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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background Of The Study

Literature in English is an academic discipline today in schools and universities. It owes its heritage to ancient times. Its sources rise out of inherent nature of man. It is variations reflect the social, political, religious, cultural and environmental changes of ages, and it’s objectives demonstrate the dominant ideas, events, concepts, beliefs as well as time and space in the society. The contemporary society who are the inhabitant of both oral and written literature held allegiance to the African traditional society who started it orally. Olehi (2005) started that education can be more benefit when it takes wit literature in English as its bedrock, because it deals with human inner most feelings. Abola (2004) has it that our traditional literatures with which people are informed and the modern African literature are no times distinct literature, cannot be transformed into something or somebody else but into something or somebody new. This shows that our traditional literature mould us while the modern literature modernized us. Literature has a vital role it plays to individual and the society. It should not be taken for granted.

Writers renew, expand and update language by discarding awkward and out dated syntactic structure and new grammatical forms of structure just as literature in English structure individual feeling, emotion as a vehicle for culture transmission and preservation. It performs the functions of preserving and propagating culture as stated by Oko (2004). The cultural values of a people are encoded in their literature. This call the attention of teacher of literature to make these plausible functions realizable by cultivating and stimulating positive students attitude towards literature. Many educationists are deeply concerned with improving the standard of literature in English.

Muouat (2002), Obah (2001), Elpa (2005) Udondata (1994) and Eka (1991) confirm the poor attitude and performance of students in literature in English at all levels.

The Nigerian government after the attainment of independence and with the wave of Western ideologies saw a great need of making literature in English a discipline in school curriculum. This was done not only to educate but to propagate the cultural heritage of the country. In achieving this, the curriculum was designed personnel were trained, school building erected and learners were grouped according to age ability. Teaching and learning materials were made available to the school. Ibli (1994). Proper orientation and counselling were done. Teachers recruited into schools were not only qualified but also very conscientious and dedicated in the discharge of their legitimate duties. All these were done to enhance proper teaching and learning of literature in English. The teaching and learning of this subject starts from the first stage of formal education in the poetry form known as nursery poem or hymns which is done through recitation. It advances in stage as one advances in education. Literature is completely introduced in junior secondary school and it comprises of the three genres of literature. And literature in English and English language were integrated to be known as English studies, Ezenyiriobu (1991), which everybody have to study.

Rivers (1968) started that the Junior high school curriculum should provide the students with an organized introduction to many avenues of human knowledge and experience, showing him the possibilities which lie before him. The philosophy for Nigerian education report of the national curriculum conference (1969) cited by Uwaifor shows that out of the fifteen objectives stated for primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, the following can be achieved through the study of literature in English.

• Catering for the difference in talents opportunities and roles open to students after their secondary education.
• Raising a generation of people who can the reflectively for themselves.
• Encouraging students to develop a desire achievement, continual self improvement both in school and inter life.
• Helping students appreciate and understand Nigerian culture as well as the world’s cultural heritage.
• Fostering clear communication of thoughts and making relevant judgment.

In the light of the above and in consonance with the educational goal which is all round development of a child, a proper teaching and learning of literature in English is very desirable if the said goal is to be achieved.

It is evident that the teaching and learning of literature in English at the senior secondary school level is not properly handled due to some factors affecting it.

• Statement of the Problem

Parents and the entire society send their wards to school to acquire knowledge and skill effectively. The only and best way to acquire this knowledge is the study of literature in English because it is life itself. It is true that this subject is not properly handled? Is there any factor militating against its proper teaching and learning? To what extent does teachers, students and parents influence determine it’s the proper teaching and learning of literature is English.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to identify the major factors that imilitate against proper teaching and learning of literature in English. Specifically, the study is to find out:

1. How students attitude affect the proper teaching and learning of literature in English.
2. How teachers attitude affect the proper teaching and learning of literature in English.
3. How parents attitude influence the proper teaching and learning of literature in English.

1.4   Significance of the Study

This study will highlights and bring proper solution on the problem of teaching and learning of literature in English in senior secondary schools so that adequate and appropriate corrective measures could be taken through the empirical findings by those who will make use of this project. Basically, this will guide teachers of literature in English to very good foundation towards the improvement of students attitude toward literature in English and the educated persons shall be able to handle literature in English and breaking through its complexity completely. Parents will all know the proper part to play in the children career choice.

1.5   Research Questions

1. Do students attitude enhance their learning outcome in literature in English.

1. Are teachers teaching strategies affecting students performance in literature?
2. How does parents attitude influences students performance in literature.

• RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

1. There is no significant difference between students attitude and their learning outcome
2. There is no significant difference between teachers teaching strategies and performance of students in literature in English.
3. There is no significant differences between parents attitude and their children’s performance in literature in English.

• BASIC ASSUMPTION OF THE STUDY

The followings are assumed by the researcher

1. There are no adequate and well qualified teachers to handle this subject
2. Many parents and even peer group discourage their children/wards from offering literature in English denying both teachers and students effective teaching and learning.
3. Students are not fully aware of the importance of literature.
4. The school authorities do not give enough support to teaching and learning of literature in English.

• Delimitation of the Study

This study is based solely on the factors militating against proper teaching and learning of literature in English in some selected senior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State to test the hypothesis through the use of primary data like questionnaire to collate data. Secondary data will be used to authenticate related academic works.

1.9   Limitation of the Study

Due to the resources and funds available for this study which were highly limited, it shall be restricted to only some selected senior secondary schools in Uyo local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State owing to the sensibility ofofficers who are in the position to give some information but are unwilling to do so.

1.10 Definition of Terms  

These definitions as used in this project work:

Academic Performance –     Students achievement

Literature                  –       Writings on a particular subject

Genres                      –       Particular style or kind especially of works of art or literature grouped according to their form or subject matter

Militate                      –       having influence to prevent         something from working out well.

Primary data              –       information got from interview and

questionnaires

Secondary Data         –       Information got from textbooks,          seminar papers, journals etc

Questionnaires           –       written or printed list of questions         to be answered by students,          teachers etc

Hypotheses               –       quess that will guide the whole         process in this study.

Empirical                   –       facts based on observation or                                        experiment not on theory.

• Chapter Summary

This chapter gives brief history of how literature in English became an academic discipline in schools and universities. Its origination which is claimed to have started with our forefathers through folktales incantations etc, moreso, the importance of literature in English in our nation building.

The chapter also seek to identify the problems hindering its efficient teaching and learning in the senior secondary in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

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