An Evaluation of Emerging Trends in Written English among University Students in South-East Nigeria: The Teachers’ Perspective (Published)
The study investigated the degree to which students used emerging trends in their handwritten academic work. Through a three-stage random sampling, selected facilitators assessed students’ tasks in order to identify those “informal/emerging trends” used by students. Pretested questionnaire written in English was administered to facilitators at the Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. Results showed that facilitators encountered emerging trends and at a high frequency while grading scripts. Findings revealed that the most likely causes of usage were poor learning in English, social media influence and keeping with the trend. Again, the study showed the consequences include grammar/spelling error, formation of incorrect/unacceptable structure, poor performance in examinations/use of English among others. Finally, the study demonstrated that facilitators were inclined to constant correction during teaching, giving more exercises involving essay writing as corrective measures to check the use and recommended that teachers must adopt a hands-on approach on the correctness of grammar.
Keywords: Emerging Trends, Nigeria, University students, formal/academic writing, teachers’ perspective
The Impact of the National Policy on Education (NPE) On Multilingual Proficiency in Nigeria (Published)
About 450 languages are spoken in Nigeria with Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba as the major languages. In order to assign functional roles to the multiplicity of languages, the Federal Government promulgated the National Policy on Education (henceforth NPE) in 1977 stipulated that every Nigerian child must be proficient in his mother tongue and in a major Nigerian language. At the secondary level, it is expected that every child should be bilingual in two Nigerian languages. Thirty six years later, the impact of the policy on the language education of Nigerian pupils was assessed. Data were collected using questionnaire and interview methods. Findings revealed that the primary aim of the NPE has not been achieved. Based on the findings, the recommendation made include the organization of intensive workshop sessions for language teachers to expose them to the modern techniques for attaining bilingualism through effective training.
Keywords: Education, Language, National Policy, Nigeria