A Critical Review of the Involvement of Teachers and Students’ Interest in Current English Language Curriculum in Nigerian Secondary

Abstract

This paper evaluated the appropriateness of teaching English language insome selected secondary schools in both Urban (Ile-Ife) and Rural (Ibodi)areas respectively of former Oranmiyan and Atakunmosa Local Government Areas of Osun state, Nigeria. 150 Senior Secondary School students whose ages ranged from seventeen years six months to eighteen years three months were used for the study. Also investigated were the attitudes of the teachers to the philosophy and implementation of the new English Language curriculum. The interest of the students in the new English language curriculum was also assessed. An attitude scale and a questionnaire were used to test the relationship among the variables identified for the study. Data collected in the study were analysed using percentages and t-test to test the hypotheses generated for the study. Results showed that teachers in both urban and rural settings did not differ in their opinion that they were not involved in the planning of the new English language programme. It was discovered by the paper that there is need to involve the teachers in both rural and urban schools settings in the identification and planning of programme objectives. The non-availability of recommended instructional materials was equally discovered. The paper suggested the need for an urgent re-assessment of existing strategies for implementing the new English language programme.