ABSTRACT
This study examined the strategies for solving grammatical error among the Junior Secondary School in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The study specifically focuses on the strategies for solving grammatical errors among the J.S.S students in years one to three. To make this investigation reliable, some research questions were formulated to serve as a research light to guide the investigation. Relevant information was collected with the use of questionnaire, which was designed by the research. The data collected were analyzed using Ch-square method. The study also released attitude towards the subjects has developed like warn attitude towards the subject, students should be encouraged to be speaking the language both in the class and outside the classroom. Teacher should be encouraged to be attending seminar in English Language the government should provide the materials which will be used in learning the second language.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
English language in Nigeria today occupies the pride of place in the midst of hundred of languages used in the country. It is the language of government and administration (Oyedola 2000). Also important is that, English language is the language of education of science and technology. It is equally remains a formidable language in the Mass Media. Both print and electronic media exploits the resources of English to thrive.
Bamgbose (2002) claims that there are about 400 languages used in Nigeria. English therefore serves as a neutral medium of communication among many languages used by the Nigerians from different linguistic background.
It is a means of international communication Nigeria relates with other through English. Also, as Adeola (2003) observes, English act mainly as the vehicle for the reservation of history and transmission of culture in the country.
English language is a systematically structured entity which exhibits the following structural components: phonological, Morphological, semantics and syntactic Components. The Phonological level reveals the inventory and systems of sounds in a language.
The Morphological component is the domain of morphemes (including all existing morphs and allomorphs) employed in word formation. The Semantic Component is all about utterances and their meaning. The syntactic levels employed in systematic combination of words leading to grammatical structural strings of well formed utterances which is now the focus of this study.
It is obvious therefore that literary and proficiency in English is a crucial issue for all pupils because this can enable them to put their ideas across clearly in assignment and examination.
English is used to teach almost all the subject students offer in school.
This might be one of the reasons why Tiffen (2002) asserts that:
“English can now be regarded as one of the Major African Language.
So wide spread is its use and so essential is it as tool in every day
Life…..above all, it is the language of education. Indeed without English,
There could as present be little education above elementary level”
As a second language in Nigeria, the child has to learn the rules and master them before he can perform with the language.
The researcher has personally observed the use of English language by some of Junior Secondary School Students in various schools and has got to know that grammatical errors are committed by these students such as sent aces fragments, use of wrong preposition, Verb Forms, Pronoun Agreement, and Verb Agreement etc.
But this study will concentrate on the use of verb agreement among the Junior Secondary Schools (J.S.S) Students and errors committed.
It has also been discovered by the researcher that, if some strategies are used, it can help to solve these problems, the strategies are as follows:
1) The use of fabric book
2) The use of games
3) The use of teaching board
4) The use of wall chart
5) Using of teaching procedure
6) The use of storage etc.
Strategies to be used by the researcher out of the above listed ones are:
1) Use of game and
2) The use of wall chart
The Use of Games
The games in questions here are not games like handball, football and sports. Our concern here are the games of language teacher could engage the students in during language learning activities. There are different kinds of language games. This would be fully discussed in chapter two
The Use of Wall Chart
Wall chart is a systematic arrangement of facts in the form of symbols, pictures etc. There is also a material in which we display on teaching board. How to use the chart would be explained in chapter two.
Statement of the Problem
What led the researcher embark on this study is that the position of English in Nigeria calls for joint efforts by having pupils well – grounded in the language with a view to using it effectively. A visit to any of our secondary schools in any part of Nigeria, the students spoken English whenever they are typing to converse in English responding to questions during English lessons particularly the J.S.S students will show that they so makes mistakes in grammatical concord in particular.
The researcher believes that it is necessary to research into this aspect of the English grammar so that corrections could be made.
Adekayero (2003), believes that, if the educational foundation is shaky, the future of the child education will be jeopardized. In the light of this, proper attention ought to be paid to their use of the correct data language ought to be paid to their use of correct data of the language with a view to lay a solid foundation.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to design strategies for solving grammatical errors of Junior Secondary Schools Students. Specifically, it will identify the type of grammatical errors by the students and find ways of solving these grammatical errors.
Research Questions
Attempt would be made to answer the following research questions:
i) What are the spoken forms of grammatical errors by the students?
ii) What are the written forms of grammatical errors committed by the students?
iii) What would be the influence of grammatical strategy on students spoken form of grammar?
iv) What would be the influence of grammatical strategy on students written form of grammar?
Significance of the Study
The result of this study could provide strategies for solving grammatical errors among junior secondary school students. This study is very important because it could help the J.S.S teachers to improve their use of English. It is the belief of the researcher that when students pass, the teacher feels elated but if reverse is the case the teacher could be discouraged.
Apart from this, the study could help in enhancing the student’s self-confidence so that they will be able to express their feelings, Ideas, Likes and Dislikes in English which is a sign of language competence.
The findings of this study could be of immense values to curriculum planners, parents as well as textbooks writers, the government and all agents of education.
Limitation of the Study
The aim of this study is to enumerate the strategies for solving grammatical errors of Junior Secondary Schools Students. The research works will be narrowed down in scope to five schools in Ekiti South West Local Government and twenty students in each school.
The schools are:
i) Amoye Grammar School, Ikere – Ekiti
ii) A. U.D Comprehensive High School, Ikere – Ekiti
iii) St Luku College Ikere - Ekiti
iv) Ikere High school, Ikere – Ekiti
v) Government College School, Ikere – Ekiti
Definition of Terms
The following are the operational terms used in this study:
Concord: Agreement and harmony of nouns, pronouns with verbs.
Performance: This is the degree to which the attachment of a particular act or behaviour is being measured. It has to do with the ability to use language proficiently.
Competence: This can only be referenced to as an underlying ability. It has to do with whether specific languages ability is present and used by the speaker. It can also be described as the intuitive knowledge of the native speaker about his language.
Pedagogy: This simply means the study of teaching methods.
Strategies: These are the processes of carrying out a plan in his skillful way.
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