The Silent Child in an English Language Classroom: In Selected Secondary Schools in Ijebu-Mushin, Ogun State

Abstract

English language is a language of communication in Nigerian society. It is a language   of medium instructions, as a lingual  franca,  useful in all facets  of lives in  Nigeria. English as a second  language is useful between the encoder and decoders.  It is a language meant   for a medium of communication by instructors (teachers) in the school.  English is a compulsory  subject to be taken to qualify  students to enter the universities, and to pass  WASSCE  NECO, NABTEB and other public  examinations. English carries our major instruments of communication in various ministries, parastatals, universities, business centre, cyber café, embassies, airports, seaports, and in our major highways. Without English language it would have been difficult for an average Nigerian to exist and interact with the rest outside world. The original  owners  of English  language  were the natives of Britain or united  kingdom  which comprises of Wales in Queen Elizabeth, domain, Scotland among  the Scottish, North  Ireland and among the  English people   of England. English language gradually became an international language through the act of colonization of British in an attempt to explore the whole world. All the English speaking countries should belong to the Anglophone countries of which Nigeria.  Ghana, India, USA, Egypt, South Africa is member. As a result of  this  English  language  has  gradually  become  a major  language  of instruction by all and  sundry. Gradually, English has become a lingual Franca, a medium of communication to the rich and the poor, the affluence and downtrodders in our society. As a second  language  learner most  Nigerian faces major  problems  in speaking and writing  English  language, because they could  not speak and write like the  Native  speakers. Many of our  indigenous  languages  has now  being  assimilated  into the study of  English  language  in our day to day  activities. What are the factors affecting the poor performance of students  in English  in our  major schools. We lay emphasis on students as learners in various institutions of higher learning  in Nigeria. The  scope of our topic  is a wider one which does not  restrict our studies to primary, nursery or secondary  schools.  In our discussion  we are going  to examine  critically  factors  affecting the poor  performance of students  of English in various  standard, and  what  are the  causes  responsible  for their poor  performance in various  public  examinations. Since  examination  is a  yardstick  or measure  to be used in determining the level of students’  performance, we are using to examine  factors  in English  language  in Nigerian  schools.