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ABSTRACT
This study investigates the teachers’ behaviour and its effect on the learning of English in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. The research adopted survey design. The sample used in the study is 160 respondents from 4 public secondary schools. The random sampling technique was used, the method for data collection was self-structured instrument. The findings in the study show that teachers’ behaviours such as lateness, excessive corporal punishment, over self-confident, constant correcting students’ speech, being unfriendly to the students, have negative impacts on students’ achievement in English. The study therefore recommends that the teacher of English should endeavour to make effective use of instructional materials as it goes a long way in making the class lively and rich, the school administrators should also ensure that the teachers of English are strictly supervised on the manner at which they carry out their duty, and the government should employ more qualified teachers of English to ease the problem of students’ population explosion.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
There are many factors which affect students’ learning in secondary schools, either negatively or positively. One factor is the teachers’ behaviour. This work thus examines the teacher’s behaviour and its impact on students in learning of the English language.
1.1 Background of the Study
Teachers’ attitude affect students’ performance and bad attitude to teaching is a universal problem which occurs in both developed and undeveloped nations. Research in psychology has shown that the effect teachers have on students is largely determined by students’ psychological responses to what the teacher does (Doyle, 1979 & Shuell, 1996).
According to Shuell (1996), Psychological Model of Perception, what students learn in the classroom, is determined by the way learners perceive, interpret and process information in the instructional situation, hence, a lot is expected of the teacher of English as a second language. They are the models and the cynosure of all because they possess the key (English language) to success of every student of English. The teachers of English have a task which demands not only their being proficient in the language, but also their possession of other behavioural qualities that help them perform the task. There is the need for an English teacher to apply the psychology of learning. This includes taking into consideration the background of the learner, individual differences, organise and select interrelated material into a framework, motivate by arousing the interest of the learner towards a goal which is preset, and also rewarding the students for their efforts. One behaviour that is being avoided by an English teacher is to be autocratic in the instructional process, rather, he should be familiar with the varieties of approaches and methods of teaching.
Nevertheless, in teaching and learning situation, there are various factors to be considered such factors include students or learners, the subject matter to be taught and the teacher. This means that, in the process of teaching, the teacher, the subject matter and the learners are important factor for successful teaching and learning. However, because many believe that poor performance in learning English is student-centered. This may sound true or false to the hearer. Hence, this work will examine how the teacher is one important factor that affects students’ comprehension of English.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
For many years now there have been expressed concerns about students’ achievement in English as a result of teachers’ behaviour. Teachers have a fundamental role to play to provoke effective and efficient learning on the part of the learner as their quality can highly influence students’ performance. Special attention should be given to this link between the teacher and the learner especially in a nation like Nigeria where English is used as a national language. This language learning mostly happens in the classroom where the teacher serves as an instructor and facilitator. Based on this, the researcher deemed if fit to evaluate teachers’ behaviour that impede English learning.
It has also been observed that for the past five years, there have been a massive failure in English language examination both terminal and school examination (SSCE). Research has shown that, from 2012 till date, there had been a high rate of failure in English result especially in Gokana Local Government Area. It is in view of this that the researcher is interested in finding out the causes of this massive failure, putting into consideration the effect of teachers’ behaviour.
English language like many other core subjects in secondary school requires a lot of skills for proficiency in the teaching and learning process. The problems of teaching English language are not recent issues but have always been associated with the behaviour of the teachers towards English language. Among the noted teachers’ behaviour are: Domination of the class by teacher alone, inappropriate language of communication, discouraging the students from asking questions, lateness, intolerance and patience, inability to teach effectively, constant correctness of students’ speech, over-self confidence, absent of teachers from their lesson and excessive corporal punishment. As a result of these, the researcher therefore aims at looking into the effects of teachers’ behaviour in the teaching of English language and at the end suggest possible solution for effective teaching and learning of English language.
1.3 Research Question
In this study, teachers’ behaviour and its effects on the learning of English language in secondary schools in Gokana Local Government Area, the following research questions are posed to elicit information on the topic:
- What are the behaviours displayed by the English language teachers?
- What effect does the teachers’ behaviour have on the students’ achievement in English language?
- What are the factors that affect teachers’ behaviours?
1.4 Research Hypotheses
- There is no significant difference in the behaviour displayed by English teachers in the classroom.
- There is no significant effect of teachers’ behaviours on students’ achievement in the English language.
- There is no significant difference in the factors that affect teachers’ behaviour.
1.5 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the research are to find teachers’ behaviour and its effect on the learning of English in secondary schools in Gokana Local Government Area.
The study tries:
- to find out the behaviours displayed by the English language teachers.
- to find out the effect that the teachers’ behaviour have on the students’ achievement in English language.
- to find out the factors that affect teachers’ behaviour?
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will be significant in a number of ways. It is expected to be of help to the English teacher in improving teaching/learning process in secondary schools in order to eliminate the constant mass failure in English examinations.
It is also hoped that it will motivate them to be more creative and more interested in the language so as to make the teaching and learning of English language rich and lively at all time. In addition, it is hoped that this survey would help the school administrators and the policy makers in Rivers State and the federation at large to improve on their services to the schools if the recommendations given by the researchers will be implemented. Moreover, it will also help in understanding various problems affecting the teaching of languages especially English language so as to make necessary corrections as the future of our youth depends on the background we are able to provide for them and it is on this background that they are going to be developed.
1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study focuses on all the English teachers and students in selected secondary schools in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. It is worthy of note that information obtained from the local government is restricted between the period of 2012 – 2017 for the purpose of coherence and statistical accuracy and to reflect the most recent information in the local government.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Teacher
For the purpose of making the term used in the study clear, the following terms were defined according to their usage in this study.
According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a teacher is someone whose job is to teach especially in a school. A teacher can also be an educator. He is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge competence or values.
According to Online Dictionary, a teacher is a person who teaches or instructs, especially as a profession: instructor.
Behaviour
Behaviour is an observable, identifiable phenomenon (Joyce, 1980). Behaviour can be defined as the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others.
Teachers’ behaviour is therefore, the way in which teachers conduct themselves toward the act of teaching.