FACTORS AFFECTING SECONDARY SCHOOL ORAL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION

While the aforementioned conditions are rarely achieved in the teaching of English Language, they are also hardly met in the case of the teaching and learning of English pronunciation. Okoli (2000) comments on the need to be proficient in the sound system of a new language and explains that English should be pronounced in the accent normally chosen as the standard form especially the model most often recommended for foreign learners studying standard British English and also Received Pronunciation.

The teaching of oral English in Nigerian secondary schools has previously been overlooked. However, recent development in the teaching of English Language requires greater emphasis on this aspect of English language. Oral English complements the understanding and the use of English language so as to improve the standard of spoken English. According to Idris (2001), not much has been achieved since the introduction of Oral English in our West African School Certificate and National Examination Council due to the problems associated with the teaching and learning of oral English. There are existing publications on phonology written by Linguists such as A.C. Gimson, Daniel Jones, David Jowitt, Peter Roach, among others. Recently, there is the emergence of new publications particularly on Oral English by other language teachers, researchers and scholars such as Mannell, Cox, and Harrington (2009), Akperero (2000), Enyeazu (2001), and Idris (2001). This development has gone a long way in bringing oral English into focus. Its recent inclusion in the English Language Examination Paper (Test of Orals) has drawn the attention of many teachers and students.

Consequently, the teaching of oral English is rather weighed down by various factors which have contributed to the slow pace and ineffectiveness in teaching the course. These factors include:

1. Poor background.
2. Interference of mother tongue.

• Unqualified teachers, poor teaching methodology

1. Lack of constant practice,
2. Lack of orientation and facilities
3. Shortage and limited accessibility to relevant books.

Most of the students in our secondary schools are faced with either one of the problems or the other. Some are deficient due to more than one problem especially students from rural and poor backgrounds. This study examines some of the major challenges that the teaching of oral English could be faced with in Nigerian secondary schools.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Due to the increasing nature of poor academic performance of secondary school students especially in external examinations like WAEC, NECO, NABTEB or JAMB, many educationists tend to shift the blame on the students lack of interest in the subject being discussed, interference of mother tongue, lack of constant practice by the students, lack of orientation and facilities as well as shortage and limited accessibility to relevant books.

I wish to maintain that though efforts have been put in place to improve Oral English, a good result is yet to be seen and according to Obriri (2007), "Although many concerned pundits have charted numerous ways to simplify the teaching or instruction of Oral English, many more problems are mounting and need to be thoroughly addressed urgently as they are alarming". The cause of this negative development is certainly because a lot of energy are being channelled only towards the learners' problems, and not the problem of teaching.

The main concern of this investigation is to identify those problems that are negatively affecting the instruction of Oral English. The inquiry will also look at the efforts that have been put in place to tackle the problem of teaching Oral English, which however have not yielded any practical solution. The factors affecting Oral English instruction in Osogbo Local Government Area range from teacher incompetence, inadequate instructional materials, disgust for the emphasis on the British accent, poor teaching skills, poor motivation for the students, to other problems which could have been caused by school proprietors or the government. The work identifies workable solutions to the factors affecting Oral English instruction in secondary school in Osogbo Local Government Area.

1.3     THE PURPOSE OF STUDY

Nigeria as a country requires a population competent in the English Language in order to keep up with the pressure of globalization which has led to the increasing use of the English Language in all sectors as well as its continued use as the official language and medium of instruction, Oral English is an important part of the language curriculum in Nigeria is also required for learners to be able to understand the structure of the English Language. Thus, it is arguable that proficiency in English is one of the greatest opportunities that the Nigerian education system ought to provide children with. The primary aim of this study is to identify the factors affecting Oral English instruction in Secondary Schools in Osogbo local government Area of Osun State.From the above this study sets out to:

• Assess the methods of instruction of Oral English by teachers in senior secondary school.
• Compare the effectiveness of various method being used for the instruction of Oral English by teachers of senior secondary school via their academic performance,
• Examine the effect of interference of mother tongue oninstructors of Oral English in senior secondary school.
• Compare the qualification of instructors on their ability to perform effectively in their field of work.
• Investigate the influence of relevant books, practical facilities on the instruction of Oral English in Senior Secondary Schools.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Is there a significant relationship between good instructional materials and students performance in Oral English?
2. Are practical Oral Exercises necessary in the instruction of Oral English?

• Do the instructors' qualifications affects the instructions of Oral English?

1.5     RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

1. There is no significant relationship between good instructional materials and students performance in Oral English.
2. Practical Oral Exercises are not necessary in the instruction of Oral English.

• Noise is not inimical to the instruction of Oral English.

1. Instructors' qualification does not affect the instruction of Oral English.

1.6     SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF STUDY

First, the researcher will focus his inquiry on investigating the factors affecting the instructions of Oral English.Secondly, the researcher will limit his work to ten selected secondary schools in Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State. These include:

Ataoja School of Science Osogbo

Laro High School, Osogbo

Osogbo High School, Osogbo

Baptist High School, Osogbo

Oroki Middle School, Osogbo

St' Charles High School Osogbo

Ifeolu Middle School Osogbo

African High School Osogbo

Good Tidings Standard Collegiate Osogbo

Gof International College Osogbo

1.7     SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study will be beneficial to the following:

The Secondary School Students in Osogbo Local Government Area and other students in Osun State

Principals and proprietors of secondary schools within and outside Osogbo Local Government Area

Teachers of Oral English in secondary Schools in Osogbo Local Government;

Ministry of Education in Osogbo Local Government Area;

Osun State Universal Basic Education Board; and

Osun State Ministry of Education, and so on.

1.8     OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Factors:      Things or circumstances contributing to result.

Affecting:   Produce effect on or to bring about.

Quality:      Degree of excellence.

English:      The language, originally of England, now spoken in many countries and used as a language of international communication throughout the world.

Language: Use of words in agreed way as means of human communication.

Teaching:   Guidance or training given to someone.

Students:    A school pupil or a person studying at a place of higher education

Secondary School:        Level of education that comes after the basic or results from the primary education