CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Every subject has a problem of teaching in it. The same is true with literature. Generally, the attitude of teachers could be good or bad towards the teaching of literature as a subject in secondary schools.
The kind of teaching methods and time given to the subject results in good teaching and learning of literature or appreciation of literature by students. Some teachers of literature in English who also teaches English give much time to English and little time to literature thereby creating problem in its teaching. These teachers forget that for students to appreciate the importance of literature in their life, the attitude towards the teaching of the subjects in question is important (Chukwuma & Otaburuagu, 2011).There is a determination to achieve more not only to satisfy the demands of our literature society, but to also help students grow up intellectually and emotionally and to realize their problems and potentials. However, believe that the study of literature can be of inestimable value in the development of the educated and maximize the value in the development of the educated and to maximize his value to his society. A student needs to acquire skills and knowledge as well as develop qualities of character and intellect if literature is well taught in school it will help students to be broad minded and capable of constructive criticism. Since education aims at complete development of the child, a subject such as literature plays an important role in the achievement of this goal.
According to Akinpelu (2009) the study of literature traditionally has been found to have a unique effectiveness in opening the mind and illuminating it. Literature encompasses pieces of writing or printed information on a particular subject. There are pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially novels, plays and poems. This means that literature comprises of all imaginative work of man expressed in words. It can also be seen as written works which are of artistic values. It is made up of three genres- poetry, prose and drama. The definition as stated by Oxford Advance learners Dictionary is the concern of this study. It is a work that is specially designed to look into the problems of teaching literature in English in secondary schools. Literature can help students grow up intellectually and emotionally and also to realize their potentials. Literature in English is concerned with personal development of each child, that its teaching cannot be rightly shut-off within high subject fences as if it were merely concerned with the technical aspect of this subject. Joe (2013) opines the difficulties of teaching literature at any stage are well know to those who tried it. The teachers- student relationship matter so much as to expertise difficulties often point back to the teacher’s inadequate personal equipment for his task. For some teachers, books, stores, poems and plays mean very little. There will be difficulty therefore in interpreting them well and with enthusiasm which point the fact that the teacher should be well equipped. One may ask, how far those teaching literature are being given the requisite training they need to perform well in the job. Many factors contributed to the good and effective teaching of literature of different point, in the progress of students through the school system. This therefore, mean that of materials for teaching can be from their school or home and should provoke feeling as well as thought. Literature has its own cordial importance of claiming the students’ interest and concern and is made up of poetry, drama and prose (Ossisonwa, 2017). Except students treat books as the duck treats water, judging by the present day method of teaching which is not yielding good fruits. This is why it is important that we progress in a deliberate way from what they easily enjoyed without out help. As a school subject, literature should be a uniting rather than a dividing factor. The question now is why then is effective literature teaching such as we have been consider in not being more widely achieved? And why is there so much frustration and failure?
The problem is not a simple one a number of causes stem from the teachers directly or indirectly they can be traced to past and present problems of teacher-training. There is also the problem of lack of suitable equipments in schools. It seems that too many teachers who lack conviction, depth of interest or basic qualification are pressed in teaching literature with the result they rely absolutely on textbooks and by so doing, make students easily forget the facts impacted, because they are unrelated to their real life and so rely on tests and examination to provide the incentive, which their work lack. It may be that those teachers are impersonal because they have little response to the literature they read and no interest in acting it out.
Thus, these teachers end up abandoning the teaching of literature to others, at the senior secondary level. In all it is not possible for any teacher who has no interest in the subject he/she teaches to impact on the students. However, even good teaching sometimes fails through inexperience or lack of knowledge.
Statement of the Problem
Literature in English is taught as part of English Language in the J.S.S classes. The scenario is different in the senior secondary classes where it is taught as a stand-alone subject. In the senior secondary classes, it has two slots for teaching in respective of it’s different component which include drama, prose, fiction etc. with the two period allotted to the teaching of literature in a week. The teachers of literature in English struggle to cover the prescribed content areas, but which are never covered. In addition, literature in English is built as part of storytelling which involves a mastery story teller and the audience. Apart from textbooks which students may or may not posses, the teaching is hardly done with the use of instructional materials. This therefore, implies that the benefits accruable from the use of instructional materials are lost in teaching and learning of literature in English. Apart from this, there are lost in teaching and learning of literature in English. Apart from this, these are other challenging issues relating to and pertaining to the teaching of literature in English which are either students oriented or teachers oriented. It is against this background that this study is penciled down to investigate the problems of teaching literature in senior secondary school.
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study is to investigate the barrier to effective teaching and learning of literature in English in junior secondary schools in Owerri Municipal, Imo State. Specifically, the study sought to;
1. Examine the comparative performance of students in literature in English.
2. Find out why do students find literature in English difficult
3. Determine the extent instructional materials for teaching literature in English available
4. Determine the extent incompetence on the part of teachers affects students' performance in literature in English
Significance of the Study
The result of this study will be of benefit to the students, the teachers of English language, the authors of literary texts, curriculum planners as well as add to knowledge base.
The secondary school students will benefit from the result of this study as it will help them discover the need to study literature in English along with the language in which the texts are written. This will increase their vocabularies and help them express themselves better
The study will also be beneficial to the teachers of English language in secondary schools. It will help the teachers to integrate English language teaching with literature in English, despite the fact that; they are two separate subjects in the syllabus. As the teachers use different genres of literature, it makes the development of different language skills in the students easier.
Authors of different literary texts for secondary school students will also identify the need to choose suitable vocabulary bearing in mind the age and academic level of the students who will study the texts. This will reduce the situations whereby a recommended text contains words that are either too high for the students’ linguistic level or do not add any comprehensible input to the students’ knowledge.
Equally, the study will enable the curriculum planners to realize the need to make the study of literature in English compulsory for all senior secondary school students, arts or science class notwithstanding. This is because literature in English will help in enhancing their overall achievement in English language. The curriculum planners will also realize the need to select literature texts that are written in appropriate and standard vocabulary.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study;
1. What is the comparative performance of students in literature in English?
2. Why do students find literature in English difficult?
3. To what extent are instructional materials for teaching literature in English available?
4. To what extent does incompetence on the part of teachers affects students' performance in literature in English?
Scope of the Study
This research project is limited to five selected secondary schools in Owerri Municipal:
1. Boys Model Secondary School New Owerri
2. Comprehensive Development Secondary School Owerri
3. Government Secondary School Owerri
4. Emmanuel College Owerri
5. Girl’s Secondary School, Ikenegbu Owerri
The study was limited to barrier to effective teaching and learning of literature in English in junior secondary schools in Owerri Municipal, Imo State. Only government schools are used.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter reviews related works done by previous researchers in the present study. It is organized under the following headings:
Conceptual Framework
Theoretical Framework
Empirical Studies
Summary of Literature Reviews
Conceptual Framework
Concept of Literature
Literature as a word
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