Implementability of English Across the Curriculum Strategy in Nigeria: Issues And Prospects (Published)
English Language in Nigeria occupies an important position. Educationally, it is a subject and the medium of instruction at all levels, an official and National Language. As a multi-Lingual nation with over 270 Languages it is also a second language, a lingua-franca and language of almost all human endervours. Yet, fluency in the language has continued to be illusive to majority of even educated Nigerians. This is despite all efforts and use of all known. English methods to promote the language. This paper tries to examine the posibility of implementiing yet another strategy, the English Across the Curriculum (EAC), in the Education System. With a view to attaining reasonable fluency. Attempt is made at giving historical background of the strategy, what it is, and its aims. Its spread across the world is also examined and why many countries implemented it in their education system and the challenges faced, the role of each stake-holder in implementing the EAC has also been pointed out. An indepth discussion is also put in place on the possibility of adopting the system in the target country. Proceeding this, are realisable recommedations for implementing the system. The paper concludes that a country like Nigeria, adopting English as a second Language, a strategy like EAC could be an alternative for attaining fluency and a motivation to students and content area teachers to be positionally disposed to English as a learning tool.
Keywords: English, Nigeria, curriculum strategy, implementability, issues and prospects
Domestication of the English Language in Nigeria: An Examination of Morpho-Syntactic Trends in Nigerian English (Nge) (Published)
This paper examines certain developmental patterns Nigerian English (NgE) demonstrates in recent times, particularly at the linguistic levels of morphology and syntax. While studying these current trends, a sociolinguistic approach, as enunciated and popularized by Labov (1966), is adopted. The first part of the work provides an overview of the place of NgE as one of the World Englishes, today, while the second part which is the core of the work is an examination of the nature of foray the typology has made on the construction and use of English by Nigerians of a broad social spectrum. The study reveals that the uniqueness of NgE is considerably realized in such linguistic features as conversion, acronym, composition, redundancy, coinage and reduplication. It is, as well, observed that some NgE forms exhibit the same morphological and syntactic patterns as those of Standard English (SE) while some exhibit significant variations.
Keywords: Domestication, English Language, Examination NgE, Nigeria
Testing and Evaluation in English Language Teaching – A Case of O level English in Nigeria (Published)
One of the ways through which feedback can be obtained from the learners on what the teachers had taught them is evaluation. Students’ achievement in a particular course of study can be determined through evaluation. This work observed various aspects of Ordinary Level English in which students’ achievement are often assessed in Nigeria with a view to assisting students in overcoming problems often encountered during such tests and evaluations. Purposes and forms of language tests were briefly discussed. This was followed by a discussion on characteristics of a good language test. The aspect of tests and examinations in West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) was exhaustively discussed to give insight into what both teachers and learners are expected to focus on. It was recommended that students should be encouraged to possess all the recommended textbooks and change their reading habits. Teachers were also encouraged to always make themselves available for the students and be willing to assist them in the areas of difficulties in O Level English.
Keywords: English language teaching, Evaluation, Nigeria, O Level English, Testing
Problems of Learning Foreign Languages in Colleges of Education and Universities in Nigeria: A Comparative Study of English and French Languages (Published)
In this study, an attempt has been made to vividly unveil some areas that serve as barriers to easy and effective learning of French and English languages Colleges of education and Universities in Nigeria. It is evident that the teaching and learning of foreign languages in Nigeria, a country of diverse ethnic groups, are hard hit by series of problems. It is hoped that through various researches that highlight different aspects of the learners difficulties, their trauma will be greatly reduced. In view of this, we have made a comparative analysis of the problems and proffered possible solutions to help the teacher as well as the learners. Be it English as a second language or French as a second official language in Nigeria, both are foreign and must be considered as much. Pedagogical approaches are proposed in the paper to enhance the teaching of these languages in Nigeria.
Keywords: Colleges Of Education, English, French Languages, Learning Foreign Languages, Nigeria, Universities