The philosophy behind the teaching of general English studies is to improve or appraise the NCCE minimum standard to determine the appropriateness and adequacy or otherwise of the content of the course and determine how far the course has been able to meet the communication needs of the students.
The paper equally discusses the problems confronting teachers and students in the teaching and learning of the general studies English course and makes suggestions for further improvement.
Introduction
In recognition of the importance of language in education, the government has put in place a policy that would improve the language situation in Nigeria.
One of the immediate motivations of the six-year primary life Project was, among other things, in Bamgbose (1991), to enhance the acquisition of the English Language.
Focus 1
This project was to test the efficacy of the language policy, which advocates the use of the mother tongue (MT) or the language of the immediate environment as a medium of instruction in pre-primary and in the first three years of Primary Education.
English is taught as a subject in the upper primary through the secondary to the tertiary institution, English is the medium of instruction and a subject of study.
In the primary and secondary levels, every child is encouraged to learn one major Nigerian language in addition to the child’s mother tongue. In the face of this scenario.
Focus 2
French has recently been elevated to the status of a second official language; hence, it is to be learnt as a compulsory subject from the fourth year of primary education.
No doubt, this is a laudable and lofty policy if it is to be implemented and well too. However, studies have revealed the emptiness of this policy in meeting the desired aims (Ezeokoli, 1999; Jimoh, 2001; Iwuoha, 2001).
The problems inherent in the policy range from vagueness to lack of specificity in the period of transition from M. T. to English, lack of an effective mechanism for implementation, inconsistency in implementation, and outright ignorance of the existence of the policy.
Focus 3
There seems to be confusion over which language should be the medium of instruction at both the primary and secondary levels of education, whether it is English or the M.T. T. or should both languages be used simultaneously at each level?
Introducing the child to many languages at the same time results in Language confusion, and this will affect the learner negatively. This, however, is beyond the scope of this study.
The above issues have damaging effects on the educational system of the country. Most of the students gaining admission into tertiary institutions already have problems and are deficient in the acquisition of basic English language skills.
Focus 4
Okorondu and Omoni (1991:131) think that “the deteriorating standard in English is still on the increase and a contributing factor to the poor performance of students in other subjects”.
They went further to point out that in the WAEC Chief Examiner’s report of 1993 May/June SSCE, it was noted among other things that ‘the essays written by candidates were seriously marred by poor spelling, wrong punctuation and faulty grammar’.
The picture painted above typifies the background of most students who get into tertiary institutions to study English or any other discipline.
Focus 5
This poor background exerts a negative influence on students’ communicative ability and thus paints a bleak future for education in Nigeria.
To enhance students’ acquisition of communicative English Language skills, it becomes necessary to introduce the ‘use of English’ in tertiary institutions, as Oluikpe (1971) pointed out.
This, he further observed, became necessary to equip students with the skills needed to grapple with the language requirements of their different disciplines.
Focus 6
This paper aims to make an appraisal of the NCCE minimum standard and see how appropriate the General English Studies content is to meet the communicative needs of the students.
Therefore, the emphasis in the teaching of General English in any of the Colleges of Education is to help students develop and enhance the already acquired communicative English language skills.
The course is run both as a developmental course and as a remedial course. It is a developmental course for those students who have already met the required admission standard of a credit pass in English Language.
Focus 7
On the other hand, it is a remedial course for those students who are deficient in SSCE English. Unfortunately, all these students are brought together and are taught using the same General Studies English Syllabus.
Whichever perspective one looks at it, the fact remains that a large number of students admitted into the higher institutions in Nigeria are deficient in the practical use of the English Language; thus, the General English course is important to all students irrespective of their disciplines.
Course Objectives
In some Colleges of Education, the General Studies in English is run in the General Studies Unit of the School of Education, while in some institutions, it is a department in the School of Education. In others, however, there is no clear-cut separation as teachers in the English department and the library studies department handle the course.
According to the stipulations in the NCCE minimum standard, the course is a full-fledged department with its staff. It is a five-unit course spread over four semesters (two academic years). Below are the aims of General Studies in Education (GSE):
Focus 1
- To enable students to participate meaningfully in discussions covering a wide spectrum of disciplines.
- Appreciate and analyse Nigerian human history and culture as well as articulate their relative impact on educational and socio-economic development.
- State and explain our national objectives and how to achieve them. Appreciate
- The basis and nature/character of human knowledge, values and actions, and to use such knowledge/information in solving related educational problems.
- To enhance the level of communication among people.
Focus 2
The following aims of GSE (English Studies) could be inferred from the above general statement.
- To enable students to participate meaningfully in discussions covering a wide spectrum of disciplines.
- To develop appreciative and analytical minds and become articulate members of society.
- To enhance the level of communication among people.
- These are general aims. The various colleges are expected to make use of their discretion in drawing the specific objectives which the teaching of general English is expected to meet.
Focus 3
However, the major objective of general English is to help students acquire the communicative and research skills necessary for their academic needs as well as for full functioning in society. This will be enhanced through the teaching of general English Studies in Colleges of Education.
The Communication Skills to Be Enhanced
The following are the major communication skills that need to be enhanced or improved upon through the teaching of general studies English.
The writing skills
The reading skills
The speaking skills
The listening skills
All these skills are interrelated. There can never be effective communication without these skills coming into play. This paper will therefore look at what these skills are all about.
The Writing Skill
Studies have shown that many students fail English at the Senior Secondary School level. Students at the tertiary level, even at the postgraduate level, write and speak horrible English.
Adebayo (1999), Omotosho (1987) and Awoniyi (1986), cited in Okorondu & Omoni (1999), Writing is a creative process.
Acquisition of this skill, as Ezenandu(1999) notes, ‘helps to determine the extent to which students can meaningfully and properly communicate their thoughts and feelings in English Language’.
Reading Skill
Writing and reading, though regarded as productive and receptive skills respectively, are two sides of the same coin. No writer will grow without being an effective reader.
Thus, O Nill (1969), cited in Faniran (1997:318), noted that reading is, in fact, the basis of all good work in English; only by observing good writers at work can we learn the art of composition. Through attentive reading, can we make ourselves able to deal with questions on interpretation and the use of language?
Bright and Mcgregory (1971) warned that ‘where there is little reading, there will be little language learning’.
Faniran (1997: 319) observed that ‘the slow progress which many students make in their English studies is, at least in part, because they do little or no reading in and outside the school’.
No matter one’s area of discipline, reading is very important to develop a critical, analytical and creative mind. Reading and writing are necessary skills for improved academic performance.
Speaking Skill
Speaking is an expressive skill; therefore, it is the act of initiating the interpersonal communication process.
It is one of the major skills of the communication process through which a person thinks of some ideas, encodes the messages, and puts them across to the listener using agreed-upon symbols.
However, students’ performance in oral skills is poor. These skills are interrelated because, as Ezenandu (1999) pointed out, ‘the overall poor oral performance of Nigerians in English is a major problem of students in composition writing.
Listening Skill
The listening skill, also a receptive skill, needs to be improved. This is because poor listening could lead to the distortion of information and thus hamper effective communication.
Hampleman (1958) sees “listening as the act of giving attention to the spoken word, not only in hearing symbols but in reacting with understanding”.
In other words, one has to say that listening has to do with paying attention, hearing, comprehending and remembering. Thus, when a student can listen effectively, he acquires knowledge that leads to his self-development.
The NCC Minimum Standard and the Enhancement of Students’ Communication Skills
The question then is, has the NCCE minimum standard been able to enhance students’ acquisition of communicative skills? The answer, of course, is No.
The first obvious observation is that the course objectives, as stated in the NCCE minimum standard, are a broad and general statement.
There are no specific objectives stated for the teaching of communication skills. Each general studies unit is thus left to make use of its discretion in stating objectives for the teaching of the language and communication skills course (general English).
Focus 1
This situation will lead to discrepancies and inconsistencies in the objectives and what is taught in the different Colleges of Education.
This problem is due in part to the fact that, in designing the minimum standard, the opinions of the actual teachers were not sought.
Even in situations where they are invited to make input, their contributions, one way or the other, find their way into the waste basket or are just left lying there.
Focus 2
Another obvious shortcoming is the repetition of course content that runs through the four semesters, especially in the areas of writing, listening and reading. This gives room for monotony.
Adequate emphasis is not paid to the teaching and acquisition of oral skills, and not much is said on the vowel and consonant sounds of English. Students must acquire this knowledge to enable them to eliminate at least in part some of the pronunciation errors inherent in their spoken English.
Focus 3
Thus, the NCCE minimum standard did not take the problem of interference into consideration. However, the two sessions allocated to the teaching of communicative skills are highly adequate.
Coupled with the above deficiencies in the minimum standard are the problems arising from poor implementation.
However, there is even indication that some of the identified discrepancies will soon be a thing of the past since the NCCE is making an effort to effect some review of the minimum standard, especially in the area of course content.
Recommendations
Given the above inadequacies and problems, this paper makes the following recommendations.
There should be an amendment or a review of the present NCCE minimum standard to effect the correction of the observed inadequacies and inconsistencies to achieve an enhanced communicative skill on the part of students in Colleges of Education.
The NCCE minimum standard stipulation in terms of the placement of the GSE in the appropriate department with its full staff force should be complied with. It is also recommended that the number of students in each tutorial group should be between 30-40.
Focus
Students, especially in their last year of this programme, should be introduced to a variety of writing tasks that would be appropriate for use in their different disciplines. As a result, tutorial groupings should be done based on students’ language (English) ability and course of study.
Instructional and infrastructural facilities like a language laboratory, adequate and conducive classrooms, public address system, teaching materials, etc, should be provided.
Efforts should be general towards adopting a more integrative view to meet the academic needs of every student, irrespective of the area of study. It is also the recommendation of this paper that all studentsEducation.Language is a prerequisite for admission to colleges of education
Conclusion
From the foregoing, this paper has been able to appraise the minimum standard in terms of its appropriateness and adequacy of the content of the General English Studies. Certain deficiencies were identified.
In addition, some of the problems of teaching the course were highlighted, and recommendations were made to further enhance students’ acquisition of effective communication skills that will enable them to carry out effective academic activities in their different disciplines.
Recommendations
It is also observed that the present effort by NCCE to review the existing minimum standard would be a giant step in the right direction towards enriching the GSE (English) course content as well as addressing some of the identified problems.
Enhancing the communicative English Language skills of students in the College of Education will help to improve the poor performance of students in English at the Primary and Secondary levels of Education, since it is believed that no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers. Read more similar posts on our research page of the site.
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