IMPACT OF PARENTS SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
CERTIFICATION
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER
I INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of the Study
Significance of the Study
Research Questions
Delimitations of the Study
Definition of Terms
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
III METHODOLOGY
Research Design
Area of Study
Research Population
Sampling Procedure
Instrument for Data
Collection
Validation of the Instrument
Reliability of the
Instrument
Administration of the
Instrument
Data Analysis Technique
IV DATA ANALYSIS
Analysis of Data
Summary of Findings
V DISCUSSION,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Discussion
Conclusion
Recommendations
Limitations
Suggestions for Further
Studies
References
Appendix
ABSTRACT
This
study was designed
and conducted as
an investigation into the influence of socio-economic background of
students on their performance in English language in Ondo state.
The research work focuses on five (5)
randomly selected secondary schools
in Ondo state. One hundred students were sampled using
simple-randomization technique (dip hand method). Questionnaire was the main
instrument for data collection, while simple percentage analysis was used to
analyse the data collected.
Based on the findings, it was discovered
that students from monogamous families performed better than students from
un-educated background and
students from high working class
parents performed better than students from low working class parents.
Suggestions and recommendations
were made to improve the performance of students in
English language. Parents should encourage their children by providing the
needed materials that will motivate them. They should buy them needed English
textbooks and also give them enough exposure.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Problem
English Language plays a
very important role in Nigeria society today. It is a language that is
recognized throughout the whole world which serves as Nigeria lingua franca i.e
a neutral language used as a means of communication among people of diverse
mother tongue. Since Nigeria is made up of multivarious ethnic groups who speak
about four hundred and fifty languages, a neutral language would be needed for
easy communication among the ethnic groups. It is through English that people
from different ethnic groups are able to communicate and interact.
English
language serves as the language of instruction in most schools. It also serves
as the medium through which other subjects are taught, since the secondary
school curriculum is broad. A student who passes other subjects but fails
English language would not be given admission into university or other tertiary
institution.
English language,
which serves as
the language of colonial master had assumed a prestigious
status among the Nigerian citizens even before independence. The language brings some
reasonable amount of
prestige on whoever could adopt it. In essence, a
proficiency in English language earns a man prestige and honour while a person
who cannot use English efficiently would be restricted and marginalized.
From the
above discussion on the role of English language. It
is evident that
English language is very important as a language in the
country as it affects everything that is
important in Nigeria
like education, politics,
national and international conferences, prints and electronic media, social
interaction etc.
The major question that
confronts us now however is, what manner of English language in Nigeria? It has
become clear to virtually all stakeholders in the educational sector that
performance in the use of English has taken a terrible nosedive, mastering simple
and basic grammatical structure has become so popular that they have spread to
the entire society.
The poor
performance of students in English Language has continued to deteriorate in the
recent times despite its status. The problem of poor performance in English
Language in Nigeria is a matter of great interest to the researcher and great
concern to the educators. It is well known fact that children from different
degrees of academics success that is, there was a cumulative disadvantage from
children from upper socio-economic status with 60% greater change of completing
education than children from low working class home.
The
expectation of Nigeria (that is people) on the performances of students through
their achievement in school varies, most especially in English language as a
subject. Despite the motivational variable put in place for high status caliber
children, they are still performing below expectation. Likewise low-economic
status caliber with little or no motivation still performing averagely well and
vice versa in examination situation. It is to this background that this study
is focused. It examines the effects of socio economic background or status of
students on their achievement in English language.
Statement of the Problem
The impact of parents' socio
economic background of students on their achievement in English language has
been the concerned of many researchers Some researchers have carried out
researches in this field and they concluded that if avenue is given to
low socio-economic background students to attend the school of high standard,
they will perform well and they will have good performance and achievement.
Most
researchers have carried out studies on factors influencing poor performance in
English language but not much has been done in the area of finding the impact
of parents' socio-economic background of students on their achievement in
English language especially in Ondo state. The researcher therefore, intends to
examine background of the students on their achievement in English
language and it
will be conducted
in some selected secondary schools.
Purpose of study
The general purpose was
designed to investigate the impact of parents’ socio-economic background on
students achievement in English language in Ondo state. Specifically, this
research shall be based on the effects of some variables of socio-economic
background of parents on students’ academic achievement in English language
such variables are:
family type
educational background
source of income
parent type of work
Significance of Study
The primary objective of
educational research is to increase existing stock of knowledge on educational
phenomena and issues which will help us to provide appropriate solution to
educational practices and also to enhance sustainable development in education.
Results from this study
would be useful to the teachers, parents, educational researcher, learners and
the schools administrators.
The
importance of this study to teachers is that they would find the result as a
useful in administering and controlling some issues in class-based on the
achievement of their students. To parents, they will understand that, what
exists in the society in all ramifications adds little or no reflection, to the
academic achievement of their children in school of what the students get
exposed to contribute to the encouraging achievement but the level of
intelligent of such students determines most.
Finally, it will be useful to the educational
researcher who may be interested in carrying out research on this topic latter
as a useful guide.
Research Questions
This study provides answers
to the following research questions.
1. Does the socio-economic status of parents determine students’ achievement in English language?
2. Do the students from monogamous families achieve better than those
from polygamous families?
3. Do the parents’ educational background affect students’
achievement in English language?
4. Is the income of the parents a determining factor for students’
achievement in English language?
5. Do the parents’ type of work affect their children’s
achievement in English language?
Delimitation of Study
The research work covered
Ondo state. The research is limited to the impact of parents socio-economic
background on students performance and
achievement in English language. Using
(5) five-selected secondary schools in Ondo state. Questionnaires were used to
collect information on socio-economic background of students.
The researcher would have
involved all the thirty six (36) schools in the area of the metropolis but for
the time and financial
constraints, she was forced to
used only five (5) selected secondary schools located in Ondo
state
Definition of Terms
The
following variables and
terms in the
study are clarified
operationally.
(a)
Parental Educational
attainment: It refers to the educational
attainment acquired by the parents.
(b)
Performance: This is the act of doing or getting something done.
(c)
Socio-economic status: This describes a general descriptive word which sums up the family
and social origin of an individual. It is usually established by reference to
parents’ income, education and occupation.
