Tense Errors In English Essays Of Secondary School Students

TENSE ERRORS IN ENGLISH ESSAYS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

(a case study of idemili north LGA)

CHAPTER ONE

1.0      INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Language has really become one of the most interesting area of research these days. Most at time people from various part of Nigeria tends to learn more than one language. This study takes into consideration some selected secondary schools in idemili local government area in Anambra state of Nigeria. According to (Makoni, 1993:97-107; Eun-pyo, 2002; Kasanga, 2006:65-89) error analysis is one of the aspects of secondary language learning processes that have received much attention from various research. We consider this error in English language for this study.

These are always several ways of thinking about errors in writing. Consider a group of linguistic students and second language acquisition and what we know about how texts, context and the writing process interact with one another students. Writng in second language that is not our mother tongue generally contains grammatical and rhetorical errors.

As Myles (2002:10) argues “depending on proficiency level, the more content-rich and creative the text, the greater the possibility there is for errors at the morphosyntactic level.” 

These kinds of errors are especially common among secondary school writers who do not have enough language skills to express what they want to say in a comprehensible way. The present study analyses the English language errors in the writing of tenses and essays.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The major problem of most secondary schools in idemili north local government areas of Anambra state is the problem of English language. Especially in the area of essay writing; for the past 7 years no students in these part of Anambra state has won any external award in essay; this could be as a result of poor learning environment and the level of education of the teachers in these areas.

Another major problem that these schools have is lack of learning and instructional materials for students to study with. Most of the students from these areas are from the interior villages that have problem with English. The only language they understood perfectly is their mother tongue.

Most secondary schools in this local government area have experience poor academic performance in JSSE, SSCE, WAEC, NABTEB and other external examination in English language.

They lack the ability to express them self in essay writing; no confidence in their ability because they are not well taught by their teachers.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION

1. Why are there massive failures in essay writing in most of the secondary schools in idemili north local government area of Anambra state?

2. Are the federal government of Nigeria making any effort to improve the learning environment in such areas?

3. Can the academic qualification of the teachers posted to these areas have significant effect on the performance of students in those areas?

4. Does these secondary schools have programs like JETCLUB, WRITERS association, extra moral classes, and the PRESS CLUB?

5. Does the social background of the pupils in that local government area have effect on their academic performance?

1.4 RESEARC HYPOTHESIS

H₀: The academic qualification of the teachers does not have significant effect on the performance of students in essay writing

H₁: The academic qualifications of the teachers have significant effect on the performance of students in essay writing

H₀: The social background of the students does not have effect on their tense error in essay writing

H₁: The social backgrounds of the students have effect on their tense error in essay writing

1.5 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

1. To determine the effect of the academic qualification of the teachers on the academic performance of the students in the secondary schools in idemili local government areas of Anambra state.

2. To determine the effect of social background on the tense error of the students

3. To investigate the impact of the government intervention on the improvement of the learning environment on the academic performance of the students

4. To determine the best approach of improving the students essay writing abilities and how to correct the simple tense error in English language.

5. To determine the causes of tense error in English essays in secondary schools

6. To classify these errors.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

By the end of the research work, we shall be able to determine the impact of the level of academic qualification of the teachers on the academic performance of the students in idemili north local government area of Anambra state. The study will also provide effect of social background on the academic performance of students and also offers the best possible solutions to tense error in English essay writing among the secondary school students in idemili north local government areas of Anambra state.

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The study covers various areas of the responses of some respondents on the topic tense error in English essays of secondary school in idemili north local government area of Anambra state. It made use of primary data gotten from the distribution of questionnaire to some of the areas in idemili north local government areas of Anambra state. The study also brings out the common errors made by English language students and teachers in essay writing.

1.8 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

This study is important as, it attempts to highlight the major tense errors committed by the students in their speaking and writing, and to provide the lasting solution on how to correct the errors.

1.9 LIMITATION OF STUDY

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS: The researcher was unable to go to almost all the areas of idemili north local government areas of Anambra state due to lack of enough finance; but was able to reach out to a meaningful population for the purpose of the study.

TIME CONSTRAINTS: Due to the research in other areas of research trying to get good result from the respondents lead to the delay in the completion of the research work.

REFERENCES

Hornby, Albert, Sidney. Guide to Pattern and Usage in English. London: Oxford University Press, 1975.

James, Svartvik. On Voice in English Verb. London: Longman, 1966.

Leech, Geoffrey and Svartvik, James. A Communicative Grammar of English. London: Longman, 1974.

Michael, Halliday. Language Structure and Language Function in Lyons New Horizons in Linguistics. Penguin (p. 140 – 165), 1970.

Orji, Njokwo. English Grammar for Advanced Students. Obasi: Pacific College Press, 1988.