CHAPTER 1

1:1 INTRODUCTION / BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Linguistic ancestors of English Language were the

ANGELS, SAXONS and IUTES and they were savages who migrated

from Northem Europe and settled in England about 400 AD.

Although the history of English Language actually started about 600

AD when the Anglo Savons having killed and driven out ofthe

original inhabitants of England, (Celt) and settle in England. English

Language was use as the native Language and later became

simplified. The somid system and the grammar changed; speakers

relied less on inflectional devices and more on orders and structure to

express their meaning.

English today became a very big nut to crack by non-native

speaker and teachers of English. Though, many people would agree

that there is an Observable fall in the standard of teaching and

learning of English language.

For instance, in 2010, the registrar of NECO Pro£, Promise

Okpala said over 80 percent of candidates failed English Language.

Mr. Okpala added that 51. 781 candidates obtained credit passes in

1
English Language while 827 candidates that sat for the examination

failed English Language. The shocking news which was reported as

one of the lead headlines in the Guardians, one of Nigerians major

daily news papers, was published on the l9°‘ February 2001 reads

" world Bank report scores Nigerian graduates Low"

The World Bank said and I quote, "Nigeria University

graduates are poorly trained and unproductive on the Job graduate

skills are deteriorating by the day. With the poor performances of

students and graduates in English Language in Ojo Local

Government Area teachers, parents and employers are worried.

The problem therefore is, what factors are responsible for the

general poor performance in English as a second Language.

This study was an attempt to explore the problems of teaching

English pronunciation in Igbo land, and the way forward. To realized

this, the role of English in educational in Nigeria was brought to fore,

which also reveals regional varieties. It was found that Igbo variety of

English, among other things, is a deviant form of pronunciation from

the native speakers of English or RP. I t was also revealed that the

problems associated with their non standard pronunciation, range

2
from wrong realization of some vowel and consonantal sounds, and

use of prosodies. Some suggestions were offered on how to improve

the teaching of these sounds to enhance better realization for both

national and internal intelligibility. English language teachers should

attend conferences organized specifically to improve the teaching of

sounds. The use of prosodies should be highly de - emphasized for

teachers of English language.

1:1:1 RATIONAL FUNDAMENT REASONS

1:1:2 THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

The English language has become the preferred languages of

communications in Ojo Educational District in Lagos state , many

parents now believed it is a symbols of elitism for their children to

speak English fluently. They argue that speaking the mother tongue

impedes the chi1d’s fluency in English language. Therefore it is

imperative to devise the right methods to teaching and learning of

English language.

1:3 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms and concepts are defined according to Oxford

Advanced Dictionary of English

3
 1. Constraint: To be in constraint to work under constraint

because one is forced to do so to hold back one’s natural

feelings.

2. Learning: Gain knowledge of or skill in practice or being taught

3. Teaching: Give instructions to somebody cause to know or be

able to do something.

4. English: In language so simple that the meaning is quite clear

5. Language: Human and non instinctive method of

communicating ideas, feeling and desires by means of a system

of sounds and sound symbols.

For Ojo Educational District to achieve the constraint to teaching and

learning of English language (CTLEL) there are so many constraints

that face the English language teachers.

1:4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SCOPE

This study will be unique from others because it will make the

people of Ojo Educational district awme of the constraints to teaching

and learning of English Language. It will also proffer solutions to

constraint to teaching and learning of English language to teachers as

(Educators) and learners as ( students) Develop a teaching plan and

4
methods acceptable by the learners / students with a view to

reducing constraints.

The study will help the teachers and students alike and bring

out the value of English language as a second language. It will help

them know the extent the constraint has done in the area.

Finally, this study will hopefully enable the government or

rather the ministry of Education produces the right curriculum for

teaching and learning of English language.

1:5 CONSTRAINTS IN SPOKEN ENGLISH

(a) Personal and physical impediment of speech.

(b) Interlingua and intralingua sources

(c) Mother tongue and the target language contraction. A

(d) The effect of mother tongue teaching methods must be pragmatic

ie treating things in a matter of facts and practical way to give the

desired result; since the students are learning in a second language

situation, it is because of this fact that a substantial proportion of our

lessons on oral English must be devoted to the correct pronunciation

of English sounds, words and sentences.

5
 Considering the effect of mother tongue on the spoken English,

many Yorubas learning English as a second language, Bamgbose

( 1971: 42) observed that: The greatest on the pronunciation of

English by (Y orubas) is the sound systems of the vernacular

languages. Most of the phonetic characteristics in the English cam be

traced to the transfer of features from their first language.

1 :6 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Majority of the students who want to study English Language

in the University have no ample opportunity to study English

language any more except those who study English due to related

subjects such as linguistics and literature in English , though courses

treat the use of English , the content of those courses in English are

grossly inadequate for the students to acquire requisite skills in

effective use of language for communication and for the give and

take of social experience. In order to study English as a second

language and be successful at it, the student must be helped by the

teacher to acquire skills in the four language arts namely: speaking,

reading, listening and writing Language is the vehicle of social

6
interaction and we need effective language to function properly in

the workplace, social interaction, and indeed for functional literacy.

It must be emphasized that a person is functionally literate

when he has acquired the knowledge and sldlls in reading and

writing which enable him to engage effectively in all those activities

in which literacy is normally assumed in his culture of group" (Gray

1969:24) in an analysis of the senior secondary school certificate

results in English language between 1988 and 1996, Olapoopo (1998),

indicated that the percentage of failure was between 53. 36% and

72.7 l%.

A rich and stimulating language environment during the early

years and beyond is essential to the development of verbal and

intellectual skills necessary for language learning. Malinowski ( 1991)

asserted the composition writing is a difficult skill to acquire and

recommended therefore that teachers must use a variety of methods

for the teaching English Language. Ellis and Tomlison ( 1980),

recommended some basic skills to be taught to learners so that they

can write essays proficiently. Such skills include spelling,

punctuation, Linguistic skills and convention of style. Reyner at al

7
(2001: 57) ascertained that: Many good teachers are adaptive rather

than rigid in their approach to teaching children and only loosely

base their instruction on a given method.

There are odds against students learning English language.

Trifonovitch (1981) indicated that a student is automatically placed at

a disadvantage when he already has a language of his own and he is

asked to learn another language. Majority of secondary schools in Ojo

Local Government Area already have mother tongues before they are

admitted into school.

With the poor performance of students and graduates in

English languages , educationist, parents, employers are worried. The

problem is therefore, what factors are responsible for the general

poor performance in English as a second language.

1:7 ORAL ENGLISH

Teaching and learning a foreign language like English language

mostly involves language skills like speaking, writing, reading and

listening According to linguists opinion, that speech is the primary

substance of all human language. In other words the spoken form of

any human language is basic, while the written A:Y ones is derived

8
from the written form. In Other words, the level of actual

performance of an English language learner, especially in the spoken

form, tells much about his or her ability in the use of English in

various socio linguistic contexts, such as debate symposia, seminars

meetings, lecture or tutorials.

1:8 PRONOUCIATION

The type of pronunciation, enunciation, stresses placement,

intonation and so on will determine the level of competence of the

speaker in the use of English.

Furthermore in order to avoid deviation from the accepted

standard form of English in both teaching and learning. Tiffen (1969:

8) states that the fact that English is needed for communication at

both nation and international levels has important implications for

teaching. If the speaker is to understand and be understood, he must

keep within the generally accepted norms of English, from the point

of view of pronunciation and grammatical variations must be ruled

out.

9
1:9 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS .

In order to understand the study thoroughly and fully, the

following hypotheses is formulated,

1. Constraint to teaching and learning of English language in Ojo

Educational District will not significantly differ in their learning

of language.

2. Constraint in the learning by students will not significantly

differ in their attitude towards educational planning.

3. Constraint to teaching of different methods will not

significantly differ the attitude towards language learning

1:10 DELIMINATION OF THE STUDY

The study will cover the Qio Educational District in Lagos state

of Nigeria I

1 :11 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The major limitation to this study is that there is some

constraints to teaching and learning of English Language in Ojo

Educational District of Lagos state where students prefer pidgin

English to standard English. Due to the aforementioned reasons i.e.

10
environmental and social reasons, teachers have to go extra mile to

meet their demands.

Another limitation may be as a result of students unwillingness

to learn. Through the use of instructional media, emphasis on

realistic instructional media has a way of motivating and arresting

pupils attention.

1:12 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions have been formulated to

guide the study.

a) Do secondary school teachers use appropriate instructional

resources consequently in teaching English Language?

b) D0 the English language teachers use appropriate methods in

teaching English language?

c) Do secondary school students in Ojo local Government Area

learn English Languages in a conducive environment? N

The type of pronunciation, enunciation, stresses placement,

intonation and so on will determine the level of competence of the

speaker in the use of English. e\\. Furthermore in order to avoid

deviation from the accepted standard form of English \\ in both

11
teaching and learning. 'lit`fen (1969: 8) states that the fact that English

is needed for communication at both nation and international levels

has important implications for teaching . if the speaker is to

understand and be understood, he must keep within the generally

accepted norms of English, from the point of view of pronunciation

and grammatical variations must be ruled out.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The major limitation to this study is that there is some

constraints to teaching and learning of English Language in Qjo

Educational District of Lagos state where students prefer pidgin

English to standard English. Due to the aforementioned reasons i.e.

environmental and social reasons, teachers have to go extra mile

to`meet `wl\;â‚

Another limitation may be as a result of students unwillingness

to learn. Through the use of instructional media, emphasis on

realistic instructional media has a way of motivating and arresting

pupils attention.

12
LIMINATION OF THE STUDY

The study will cover the Ojo Educational District in Lagos State of

Nigeria.

13
 CHAPTER 2

2:0 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

1. Definition of English Language: English Language is the

language of British People the language of United States and

other areas.

2. The Teacher of English language is one who drills the language

and teaches the rudiment and the structure of English

language.

3. Learning of the English language is one trying to master the

language.

4. Constraints in teaching and learning of English language; this

mean the problem inherent in teaching and learning English

language.

These problems arose as a result of the following factors:

a) Environmental factors for instance , un-conducive

environment.

b) Disability likes inability to hear well.

c) Lack of instructional materials

d) Teachers method of presentation

14
 e) Lack of interest emanating from the students

Lack of sufficient teachers to man the classes in all English language

periods.

2: 1 THE TEACHING PROBLEMS

Actually, for a teacher to be able to help students excel in their

language learning process, he or she must be grounded in the field of

English; because it is said one cannot give what one does not have.

English as a foreign language is not a subject that any teacher can

teach haphazardly.

Therefore the teacher who handles English language must be

specialist, well trained and equipped with necessary qualities needed

for the job. In view of this Brumiit (1985), explains that one of the

qualities of a language teacher should, possess is to be professionally

trained and well informed.

This is necessary because the adequate training will equip the

teacher with the necessary skills, ideas and knowledge to teach the

language. Language proficiency as measured by students

performance. The teachers mastery of the subject matter (Tatto et al

1991), so to achieve the desired goals in education, a language teacher

15
is expected to be trained and be proficient in English language so as

to teach effectively in Ojo Educational District of Lagos state. There

must be good planning and good variation of method understanding

by the student variety they say is the spice of life.

2:2 STUDENTS PROBLEMS

Students on their own part constitute problems by

1. Not ready to learn

2. Psychological problems

3. Keeping wrong peers.

4. Lack of home attention.

Not ready to learn: - some student no matter the efforts of the teacher

refuses to learn he or she hardly sits in the class. He hardly

concentrates in the classroom.

Psychological problems: - some students are internally

disturbed may be from what is to her in the home , may be she stays

with another parents who does not take care of her. Keeping wrong

peers:- some students due to the types of friends the keep don’t

learn. When a student form a negative group in the school, such

group begins to change such one negatively.

16
 Lack of home attention:- parents of some students pay a

negative attention to their children, thereby discouraging them to

learn.

2:3 INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Instructional materials can be seen as all resources a teacher

uses to help him or her to elucidate the topic, content or subject to the

learner so that the learner is able to comprehend the topic fully. It

comes in form of

(a) Print: e. g. books, newspapers and magazines

(b) Visuals: e.g. charts, photographs and slides

(c) Audio visual: e.g. tapes, TV and films

(d) Static/display: e.g. chalkboard, flannel graphs and Hip charts Q

(e) Electronic: e. g. radio and computers.

Instructional materials make teaching and learning practical and

meaningful. Materials help to concretize the learning process. It

offers the learners and their teacher a good opportunity to relate

theoretical knowledge to practical experience in the class by using

instructional materials in the lesson, the learners or children can

manipulate things by using their lands to produce certain things like

17
a model of motorcars, aeroplanes, models of animals like horses,

cows and dogs and many other things.

The constraints of the majority of the students and the teachers

cannot be over emphasized. These constraints can be treated in two

sub headings:

(a) The learner ( students)

(b) The educators (teachers)

THE LEARNERS (STUDENTS)

(a) Wrong placement of priorities

(b) Some students who are admitted in the university have no ample

need to study English language, priority is given to those that study

related subjects as linguistics, literature or even sociology. This idea is

grossly inadequate for the students to acquire requisite skills in

effective use of English language for communication. In other to

study English as a second language and be successful at it.

(ag) Mother tongues barrier: The problem of mother tongue

interference will result since in trying to learn English, he transfer his

mother tongue peculiarities into English which leads to deviation.

18
In Ojo Local Government Area which is dominated by the Yorubas

are character by if variance or derivation due to segmental sounds,

presides length, pitch and stress or super segmental. For instance,

bread for broody, Oshodi for osodi among others. So it found in other

languages e. g. some Igbos replacing L with R. (am) lack of

incentive / motivation students skip class for fear of failure. They

lack semblance of attention, they lack interest to learn due to

motivation, one key to increase motivation is to use activities

matched to the personalities, learning styles and characteristics of

learners as often as possible. K (aw) Over crowed English classes:

over crowded classes can make learn uneasy to learn, lack of

attention a result of noise.

(a) THE EDUCATOR (Teachers)

For teachers to excel in the teaching of English language he or she

must be grounded in the language.

(b) PROFESSIONAL TRAINED:

The teacher who handles English language must be specialist, well

trained and equipped with necessary qualities needed for the job.

(bu) PREPARATION AND PLANING:

19
Preparation and planning is very important in the teaching and

learning process. lfa teacher

is to function well in the class, there is the need to have adequate A

(bm) VARIETY OF APPROACHES:

Variety they say is the spice of life. No one method is the best.

Language teaching and learning needs variety of approaches.

(bw) INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

Instructional materials can be seen as all the resources a teacher uses

to help him or her elucidate the topic, content or subject to learners so

that the learner is able to comprehend the topic.

(bv) understanding the students:

A teacher needs to understand the children he teaches in the

class. He has to understand the differences that exist among his

children in the class (known as individual differences)

2:4 MOTHER TONGUE

(a) Influenced by Mother tongue

(b) Close to RP

20
(c) Indistinguishable nom RP

The above constitutes different stages on an attempt at

mastering competency in standard spoken English. Given the above,

only no 3 may be acceptable as a target variety for education because

of the needed wider intelligibility appeal. Most scholars have referred

to as Nigerian Standard English (Banjo, 1995) or popular Nigerian

English (Jowitt, 1991) and so on, includes a number of these varieties,

shown above, 1 to 4, based on an appropriate P definition of English

as a second language not as a foreign language. The context above

shows that there is Nigerian English, but for the time being, there is

no standard Nigerian English. This Subject: Standard Nigerian

English has been a controversial topic among linguists with some

echoing a home grown variety to replace national variety and even

the choice of selecting the Home - grown variety among others poses

a more serious controversies.

In the midst of these controversies, Banjo’s twin criteria in

positing social acceptability and international intelligibility seem

pertinent in choosing a variety. In spite of the above Banjo’s

postulation, linguists are yet to sheath their drawn daggers on the

21
controversy surrounding the criteria for deciding on the standard

Nigerian English. While the debate is still ongoing, education still

favour’s the international Standard English, which the debaters see as

pertinent but have fought relentlessly to imbue Nigerians into it or

nativized, it essentially for socio-political considerations.

But it is more advisable to choose the variety that will meet up

with our international language needs; at the same time our local

needs but not the other way round, not minding whether the variety

is inferior or superior. lf the existence of standard varieties is taken as

a socio-linguistic pedagogic universal, sewing as models for language

teaching and learning, the absence of such asserts a socio-linguistic

pedagogic universal, serving as models for language teaching and

learning, the absence of such asserts a socio-pedagogic confusion.

Accordingly, it is unproductive to insist that when teaching

English as an L2... it is not necessary for Africans to be taught too

speak English exactly like native speakers if learners are taught to

ensure that spellings are exact with native competence, not admitting

deviations, and constructions approximate native competence, why

not pronunciation? There is no doubt that incorrect pronunciation

22
tends to disrupt communication just as incorrect spellings do, and as

spelling controversies are resolved by using dictionaries so are

controversies involving pronunciation. Given the above, it is very

necessary to pay attention to pronunciation, for enhancing

communication and intelligibility, with the whole world, especially

as English becomes the world lingua France.

2.5 PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Many core lgbo people are monolingual while some are bi-lingual in

indigenous languages. This includes Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Abia and

Ebonyi States. Delta and Rivers have some indigenous languages

including lgbo they also have the Nigerian pidgin spoken as a first

language by many indigenous people (Omarnor, 1990; Mann 2001)

for every day communication needs. Pidgin is also taking root in

urban centers in the core Igbo people mentioned above. Thus, the

typical Igbo speaks Igbo as a first language while English is learned

late at school and pidgin and broken English are learned with urban

contacts. Since Igbo language is acquired by Igbo people, this

becomes their Ll, and since English language is learned in formal

situation, this becomes their L2, and if an average Igbo person could

23
speak the 2 languages, that person has become bi- lingual, and of

course bi - cultural. But the problem of mother tongue interference

will result since in trying to learn English he transfers his mother-

tongue peculiarities into English which results to deviation.

2.6 INCREASING MEANINGFUL ACCESS THROUGH

COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT

Providing curriculum access does not absolve districts of their

responsibility to teach students how read and develop other core

academic abilities and skills in areas such as mathematics, writing

and the use of technology. This means that below grade material can

be used if doing so better assists students in learning a core academic

objective.

For example, with the objective of focusing on character clues

in literature, it is not necessary for all English language learners with

learning difficulties in grade six to use a novel that is used for native

English speaking sixth graders. The novel could be a good piece of

literature at a fourth- grade readability level one that teaches the

same analytical skills related to identification of character clues. (it

could also be a novel written in the students native language.)

24
 The crucial point is that it is essential to teach all students,

including English – language learners with learning Difficulties, how

to read and understand what they read. Although not all of an

English language learners time has to be sent on grade level material,

access to the key grade level concepts in the curriculum is essential.

A potential useful approach for increasing access to the general

curriculum is the use of cooperative learning strategies and peers

tutoring. In these contexts, English language learners with learning

difficulties can work in small groups on important learning

objectives. In a sense, students can "pool" their language skills to

describe concepts, define words, and provide examples to each other.

Similarly, having a tutor who speaks the child’s native language

explain key concepts and clarify any difficult points can increase an

English language learner access to important content area

information. This tutor can be a paid paraprofessional, a parent

volunteer, a community member, or an older student.

It is important to note those instructional options that include

tutors and paraprofessionals should not replace teacher - student

interactions and instruction. In experience teachers frequently turn

25
over the bulk of instructional responsibilities to others and provide

insufficient monitoring of the learning that takes place.

It is always the classroom teachers responsibly to ensure that

high quality instruction is provided to English language learners and

that they are learning appropriate curriculum objectives.

2:8 ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Environment of an individual refers to his surrounding

conditions. This has physical and psychological dimensions. Ones

physical environment comprises the material things around him

while the influence these things exert on him make up his

psychological environment.

Societal institutions such as family, peer — group, school,

church and community are also integral parts of ones environment.

The state of ones environment has prove to have co- relation with his

educational achievement. A conducive environment for educational

achievement enhances optimal development of a child intellectual

ability.

Summary

In summation, the followings are considered importance

26
1. Inadequate teachers of English language

2. Unfavourable environment for the teaching and learning of English

land

3. No text book for both the teacher and the learner.

4. Inadequate supply of facilities for the teaching of English language

e.g. Library , language laboratory etc

5. Improper use of teaching methods

2.9 CRITICAL PROBLEMS

Here are the first three of the English language learning

classroom most critical problems with comments on what might be

done in dealing or managing each one. We’1l continue the

discussion of the tinal two critical problems in ELT in a second

article.

l. Lack of Learner Motivation if students skip class, and when they do

show up its likely due to fear of failure more than anything else. They

may lack any semblance of attention during class, chatting with

classmates, doodling their notebooks or, (gasp!) in their textbooks.

What experienced English or other foreign language teaching

professional has not faced the problem of reluctant, unmotivated

27
learners? One key to increasing motivation is to use activities

matched to the personalities, learning styles and characteristics of the

learners as often as practically possible.

2. Insufficient Time, Resources and Materials

3. You know the old adage, you can never be too rich, too thin or

have enough English or foreign language vocabulary. So what can

you do when charged with teaching English or a foreign language in

only one or two hours per week? One of the only times that was ever

successfully accomplished was with the pouring out of Holy Spirit on

the apostles during Pentecost. (Acts 2 1 l· l 1) Add too little time to a

decided lack of resources and virtually zero other resources in many

third world classrooms and you have a critical teaching / learning

situation indeed. But there are ways, even on the lowest budget, of

producing virtually free or very inexpensive English language

teaching and learning aids for use in the EFL or foreign language

classroom.

4. Over- crowded English Classes

The number of learners in a class room can range from one, for

those who teach individual private learners , to 15 or twenty learners

28
in atypical classroom up to 35 or forty or even fifty or more learners

packed into a language leaning situation. Forget anything even

remotely resembling individual attention? Either the throng" gets it

or they don’t with little available to the teacher. When faced with

over sized groups immediately implement strategies using choral,

small group and pair work to help in lessening the load on both me

and my large group of learners. I also separate out a few of the more

"advanced" learners to help me with group work elements. It doesn’t

solve all the problems, but it is a good start.

Personal and physical impediment of speech.

(a) Interlingua and intralingua sources

(b) Mother tongue and the target language contraction.

(c) The effect of mother tongue teaching methods must be pragmatic

i.e. treating things in a matter of facts and practical way to give the

desired result; since the students are learning in a second language

situation, it is because of this fact that a substantial proportion of our

Lessons on oral English must be devoted to the correct pronunciation

of English sounds, words and sentences.

29
 Considering the effect of mother tongue on the spoken English,

many Yorubas learning English as a second language, Bamgbose

(1971: 42) observed that: The greatest on the pronunciation of English

by (Yorubas) is the sound systems of the vernacular languages. Most

of the phonetic characteristics in the English can be traced to the

transfer of features from their first language.

2:10 PRACTICABILITY I PERFORMANCE

Language is seen as mans most important gift. It is the basics of

all creative thought. Without language, there will be no progress, no

civilization and no culture. English is important in Nigeria because it

is the language that builds abridge across the barriers created by the

existence of many languages. This colonial legacy (English language)

has now assumed the language of communication, commerce

sciences and education. As a result of this enviable status of this

language there is the need for every Nigerian to be in the four basic

skills. English language continues to be used even more intensively

as a medium of instruction for pupils in primary, secondary and

tertiary institutions. As a result of this importance, it is necessary to

teach it well. However this has not been so especially in the primary

30
schools. Ndahi 1975 a matter of some current low performance of our

students in various examinations. Teachers of English are practically

disturbed by the poor performance of English language.

The next for effective teaching of this language is also

important because it is medium of instruction to teach other subjects

as explained in the national policy on Education. Thus Adesanya

1983 who arguethat "for the language to serve as effective medium

of instruction in schools, it is necessary to teach it very well" also

expresses some concern. As a result of the foregoing, we must find

out the barriers associated with its effective teaching.

Various scholars have identified these problems. Ekong 1980

identified "lack of sufficient materials, student home background and

lack of interest in spoken English on the part of the teachers and these

students. It is when these problem are identified that a solution can

be proofed in other to make English lesson interesting and useful in

schools to End out these barriers, the researcher the systematic

sampling method to select the students in the class.

Which enable him gets the information hom the students on

barriers facing the teachers and learning of English language in

31
schools. There are many problems in schools today that make

learning and teaching processes difficult. For quite some time now,

the issue of if English languages has been a major concern to the

authorities in schools. Some of the problems are lack of materials,

interest of teachers, parental and home background. The problems of

spoken English in Ayangburen primary school, Ikorodu has a great

adverse effect on the academic performance of the school. Till now,

many of them cannot read and understand English books, which as a

result makes the perform so low in comprehension.

Many of the pupils do not talk or converse in class just because

they are unable to express themselves in English and are fully aware

that Yoruba speaking in class is prohibited. Many

of the pupils fear to read aloud in the classroom because of their

inability to pronounce English words correctly. The pupils where

used to their mother tongue. This unhappy trend should not be to

undermine the laudable educational programmes of our government.

It is needless to emphasize the importance of English language

in the acquisition and transmission of knowledge from primary

schools and to university and to the general administration in

32
Nigeria. It is therefore important that the writer should diagnose the

causes of these problems with a view to make recommendations to

the authorities, parents with a view to make recommendations to the

authorities, parents and teachers in combating the problems. It is

expected that the study will guide the efforts of the school authorities

in achieving their goal.

2: 11 LEARNING INOVATIONS

Innovations in education are new things brought into

educational system so as to improve it or make it modem in line with

the new development such innovations include: new methods,

approaches or techniques and procedures in teaching, facilities ,

equipment and so many other things that have brought about

changes in educational system as against the old ways, methods and

procedures; as stated in the manual for the re - training of primary

school teachers (2006 p;3)", innovative teaching and learning system

involves the use of organized combination and utilization of people,

materials, facilities.

Equipment and produce to achieve the desired educational

goals. As an English language teacher, his challenges and

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responsibilities include being very resourceful and innovative. As a

resourceful person, he should be able to develop and implement a

variety of instructional materials. These things will challenge and

enliven the learning experience of the learner.

For a teacher to be conversant and keep abreast of these new

innovations Azikiwe (1998) is of the view that a language teacher

should be a voracious reader of new books in his subject that the

language teacher should keep in touch with educational journals

especially Nigerian language teachers journals of studies in

curriculum and others.

This will go a long way in keeping the teacher abreast of the

innovations and helping them acquire the modern techniques,

methods and procedures necessary for English language lessons.

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