STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING LOW ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to ascertain the strategies for improving low academic performance in English Language in secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Four (4) research questions were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey. The population of the study comprises of the 46 English Language teachers in the fourteen (14) public secondary schools in Egor local government area of Edo state. A total number of twenty-six (22) teachers were drawn from the population of the study using the simple random sampling technique were used as the respondents for this study. The research instrument for the study was a Questionnaire titled: Strategies for Improving Low Academic Performance in English Language in Secondary Schools Questionnaire” (SILAPELSSQ), which was distributed to the respondents and collected immediately after completion from respondents. The simple percentage and mean score was used in computing the responses of the questionnaire items. To account for the reliability of the study, the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used which gave a value of 0.79. At the end of the study, the researcher found that good listening, debating skill, practicing essay writing, and student’s involvement in drama activity, good teaching style, teachersstudents relationship in the classroom influences student academic performance in English Language. The researcher recommended among others that schools Management should foster a language-rich environment both within and outside the classroom as this would encourage students to read English books, engage in discussions, write essays, and participate in language-related extracurricular activities. English Teachers & other subject teachers should adopt differentiated Instructional Strategies in order to recognize students who has diverse learning styles and abilities.