used in the articulation of sounds.

Also a language teacher can make use of a text book instead of explaining abstractly.
For example the teacher can instruct the students or a student to read a portion from the
textbook. This process of reading the textbook and engaging the students will help them
understand better the concept the teacher is trying to explain.

４
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ５

BOOSTING AND RETENTION OF MEMORY: Jekayinfa (2012) asserts that in making

learning concrete and real, instructional materials are very important, this can be achieved
by the introduction of pictures, diagrams, videos, films etc. to the class. For instance, a
literature teacher who intends to treat a literary text [drama] ‘Othello’ by William
Shakespeare can come to the class with the film of the play. When the film is seen by the
students, it easily helps to establish the plot of the play text in the mind of the students.

FAMILIARIZES THE STUDENTS WITH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE: Students’

daily assess to materials and resources familiarize them with these subjects.

BROADENS THE STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE: The use of instructional materials can

help widen the knowledge of the students. Many materials have detailed explanations on
various topics in English language and literature which helps in the research work of the
students and also prepare them for examinations.

HELPS IN BRINGING THE WORLD TO THE STUDENTS: “Literature is seen as the

mirror of life”. Teaching materials and resources support learning as it brings the world
into the classroom when it is impossible to take them (the students) to the world. A
resourceful teacher can then bring a phonetic recording (audio), a play text film, an English
language text book, a phonetician (a professional resource person) etc. to the class to aid
the teaching and learning process.

SELECTION OF MATERIALS

The selection of materials for teaching language and literature is a very important
factor if the teaching aid is to be effective. Below are a list of criterias that can be used for
teaching language and literature.

CONNECTION TO EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: Every teacher has an objective which

he/she hopes to achieve at the end of each lesson. Materials and resources help make sure
that these objectives are realized. In order for these to happen, the teacher must make sure
that the materials and resources relate to the subject and topic which help achieve the
objective at the end of the lesson.

AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY: Instructional materials and resources to be

used must be made readily available and must be easily accessible for the teacher and
students to use or refer to at any given time. High cost of materials can serve as a
disadvantage to the availability or accessibility of any instructional material. Therefore the
cost of the material should be suitable enough and be affordable so as to avoid issues with
access to such materials.
５
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ６

TEACHER’S CAPABILITY: it is a common saying that “you cannot give what you
don’t have”. This saying also applies to the use of instructional materials in the classroom
because a teacher cannot give knowledge which he lacks. A teacher must therefore have the
ability to handle the material well before coming to introduce it in the classroom. He must
be familiar with it and must not make the mistake of hoping to impress the students by
bringing sophisticated materials which he cannot handle.

SIZE OF THE CLASS: various classes have various numbers of students. The class.
The class size must there be carefully considered in the selection of instructional materials
and resources to aid teaching and learning. Materials and to be used must be able to
articulate round the class to gain the full attention of the students and to make sure that all
students partake in the learning process. E.g. projectors can be used for larger sizes of a
classroom and textbooks or a laptop can be used for a smaller size.

AGE, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ABILITY LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE

STUDENT: The various levels of development in the students must be considered before
the introduction of any form instructional material or resource. Materials for a higher
development level should not be introduced to students of a lower stage and also materials
of a class higher than it. E.g. the introduction of an instructional material on articulation to
teach an English class of junior secondary school students, will lead to confusion as
articulation is a subject that is higher than their level. A saying goes that as you would
never feed a new born baby with Amala, so should a teacher never make the mistake of
introducing materials of higher levels to a lower class.

RESPECT FOR ALL INDIDVIDUALS: The instructional materials should not portray
profane notions such as sexism, racism etc. therefore teachers should be cautious so as not
to bring such notions into the classroom and not cause discord among students. The
instructional material should foster respect for men, women, the disabled, the minority
groups and leaders. It should portray a variety of roles and lifestyle open to people in our
world today. It should also bring out the good values that fosters and teaches good human
behavior.

Now that we have listed the importance of instructional materials and the criteria’s
for selecting them, we can now list the materials and resources that can be used for
teaching and learning language and literature at the secondary school level. They include;
Text books, Video tapes, Posters, Charts, Slides, Photographs, Speakers, Online database,
Games, Apparatus ETC.

６
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ７

Instructional charts: A chart is a combination of pictorial, graphic, numerical

materials which presents a clear visual summary.

Posters: This can be defined as a graphic representation of some strong emotional

appeal that is carried through a combination of graphic aids like pictures, cartoons lettering
and other visual arts on a placard, aimed for conveying the specific message, teaching a
particular thing, giving a general idea etc to exert a great influence on the observer.

Flashcard: Flashcards are small cards with a picture or symbol on them used both in
teaching and in development work. In the classroom, flashcards are commonly used to
teach reading.

Film Strips: It is an improvement upon slide projector. The device may be used as a
slide projector or as a film strip projector. Instead of using different slide for different
topics or more slides for one topic, one strip or piece of still film is prepared. Slides
produced on films are called film strips.

Flipchart: A flipchart is a series of sheets of paper, fastened together at the top.

When a sheet has been used, it can be „flipped‟ over the top so that the next sheet can be
used.

Work Sheet: A worksheet lists questions or activities for students or trainees to

work through. Pre-prepared worksheets can be used successfully with groups with
differing abilities or language skills because each person can work at their own pace.

Newsletter: A newsletter is an informal printed report, which is distributed to

members of a particular group in order to share information.

Cartoon: A cartoon is a simple picture of an amusing situation; sometimes it is a

satirical comment on a serious or topical issue.

THE PROBLEMS OF TEACHING AND LEARNIG LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN THE

CLASSROOM

Literature is defined by the Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary (2010) as pieces

of writing valued as works of art especially novels, plays and poems. Wikipedia defines
literature as an art of written work which can in some cases refer to published sources.

７
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ８

Generally, literature is a body of written works, it refers to writings considered to be

an art form or any single writing deemed to have artistic or intellectual value often due to
language usage different from ordinary usage.

TEACHING AND LEARNING LITERATURE-IN-ENGLISH IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN

NIGERIA

Today, the English Language curriculum comprises of two closely related subjects:
English language and Literature-in-English. While English language is the core subject for
students from primary to senior secondary level, Literature-in-English is an elective subject
for students at Senior Secondary level which helps them develop a humanistic outlook on
life through a close interaction with literary or creative works which portray a diverse
range of human thought, emotion and experiences that enables learners to gain wisdom
and understanding of the nature of human existence.

While speaking to represent the human situation through a creative, emotive use of
language, literary or creative texts are capable of offering learners aesthetic, intellectual
and emotional pleasure. Williams (1990), asserts that the learner of English as a second
language (L2) if exposed to literature-in-English, will internalize and consciously adapt the
rhythm of natural speech, economy and richness of diction, rhetorical and organizational
devices from drama, poetry and prose.

In Nigerian secondary schools, available evidence shows that students’

understanding of Literature-in-English leaves much to be desired, as well as the fact that
the subject is not properly taught by teachers.

THE PROBLEMS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING LITERATURE IN ENGLISH AT THE

SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL.

Every year, survey is being carried out to know the key factors affecting the
educational sector, most especially knotty areas in subjects being taught in the classroom.
This is in a bid to be able to proffer immediate solutions to learning problems and improve
learners learning ability.

POOR PLANNING, PEDAGOGY, AND POOR PRESENTATION

Nwodo (2011), asserts that despite the fact that the study of literature in English
offers learners the opportunity to be proficient in English, there is no dynamic and
functional literature policy on ground. She argues that a well-planned literature curriculum

８
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ９

will enhance candidates’ performance and raise the learning outcome of the subject in the
country.

METHOD OF TEACHING

In the classroom scene students tend to have issues understanding the concept of
literature in English as a result of the teaching method employed by the teacher. When the
teaching method is teacher-centered rather than being learner-centered, students get
passive, bored and distracted during the learning process; students need to be fully
engaged and be at the center of the teaching process in order to understand fully. No
wonder Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve
me and I learn”.

TEACHER SELECTION PROCESS

The process of selecting teachers to teach English literature in secondary schools is

not a rock-solid one. Most teachers who do not have grounded knowledge of what they
signed up get incapacitated in the classroom, some teachers go out of the confines of their
chosen field of study and choose to take the role of a literature teacher without having the
professional know-how. This is one common factor hindering the teaching and learning of
literature in secondary schools in Nigeria till date.

LACK OF TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP

This is rampant in most secondary schools in Nigeria. There is little or no rapport

between teachers and students, what exist is strict discipline on the part of the teachers
which instills fear in learners; this does not bode well for students of literature because the
fear of their subject teacher makes them have a strong dislike for his/her lessons and then
they end up with poor grades at the end of the term.

INCORPORATING 21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING

Most schools don’t have provision for e-learning which can boost learners
understanding of literature through the use of laptop and computers in projecting and
acting out archaic literature texts like Shakespeare texts.

POORLY EQUIPPED LIBRARIES

While school libraries are meant to be stocked with teaching and learning materials,
this is not the case in most Nigerian secondary schools. Some schools do not have a library
equipped with the latest literary texts or works students need in keeping abreast of their
９
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １０

school work and learning ahead of time; with the lack of a decent library, reading culture is
stilted in learners and their knowledge acquisition skills dwindle.

TIME ALLOTTED TO THE SUBJECT

A measly three periods per week is allotted to teaching and learning literature in
English, considering the fact that the syllabus for this subject is voluminous and it requires
a whole lot of brain work and creativity for learners and teachers, this poor timing might be
a barrier limiting in-depth understanding of literature in English.

CHALLENGES FACED BY LEARNERS IN LEARNING OF LITERATURE IN ENGLISH AT THE

SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL

UNDERSTANDING THE DICTION OF LITERATURE TEXTS: Literature students can

relate with the fact that the diction of Shakespearian texts can be difficult to understand, a
good number of English literature texts are written in old English and considering the fact
that the average secondary school student is still not versed in modern English,
understanding old English is often a herculean task. Besides, the language difficulties
students of literature experience on a constant takes out the fun in studying the course.

UNFAMILIAR CULTURE: Students grasp literary contexts having their own cultural
setting more than foreign ones. Therefore, the inclusion of foreign literature texts in
teaching literature in English might pose some difficulties on the part of learners.

LOW MOTIVATION IN LEARNING FOREIGN CULTURE: As mentioned earlier,

students have issues understanding the diction of foreign literature texts and relating to
their culture, norms and attitudes, therefore they lack enough motivation to get them
studying for each literature lesson since they feel out of sorts reading foreign literature
texts.

LACK OF CREATIVITY: Creative use of words which is the very heart of literature is
one lacking quality in literature students, they unconsciously depend on mere
memorization of information obtained in the classroom in acing their tests and exams
without making their own creative ideas and thoughts spring free.

FREQUENT CHANGES IN THE SCHOOL SYLLABUS: There are too many books to be
purchased in this particular field of learning, since some students come from less privileged
１０
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １１

homes getting these high cost books is a challenge, this makes them take up other subjects
to the detriment of literature in English.

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

REORIENTATION FOR LITERATURE TEACHERS: Teachers of literature in English at

the secondary school level should be re-evaluated and re-oriented in the area of lesson
planning, choice of literature texts, method of teaching, and general disposition towards
teaching the subject.

SCREENING FOR LITERATURE TEACHERS: This field of learning should be occupied

by only qualified and professional teachers of literature in order to assure that students of
literature in English would be equipped with the much needed set of skills and attitudes
they need in grasping literary concepts.

PERSONAL RESPONSE APPROACH: Teachers should encourage students to relate

the themes of the text to personal experiences, also encourage students to express feelings
towards the issues of the text.

INFORMATION BASED APPROACH: For this approach, literature teachers should

follow the following steps:

Elicit information from students about the text.

Explain the content of the text to the class.

Ask questions to check students’ knowledge based on what they have read.

Provide students with background information.

Government and NGOs should provide recommended literary texts for use in the
classroom. Also, a functional library should be provided to aid teaching and learning
activities.

Conclusively, the importance of Literature-in-English as a field of study for senior

secondary students in Nigerian schools in inculcating good values, creative skills and
attitudes and an insight in the world or creative imagination evident in literary texts and
plays cannot be over-emphasized. The problems and challenges experienced in this field
can be fixed if the government, school management, teachers, learners and stakeholders,
can form a united front and be intentional about bringing about positive change in the
teaching and learning of Literature-in-English while following the steps mentioned above.

１１
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １２

PLACE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN NIGERIA

Before the place of the English language can be rightly discussed, some key terminologies
need to be carefully explained to enable understanding.

What is English Language?

English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and
eventually a global lingua franca. The language is closely related to Frisian and low Saxon
and its vocabulary has been significantly influenced by other Germanic languages,
particularly Norse and to a greater extent by Latin and French. English has developed over
the course of more than 1,400 years. It is spread across 3 periods namely; Old English (450-
1100 B.C), Middle English (1100-1500B.C), and Modern English (1500 till date). English
has become the leading language of international discourse and the lingua franca in many
regions and professional contexts such as science, navigation and law. It is the largest
language by number of speakers and the most-spoken native language in the world. It is the
most widely learned second language and is either the official language or one of the official
languages in almost 60 sovereign states. It is a co-official language of the UN, EU, and many
other world and regional international organizations.

What is Curriculum?

Curriculum is derived from the Latin word “currere” meaning “to run”. Thus, curriculum is
the medium to realize the goals and objectives of teaching a particular subject of study.
Mkpa (1987:12) defined curriculum as a vehicle through which the school drives towards
the achievement of educational ends, be it those of the national, local government or even
the community. The curriculum must be planned to suit the changing time as according to
different times. It includes everything that is currently the input to the system of education,
involving what is planned to take place both inside and outside of the classroom, under the
direction of the school.

In Nigeria, the responsibility of education is shared between the federal, state and local
government. The federal ministry of education regulates and ensure its quality. The
country requires nine years of mandatory education; six years of primary school and three
years of junior secondary. The Nigerian curriculum for the secondary schools is made up of
minimum of ten subjects. Among these subjects, taught from the curriculum, there are
different groups of the curriculum. There are the core subjects, the prevocational electives
and non-prevocational electives. These subject combination for the secondary schools must
１２
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １３

be picked from each of these groups so as to help train up the child and develop in the child
life survival skills.

Secondary education is the education that children received after Primary Education and
before the tertiary stage (NPE, 2004). The secondary level is like a bridge between
elementary and higher education. It prepares the young students between the ages of 12
and 17 majorly for entry into higher education. The various types of schools offering
secondary education in Nigeria are: federal government funded and managed schools,
federal and state government funded schools; and private schools.

Secondary schools in Nigeria is a 6-year programme that is made up of two arms which are
Junior Secondary School and Senior Secondary School. The secondary school centres on
training and preparing the students development, their strength for certain chosen
professions. The junior secondary education is the education the child receives
immediately after the primary education. The secondary school education aims to provide
a child with diverse basic knowledge and skills, cultivate values and offer diversified
curriculum to cater for the different talents, opportunities and future roles. It also raise the
children’s moral, inspire national consciousness among others.

Language Issues in Secondary Schools

Clearly, the need of reading and comprehending texts in the mother tongue is different
from that in a foreign language. Literacy and education are essential tools for self-reliance
and economic empowerment in the Nigeria of our tomorrow.

Long before independence, the medium of instruction in what is now known as secondary
school was English language. Gradually, shift in the medium of instruction at all levels was
made from English to mother tongue/regional dialect. Currently, only the primary schools
(even though not all) start their basic education in their Mother Tongue while at the
secondary school level, English is used from J.S.S.1 to S.S.S.3.

English Language as a Subject

The English language curriculum comprises two closely related subjects which are English
Language and Literature-in-English. English Language is a core subject for students from
primary up to the tertiary institution and at the secondary school level. Literature-in-
English is an elective subject for students at the senior secondary level, that is, S.S.S.1 to
S.S.S.3.

１３
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １４

English as a core subject, at least a credit is required for the furtherance of a person’s and
this shows the importance attached to it. Due to the place of multilingualism existing in our
communication, a general language has to be used to teach the students in a class as most
time such students may not be from the same cultural background and this causes a
language problem if the language of instruction is to be picked from the indigenous
languages. In order for generality and linkage between the students, the English language
has come to stand as a unifying factor in enabling students learn and accept instructions
better.

Also, the English language is a literary language in our schools, the books that are written in
our indigenous languages – that is if any – are just a handful. Most of the books found in the
library, some of which are Nigerians and other non-Nigerian authors, are written in the
English language. Books help us to communicate and discover what the world far beyond
us looks like. Therefore, since almost all books of the school library are written in English
language. This helps in building a child’s vocabulary and also propagating the need for
students to have a good command of the English language.

Over the years, English language has come to be an international language as there are
approximately 1.5billion people speaking English and most of them are not native speakers.
Therefore, the English language has got a very wide claim round about the world. Students
going for competitions, seeking scholarships after their secondary education to further
their studies outside the country will have to have a very good command of the English
language to make way. A Wales Slogan says “if you want to get ahead, you must get an
English head”. In order to go far in the world that is fast revolving and globalising, a good
command of the English language is needed and this has to be taught in our schools
effectively.

The Place of the English Language in the Curriculum

The English language is regarded as the backbone of all other subjects taught in secondary
school because English language is a medium of instruction. In most secondary schools in
Nigeria, in fact, the English language is one of the few core subjects recommended for
secondary schools in the National Policy on Education even for science based students. It is
pertinent that the English language is properly taught so that pupils can have effective
mastery of the subject because of the emphasis laid on it. The political and social
circumstances in Nigeria made the use of English language imperative, not only as a foreign
language but also as an official language. All forms of education are realised through
language. Hence, education and language are inseparable. Since English language in Nigeria
plays the role of a second language, due to the multilingual factors in the country, it is,
１４
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １５

therefore, a very salient point to consider in human development which comes through
education.

Also, the English language in Nigeria is the language of instruction, a compulsory

subject and a yardstick for evaluating a learner’s school performance. The language of
instruction must be familiar with the learners and this is the place of the English language
in secondary schools in Nigeria. Therefore, the English language is indispensable to
education in Nigeria. Thus, it helps students develop life goals and aid human development.

The English language has occupied a colossal position in the Nigerian educational
system. The missionaries were the first to establish schools in Nigeria. Their main aim was
to train people who will propagate the gospel. When the British government took over the
running of the schools in Nigeria, they harmonised the subjects taught in the different
missionary schools. Later, they came up with a policy that made the English language a core
subject as well as the language of instruction in the 1887 education ordinance.

Due to all these, many Nigerians strove to learn English as competence in it was a
means of survival and a yardstick for employment in almost all organisations. Prior to the
independence till date, the English language has not changed much but has remained pivot
of education in Nigeria. Competence in English is seen as an index of academic excellence,
though, the yardstick for measuring academic performance.

Aims of English Language as its Place in the Curriculum

The aims of the English Language curriculum at senior secondary level are to enable
learners to:

broaden and deepen the language competence they have developed through basic
education so that they are able to use the language with increasing proficiency for an all-
round development;

develop and prepare themselves for further studies, vocational training or work;

further develop their interest and confidence in using English as their understanding and
mastery of the English language growth;

further broaden their knowledge, understanding and experience of cultures in which

English is used; and

further develop learning, how to learn skills and positive values and attitudes and to meet
the needs of our rapidly changing knowledge-based society.
１５
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １６

The English language in secondary school had a clear objective spelt out in the National
Curriculum for Senior Secondary School (2004) as to achieve a high level of proficiency in
the Nigerian students’ use of the English language, preparing students for tertiary and
vocational education for the world of work after learning.

LANGUAGE SITUATION IN NIGERIA

Language, according to Lehman (1976: 4), is a system for the communication of meaning
through words. This definition seems a bit deficient as it does not cover all aspects of
language.

Osisanwo (2008: 1) opines that language is human vocal noise or the arbitrary graphic
representation of this noise, used systematically and conventionally by memebers of a
speech community for the purposes of communication.

On a general note, language can be seen as how humans use spoken and written words as a
mean of communication, or a non-verbal means of communication between animals on one
hand and humans on the other hand. It is simply the system of communication which has
its own convention and special words. It is a system by which sounds, signs and gestures
are used to communicate meaning.

With over 400 ethnic groups and well over 450 languages, Nigeria is a mult-lingual and
multi –cultural country where diverse customs and cultures co-exist. Its linguistic and
cultural diversity can be said to have contributed to her rich heritage. In Nigeria, People of
an ethnic group are identified by the languages spoken in their community. For instance,
the three largest ethnic groups are Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo languages respectively. Other
large groups and languages are Edo, Ijaw, Ibibio, Fulani, Efik, Kanuri, Ebira, Nupe and Tiv.
The micro minority groups include the Ekweres, Igala, Idoma. Isoko, Ishekiri, etc.

It seems quite unbelievable that of all these indigenous langauages, none has been
considered intelligible enough to stand as the national language of the country. Though not
officially declared in the Nigerian constitution as the official language of the federal
republic of Nigeria, English is the dominant language in Nigeria as it functions as the
language of administration, education, business and commerce, the press and international
relations. The three major languages in Nigeria, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo are predominantly
spoken and used for communication in the regions where they are localized.

１６
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １７

The fear of the marginalization of the minority groups by the majority groups is mainly
responsible for the inability of the country to design a National language policy. In absence
of a national language, English which is learned and spoken as a second language in the
country, has to assume the position of, and is accepted as the unofficial official language of
Nigeria.

To fully grasp the complexity of Nigeria’s linguistic situation, it is crucial to study the
historical overview of the traditional societies from the past to the present. Thus, it is
pertinent to discuss the ethno-linguistic history so as to comprehend in its entirety, the
language situation in Nigeria.

As Fafunwa (1974) opines that history is to a nation what memory is to an individual…”

There is no today without yesterday. History is thus important in order to understand the
past, appreciate the present and project the future.

Language Situation in the Pre-colonial Era

As in the Anglophone countries, such as several parts of Asia and Africa, missionaries from
Britain came into Nigeria at the beginning of the 19th century to spread Christianity….“the
colonial masters organized different ethnic groups into a political unit for ease of
governance and economic exploitations,paying less attention to their cultural and linguistic
diversities” ( Rodney ,1973).

Before , Nigeria came in contact with Europe and colonialization, existed as a sprawling
territory of diverse ethnic groups, with each group having a distinct (and to some extent
overlapping) historical, linguistic, cultural patterns expressed in traditional socio-political,
educational and religious system.(Ajayi and smith 1964, Dike 1956, Enoch 1996).
Neverthless, to determine the exact number of language indigenous to Nigeria is a daunting
task as estimates have ranged from 2000 to over 4000(lawal 2000). In the north
hemisphere, there existed the Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, maba, eggon and the nupe, etc. In the
southern protectorate are the Yoruba,Igbo,Edo efik and the Ibbio, etc. Thses ethnic groups
were in constant contact with one another through various economic activities and military
expansionism. From the viewpoint of history, it is understood that there were really no
completely isolated tribe, rather, there were different socio-political interaction among the
ethnic groups that constitute what is today known as Nigeria (Ajayi, 1961).

These contacts and transactions bought about linguistic and cultural exchange. Cultural and
linguistic contact, no doubt, led to linguistic borrowing and adaptation of new vocabularies
and patterns but not necessarily linguistic domination and annexation. Thus, it can be

１７
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １８

argued that linguistic diversities have always been part of the people living around the
Niger. For instance there are lot of cognate words in Hausa and Yoruba that suggests that
the two language came in contact at the some point in history. Another type of linguistic
contact that Nigeria experienced happened in the late sixteenth century when british
missionaries and traders came into the coastal regions of lagos and calabar
( Omamor ,1991; etugbe ,1995; Egbokhare ;2001; Esizimetor 2002; Adegbija , 2003 and
Esizimetor, 2010). While the missionaries were concerned with Christian evangelization,
the merchants were interested in slave trade. After the abolition of slave trade in 1807,
some of the Nigerian taken as slaves who had acquired western education came back home
with English as a foreign asset and would later serve as an interpreters and copyists to the
missionaries. One of them was the popular Samuel Ajayi crowther who translated the
English bible into Yoruba language (Huber, 1999). This was the beginning of the
implantation of English in Nigeria .with this historical position, one can conclude that
English predates colonialization in Nigeria.

LANGUAGE SITUATION AT THE COLONIAL ERA

English became the colonial tool with which the new territory would be administered
when Britain took over as the colonial power in Nigeria. Hence, English became the
language of administration. (Bamghose 1991 , Lawal 2004). It was the language to be used
in official domain of the lives of the colonized. Also, as the missionaries established more
schools and propagated the gospel message and western education, English grew to be the
prestigious language of the educated.

In 1882, the colonial government intervened in the system of education by promulgating a

law that made English, the language of instruction at schools and as a subject that must be
taught at all stages of educational growth ( Adetugbo, 1979). The indigenous language were
however allowed to be taught in schools alongside English (but not as the primary medium
of communication)

The attitude of people in the southern part of the country was more positive than that of
the north. People in the south readily sent their children to schools to be educated in
English. The religious proselytes had baptismal names in English. Thus English assumed
another economic function in that, it become a ladder to attaining social mobility under the
imperial government. Hence, English became dignified as the language of the upper class
and the elites.

In the Northern region, the response and attitudes to English was quite different. The
Christian evangelism was not successful in the north, thus the western education that was
１８
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 １９

projected along with the gospel message finds it difficult to diffuse easily through the north.
The use of English in the north was restricted only to the traditional Hausa/Fulani feudal
class. The Hausa took to their Arabo- Asiatu language and their Islamic religion .Only a very
small percentage of them embraced Christianity.

This dichotomy still exist today between the north and the south along linguistic, cultural
and religious lines. The colonial authority of those days amalgamated the southern and the
northern protectorates for ease of governance without considering the aforementioned
differences that exist between them.Thereby made English the official national language to
administer the linguistically , culturally as well as religiously heterogenous state.

LANGUAGE SITUATION OF THE POST- COLONIAL ERA

The linguistic situation in the post –colonial Nigeria is so complex and complicated that the

description of the complexity has been alluded to the biblical tower of babel. The first tier
of language found in Nigeria is the exogenous (English) language bequeathed to the nation
by the colonial rulers. Today, English has grown to become the official national language of
Nigeria and continues to play important roles in the nation as the language of education,
Media, Religion (especially the penetecostal Christian faith) language of politics,
governance and law. It is also the language of the elites and the first language for some
Nigerians. Furthermore, the basilectal variety of the English language in Nigeria called the
Nigerian Pidgin is a neutral language spoken across every ethnic and social boundary in the
nation. Other exogenous languages with less influence are Arabic and French. The Arabic
language has a major political and religious weight in the northern part of the country. It is
now the language of Islamic Education across the country after Usman Dan Fodio Jihad war
between (1804-1808).

The present language ethnigraphy records over five hundred and twenty one languages
and ethnic groups in Nigeria. These indigenous languages have been classified as majority
languages based on the population of the speakers.

LANGUAGE SITUATION IN NIGERIA CURRENTLY

In all these, the language situation in Nigeria currently is the place of English language as
the official language of Nigeria among other factors. Due to the fact that it has come to take
place as the official language of Nigeria. English is the language of education and inter
ethnic communications. To buttress this point, an allusion was made to the statement of the
National Policy on Education in relation with the place of English language in Nigerian
schools. This is that as English is being used as the medium of instruction in the Nigerian
１９
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ２０

schools, so is it being taught as a subject across all levels of education in Nigeria. The reality
is quite far from what is the policy document. What we need to know is what role is given
to a particular language at the expense of the others? Being subjects in the Nigerian schools,
others are optional of being learnt but some are mandatory as the case may be.

As language teacher in training, you need to get the curriculum of the subject you want to
teach so as not to become a cheater while trying to be a teacher. The curriculum of a
language teacher in secondary schools is integrated. Therefore, teachers of English
Language also teach Literature. For all what we might have exposed to in the faculty (the
faculty of Education), we are expected to perform better than those not in Education.

Before independence, the British colonists amalgamated or brought together what is now
known as Nigeria. These different people that were brought together from different parts
of what is now known as Nigeria were from different tribes with different languages,
cultures, practices and behaviours. A unifying factor had to bring them together because
they virtually had nothing in common. The language of the colonists which was the English
language was, therefore, the unifying factor that brought all these different people together
and united them to become one. In essence, the problem of multilingualism factor in
Nigeria has led to the stability and promotion of English language in Nigeria.

PRINCIPLES OF TEXTBOOK SELECTION AND ULTILIZATION

Literary work selection is a crucial component of all secondary school

literature in English curricula. Several literary works have been selected and excluded over
the years. As a teacher who is to select a literary work of art to be used among secondary
school students, one must make important decisions in regards to what literary work will
be included and used to educate the students. The teacher must follow professional
guidelines by the school as well as larger organizations such as the Ministry of Education,
examination bodies such as WAEC, NECO e.t.c. Also, the Teacher must consider certain
factors while selecting a literary work. These factors will not only help the teacher in
selecting suitable literary text to work with the student’s level of academic prowess, it will
also help the teacher in achieving the class behavioral objectives.

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHILE SELECTING A LITERARY WORK OF ACT FOR USE

AMONG A GROUP OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.

２０
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ２１

1. BACKGROUND: CULTIRAL AND PARENTAL: The cultural and parental background of an

individual is very essential to the level of knowledge that is digested by the learner in the
classroom. Cultural and parental background goes a long way in a child’s education as it
determines the mentality and perspective from which a learner views the classroom
teachings and other school activities.Culture itself has strong influence on parenting as the
beliefs and principles of their tradition is admitted into a process that have direct
implication on the type of training and education the children receives at home and how
they visualize the ones they receive in school. Therefore, the teacher must have researched
on the various culture and parental background of the students so as not to select any
literary work that will contradict or trigger negative thoughts towards their culture and
parental upbringing.

2. CONTENT: In selection of literary work for students of the secondary schools, there is
need for the teacher to consider the content of the text he/she wants to select. As a result,
he/she will consider the following:

i. Language Usage: Appropriate use of language must be adopted i.e the selected literary
work must be free from foul and violent languages that can corrupt the mind of the
students which might indirectly have adverse effect on their attitudes in the society. The
Teacher must also ensure that language of the selected literary text is not too ambiguous or
difficult for the students to understand.

ii. Subject Matter: The Teacher must look out for the subject matter to see if it conforms
with the curriculum. The teacher must also inspect what the moral lessons of the text are,
considering that reading a text by the teacher and students should respectively go beyond
the aim of doing it without making any impact on the students and the society at large. By
this, we can say, teaching and learning has taken place.

iii. Content Accuracy: The content of the literary act must be accurate i.e error free, well
arranged and organized, meaningful e.t.c. A well appreciated work of literature is one that
is acceptable both at the national and international level. This will help learners acquire
knowledge as their counterparts across the world are acquiring.

3. USABILITY: Considering the usability of a text selection, the teacher must be able to look
into the present age and century, happenings in the society, age of the learner and what the
students stand to gain. Teaching of language should be focused on it synchronicity. As a
result, present situation or happenings should be a determining factor in selection of a text.
For example, a work written in the 1890s to correct certain societal illnesses might not be
useful in the present age. The teacher must therefore be up to date before he/she
２１
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ２２

determines the text to select. Example: Harvest of corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche can
be selected in fighting the corruption practices in Nigeria; A man of the people by Chinua
Achebe centers on the political illness which is applicable to the Nigerian society. All these
can be useful to enlighten and broaden the mind if the learners the current happenings.

4. LEVEL OF STUDENTS’ INTELLIGENCE: Literacy act to be chosen should be one that can
be easily understood and analysed by the students. It should not be difficult to comprehend,
it should be one within their own intellectual capability as secondary school students.

5. ACCESSIBILITY: The teacher must ensure that the selected literary work must be
obtainable without stress. This will encourage each student to get a copy which will go a
long way in ensuring the students’ active participation in classroom. It will be tactical that
recommended texts for whatever subject at secondary school level be made available in the
school premises.

References

Juliana Chinwe Njoko (2017). English Language, the Nigerian Educational System and
Human Development

Onbabor, O. A. (2014). An Evaluation of the Current English Language Curriculum in

Nigerian Secondary Schools

National Policy on Education 4th Edition (2004).

Singh, Y. K. (2010). Primary and Secondary Education

Journal of language and linguistic studies, page 82-95.

www.researchgate.net

Abe, E.A (1991), Functional Reading: A focus on the J.S.S Literary and Reading in Nigeria 5,
277-282.

Anthony, JC (2011) Gender as a determinant of Achievement in Literature-In-English.

Unpublished M.ED project, University of Ibadan.

２２
COMPILED BY A-MEDIA 09123315386 ２３

THE END.

Compiled by A-MEDIA : 09123315386.

Compiled by A-MEDIA : 09123315386.

２３