The Structure and Communicative Functions of Nigerian English and Its Implications on Teaching Writing Skills at the Sss Level
CHAPTER ONE
Objective OF STUDY
The purpose of this study is to:
- Appraise the writing skills of students at the SSS level.
- Determine areas of difficulty faced by English teachers who teach writing to English as second language user.
- Find out the effect of “Nigerian English” on the writing skills of S.S.S students.
- Suggest ways of promoting writing skills at the SSS level.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPETENCE
Of the various thrusts of sociolinguistics during the past twenty years, probably the concept of communicative competence has had the greatest impact on the field of language pedagogy. The communicative approach to language teaching has been a welcome development in many part of the world. Linguists applied linguists and applied linguists have been theorizing on competence since the mid 1970’s while curriculum planners have continued to devote considerable time designing communicative syllabuses. It is also noted that more materials in modern course bocks is designed “to develop competence and current language also often involve measurement of this area.
However, as Nunan (1987: 136-145) has pointed out, while a great deal has been writer on the theory and practice of communicative language, teaching, there has been comparatively’ few studies of actual language practices and implications. He has argued that the language classroom should be made more communicative and has called for more research and understanding on how to foster communicative language use. (Maduekwe 2007:185).
According to Stern (1983:152), linguistic competence is often referred to as the ideal native speaker’s knowledge of his language based on the assumption that he has an intuitive grasp of what Stern calls “the linguistic, cognitive, affective and socio-cultural meanings expressed by language form”. This supposed impeccable knowledge of a particular language is made possible through an innate system of language regulations which enable the ideal speaker/listener to differentiate or distinguish in his own language between n well constructed and deviant sentences, to make and understand novel sentences and to distinguish between meaningful structures and actual spoken or written sentences that result from the grammatical transformations.
According to Chomsky (1987:18-19), linguistic competence is predicted upon a deterministic notion of language and it is taken to represent the native speaker-hearer’s intuitive knowledge of his language. It is intrinsic, purely mentalistic and given. Chomsky further proposes that a linguistics theory representing such knowledge:
is concerned primarily with an ideal speaker-healer, in a completely homogeneous speech community, ours its languages perfectly and is unaffected by such grammatically irrelevant conditions as memory limitations, distractions, shifts or attention and interest, errors, (random or characteristic) in applying his knowledge of the language in actual performance.
However, according to Allen and Widdowson (1985:33-35), an ordinary knowledge of language form in this manner or sense is rendered useless as “language learning should not· be confined to syntactic analysis of decontextualized single sentences as in much of transformational grammar, but should be concerned with communication:, because communication is the essence of language. Until a learner knows how to use the resources of grammar to send meaningful messages in real life situations, he cannot be said to know the language.
THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE.
Communicative competence is a linguistic term, which refers to a learner’s second language ability. It not only refers to a learner’s ability to apply and use grammatical rules, but also to form correct utterances and know how to use them appropriately. The term was coined by Dell Hymes, reacting against the perceived inadequacy of Chomsky’s distinction between competence and performance Hymes (1994:245) discussed the ethnographic: oriented exploration of communication competence.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
This chapter focused attention on the methods .and procedures adopted for the investigation, collection and analysis of data for the study which includes the population and sample, sampling techniques, instrumentation, validity and reliability of instrument as well as method of data collection and data analysis.
RESEARCH DESIGN
This study is a descriptive survey design. This is because the study is designed to determine the nature of a situation as it exists at present in teaching learning situation.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of this study comprises all the SSS students and teachers in some selected government schools in four local government of Lagos state.
The schools to be used are listed below;
- Onigbongbo High School, Onigbongbo, Ikeja, Lagos.
- Coker/Aguda High School, Coker Aguda, Lagos.
- Holy Saviour Grammar School, Isolo, Lagos.
- Oshodi Grammar School, Oshodi, Lagos
HISTORY/PROFILE OF THE FOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COUNCILS THAT WERE USED FOR THIS RESEARCH WORK ARE AS FOLLOWS:
(1) PROFILE OF ONIGBONGBO LOCAL COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AREA
CREATION OF MORE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BY AN ACT OF THE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY LAW
Sequel to the creation of additional Thirty-seven (37) Local Governments by an act of the State House of Assembly on October, 23 2003 by the Administration of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the consequent dissolution of the
Twenty (20) Local Governments Structure Hon. Idowu Obasa was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the newly created Onigbongbo Local Government which was carved out of the defunct Ikeja Local Government.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF DATA ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the result of the analysis of data on the communicative functions of Nigerian English and its implications on teaching writing skills at the SSS level. In order to determine responses, the likert type questionnaires that comprised five point scales were used along side with an observation schedule. The findings of the study are presented according to the research questions in chapter one.
ANALYSIS OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
Table 1: showing the distribution of respondent according to their sex, the years of teaching experience, educational qualification and class taught.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
INTRODUCTION
It is important to give an overview of this research project. In other word, it is incumbent on us to assess our aims and research questions to see if we have done justice to our aims and also if we have answered the questions raises. This chapter therefore contains a presentation of our findings, recommendations and conclusion, which revolves round our purpose sand research questions.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The topic, the structure and communicative function of Nigerian English and its implications on teaching writing skills at the senior secondary school levels, is undertaken and geared towards the following aims and propositions:
- To appraise the writing skills of the students at the SSS.
- To find out the effect of Nigerian English on the writing skills of the students and the
- Teaching modes of the teachers.
This study has shown the double attitude or disposition towards the linguistics and socio-cultural manifestations of Nigerian English in students and teachers communicative performance. As agreed or claimed by many of the respondents (teachers), the concept of Nigerian English is no longer an issue of debate. This corresponds with the claims of many scholars as identified in the literature review and, poignantly, with the result of our observations.
As gleaned from our observation, certain concepts and expressions reflect a peculiarly Nigerian linguistic socio-cultural environment. These manifest in the different linguistics levels- lexis, syntax, morphology and semantics. For examples, at the level of meaning, certain English words assume a new meaning either through semantic extension or restriction such as “I hope you have stopped Chasing boys”. Likewise, certain words are coined. “Barb”, “expo”.
Nigerian English expressions, as evident in the writing of students and teachers, have also been shown to manifest in other areas such as reduplication or unnecessary repetition/ tautology. Reduplication IS, according to Mgbo Elue (2001) as a result of the tendency for Nigerian to achieve emphasis through intensification, fault translation and the rest. Mother tongue or Li interference is also of huge impart or effect in the communicative performance of both teachers and students.
DISCUSSION
A discussion of the results of our investigation is motivated by a conscious attempt to bring to fore certain observable elements and to, consequently, offer possible suggestions which meet to such needs.
As table one and fourteen the teacher’s questionnaires show, a great percentage of the respondents appear to be favorable pre-disposed towards Nigerians English (NE). However, a greater percentage claim still that NE affects the communicative competence of both teacher and students as shown by the results of table fifteen and sixteen. This leads to an obvious irony. It raises the issues ‘of deviant and deviation.
One prominent manifestation of NE (Nigerian English) is noted in the pronunciation and spelling performances of both the teachers and students, teachers’ and students’ mother tongues exerts a huge influence in their communicative performance. This influence can be detrimental to effective communication as evident in the spelling errors, which it leads to as observed mainly in the students writing.
Inadvertently, Nigerian English expressions manifest in the speech and writing of teachers and students alike.
It appears that students are not given appropriate training in writing. As confirmed by the teachers’ students are tested and not trained in the art of writing.
It is therefore surprising that students with less exposure and less training should be able to spell well and express their taught well as the result of table eight and nine of the teacher’s questionnaire indicate.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- The senior secondary school (SSS) English scheme should be strengthened to make it more learners centered and communication oriented. The SSS certificate examination should be consistent with classroom goals and socia-linguistic realities.
- Teachers of English writing should be trained periodically through seminars, workshops, in-service training and conferences. This will up-date teachers’ knowledge at improving English language writing in schools.
- More time should be allocated in the school timetable for teaching writing if a strong foundation for effective usage among students is to be built.
- Language scholars and scheme planners should meet to decide Nigerian English expression, which passes as a standard (i.e. one which is internationally intelligible and socially acceptable) and those who hinder effective communications. The result of such meeting should reflect in the SSS English syllabus.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Nigerian English is a reality. It is a variety of English that has come to be reckoned with especially in an academic setting such as an English language class. Although it attracts mixed feelings as to its impart an implication to’ teaching writing, particularly at the SSS level, its importance to communicative performance and language production cannot be relegated to the background. As suggested, scholars of language and syllabus planners should try to make a distinction between Nigerian expressions/English, which act as barrier to effective communication writing skills, and those which promote communication competence and-effective writing skills.
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