Junior Secondary School Students Research Articles

English Language Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State: Problems and Prospects

This paper studied the problems of teaching and learning English as a second language in junior school certificate examination in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State. The study sought to establish the extent to which students in Junior Secondary School and teachers should value English as the language of instruction. The framework adopted is the behaviorist theory of bilingualism. The simple percentage method of data analysis was employed to analyze data. The population comprised students in junior secondary schools in Ozoro precisely the students of Opute Grammar School, Ozoro and Heroes Group of Schools, Ozoro both in Delta State of Nigeria. The sample size was 100, and the instrument for data collection was the questionnaire which was tested and retested on some other students to ensure that it was reliable. It was found out that the majority of the students consider the English language a difficult subject because of their inability to understand every aspect, which the English language entails. It was also found out among others that the level of infiltration of mother tongue into the respondents’ English is very high. This research recommended that good reading habits should be developed in the students and also well-equipped libraries should be provided in the schools and communities in order to improve better performance in their study of English language. It concluded that the problems of teaching and learning English as a second language is as a result of the impact of mother’s tongue, inadequate textbooks, poor language background and lack of professional growth and development of teachers. If these discovered factors are not checked there will be a drastic decline in standard of education.

Effectiveness of geometrical instructional teaching strategy on junior secondary school students’ Achievement, Gender and Attitude in Plane Geometry in Odeda Local Government, Ogun state, Nigeria

This research study was concerned with the effectiveness of Geometrical Instructional teaching strategy on Junior Secondary School Students’ achievement, gender and attitude in Plane geometry in Odeda Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. The research study compared the effect of using Geometrical Instructional Teaching Strategy(GITS) and the conventional teaching approach on the achievement, gender and attitude of Junior Secondary School Students in Plane Geometry. The research was a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental control group design. Four (4) Junior secondary schools were purposefully chosen because of the availability of computers in these schools. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample of 240 students (120 males and 120 females) drawn from four schools within the local Government. Four intact classes were used by the researchers for both experimental and the control groups. The experimental group was taught using Geometrical Instructional Teaching strategy package while the control group was taught using conventional teaching approach method. The Geometry Achievement test (GAT) consisting of (15) multiple choice items with four options, and Attitude Inventory on Plane Geometry (IIPG) were administered to students as pre-test and post-test before and after the treatment. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer the four (4) research questions while the hypotheses were tested using analysis of covariance(ANCOVA). Result of the study revealed that students taught plane geometry using Geometrical Instructional Teaching Strategy package achieved higher mean scores than those students taught using conventional method. The result also revealed non-significant difference in the mean achievement and the mean attitude scores of males and female’s students taught plane geometry using Geometrical Instructional package and those students taught using conventional method. Some recommendations were made among which are that mathematics teachers should include the use of Geometrical Instructional Teaching Strategy to teach plane geometry.

Assessment of the Impact of Guidance and Counselling on Academic Performance and Discipline among Junior Secondary School Students (A Study of Federal Capital Territory in Abuja)

This study utilised a quantitative research design that included experimental and control groups to investigate the impact of guidance and counselling on students’ discipline and academic performance. The researcher employed stratified random sampling to select 200 students and 50 teachers from diverse backgrounds for the study. Data was collected using a four-point Likert scale questionnaire, which demonstrated a high level of consistency (with a Cronbach alpha score of 0.87). The sample was split into 100 in the control groups and 100 in the experimental group. Over an academic year, only the experimental group participated in counselling sessions. Information on behavior changes was obtained through observation, while academic performance data was collected using the General Subject Performance Test (GSPT). Data from the survey was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions. An analysis using a t-test was carried out to determine the impact of guidance and counselling services on students' academic performance using the General Subject Performance Test (GSPT). A linear regression test was analysed to compare the behavior ratings before and after the intervention to identify any potential relationship between the two variables and the result showed a statistically significant difference among the experimental group, this indicates that guidance and counselling services have a positive impact on students' academic performance and discipline. According to the findings, it was suggested that counselors should receive continuous training, ensure access to counselling services for all students based on their unique backgrounds and needs, and foster strong collaboration among counselors, teachers, administrators, and parents.

School Discipline And Academic Performance In Social Studies Among Secondary School Students In South South Educational Zone, Nigeria

The study investigated school discipline and academic performance in social studies among secondary school students in South South Educational Zone, Nigeria. The study tested three null hypotheses, collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to select a sample of 200 students, from a population of 4,320 junior secondary school students in the area. The instruments used for data collection was a questionnaire and social studies achievement test that were designed and administered by the researcher. The null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance using Independent t-test statistical technique. Findings from the study revealed that, time management, administration of punishment and administration or school rules and regulations significantly influence secondary school students’ academic performance in social studies in South South Educational Zone respectively. It was thus concluded that time management, administration of punishment and administration of school rules and regulations significantly influence secondary students’ academic performance in social studies. It was recommended that, secondary school students should endeavour to manage their time properly by developing a personal timetable that will incorporate all their domestic, school and leisure activities; and corporal punitive measures such as manual labour and use of cane should not be employed in administering punishment to students.

Effects Integrating Personalized Learning Environment On Students’ Achievement in Social Studies in Secondary Schools in Imo State

This study is aimed at determining the effects integrating Personalized Learning Environment on students’ achievement in social studies in secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria. A Qusi-experimental research design with non-equivalent intact groups, pre-test and post- test was adopted in this study. The population of the study comprised the entireUpper Basic( Junior Secondary School) students of 94,963 with 47,481 male and 48,481 female in the 68 secondary schools in Owerri Zone 1 of Imo State. Purposive sampling technique was used as the sample techniques. 39 Jss 2 students (19 male and 20 female) in one school were in treatment one (personalised learning environment) group, while 43 Jss 2 students (21 male and 22 female in the school were in treatment two (lecture method) group. The instrument for data collection was Researcher Made Social Studies Achievement Test (RMSSAT). The items in the instrument were subjected to content and face validation by five specialists, three specialists from Educational Measurement and Evaluation and two from Educatonal technology. The reliability of the research instrument was established using Kuder-Richardson (K-20) and this gave a reliability coefficient of 0.86. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) F- test statistics at 0.05 level of significance was used to interpret the result. From data analysed, the findings from study are: Personal Learning environment is effective in the improvement of students’ academic achievement and also revealed that personal learning is more effective on the male students than on the female students. The study recommended among others that: since the use of personalized learning environment has been found to enhance achievement in social studies, teachers of social studies should employ this technologically enriched method to teach students in the classroom more ewspecially those abstract to topics.

Maps as instructional resources and scholarly performance of junior secondary school students in social studies

PurposeThe purpose of the research was to, first, investigate if the use of maps as instructional resources will boost scholarly performance and, second, examine if gender can moderate the effect of map usage on scholarly performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study was a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test. A sample of 260 JSS II Students from 8 schools were selected through the purposive sampling technique. A Social Studies Scholarly Performance Test (SSSPT) with a reliability index of 0.79 was the instrument for data collection. The students were assigned into two groups: control and experimental. Both groups were pre-tested taught for a timeline of six weeks and thereafter post-tested.FindingsThe study reported a significant increase in the scholarly performance of students taught with maps; a significant difference occurred in the scholarly performance of both groups and gender did not moderate the effect of maps.Research limitations/implicationsThe social studies teachers used for the study did not have previous knowledge or map skills; this could have affected the outcome. Secondly, the treatment took place for just six weeks, and the time allotted for social studies in the school timetable was used. This may not have given the students enough time to master map interpretation.Practical implicationsA major implication of the study is that results will show that maps can promote the scholarly performance of students in social studies. Secondly, the fact that gender did not moderate the effect of maps suggests that maps are gender-friendly.Social implicationsThe results of the study, if implemented, would make social studies teachers to become inventive and resourceful in the use of maps as instructional resources for junior secondary students' scholarly performance in social studies without taking gender into consideration.Originality/valueThis study is a product of the researcher’s doctoral thesis; therefore, it is original and has value. The results are the product of a painstaking study carried out by the author for a period of three years on the effect of instructional resources on social studies students’ scholarly performance. Maps were one of the instructional resources studied for the award of a Ph.D. degree.

The Effect of Kahoot! On Junior Secondary School Students’ Vocabulary Mastery: An Experimental Study

The aimed of this research to investigate the significant effect of Kahoot application towards students vocabulary mastery at the eighth grade of MTs Al-Mu’min Cikeusik, Pandeglang academic year 2023/2024. This research was quantitative approach with quasi-experimental design. The research paper used the quantitative approach and quasi-experimental design. This research was conducted from July-august, The technique in choosing the sample is cluster random sampling; and the researcher has chosen two classes are a control class and an experimental class This research consisted of two variables namely Kahoot application media as independent variable and students vocabulary mastery as dependent variable, using pre-test and post-test control group design. The population of this research was eighth grade of MTs Al-Mu’min Cikeusik consisted of 42 students divided into two class. the sample of this research were VIII A (22 students) as experimental class and VIII B (20 students) as control class. In the Collecting data technique, the researcher gives pre-test and post-test. The score pre-test of control group are 1,210, the score pre-test of experimental class are 1,475. Then, the score post-test of control group are 1,405, the score post-test of experimental group are 1,850. To collect the data, the researcher used SPSS version 29. to know whether was any significant effect students’ vocabulary mastery, between the students who are taught by using Kahoot application as media and who are not. Therefore, From the explanation above, it can be concluded that Kahoot application an effective media for English teaching-learning. The result of this research showed that the students who were taught by using Kahoot! game got better score than the students who were taught by using traditional method. The researcher has found the result of Significant two-tailed = 0.001 < α 0.05.

Reading motivation and learning strategies among Chinese EFL learners

AbstractGiven the preeminent role of students' reading motivation in their academic success in reading, which determines the quality and intensity of cognition and behaviors, it is important to investigate the predicative effects of different aspects of reading motivation on students' learning strategies particularly in a foreign language learning context where students usually learn the target language mainly through reading. This study investigated reading motivation and learning strategies as well as the relationships between them among junior and senior Chinese secondary school students. Data were gathered from 405 English as a foreign language (EFL) students from a junior and a senior secondary school in southern China who completed two questionnaires used to measure their reading motivation and learning strategies. Confirmatory factor analyses results supported the fit of the two questionnaires in assessing students' motivational and learning strategy processes in an EFL context. The study found that while the students were largely motivated to engage in English reading extrinsically, these students were also found to adopt control and elaboration strategies frequently in their learning, which somewhat contradicts the stereotypical view of Chinese students as rote learners in the literature. The study revealed significant differences in reading motivation and learning strategies between junior and senior secondary students, which can be interpreted in terms of a competitive and pragmatic learning culture where examinations play an essential role in determining student admission into higher education. Findings of this study contribute to the theoretical and pedagogical discussions on reading motivation and learning strategies in learning EFL.

Effects of graphic organisers on junior secondary school students' achievement in composition writing

Effects of graphic organisers on junior secondary school students' achievement in composition writing

Effectiveness of Guidance Services on Students’ Academic Performance: a Case Study of Junior Secondary School Students in Abuja Municipality Area Council, Fgt Abuja, Nigeria.

Effectiveness of Guidance Services on Students’ Academic Performance: a Case Study of Junior Secondary School Students in Abuja Municipality Area Council, Fgt Abuja, Nigeria.

Helping young students cope with the threat of fake news: efficacy of news literacy training for junior-secondary school students in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT As fake news proliferates, the urgency to educate young students in news literacy grows. Research indicates that while young adolescent students recognize the detrimental impact that fake news has on society, they lack the knowledge and motivation to combat it. We conducted news literacy training with 101 Hong Kong students (aged 11 to 14) evaluating their news literacy, susceptibility to fake news, perceived responsibility, as well as motivation to engage in protective behaviours. The training significantly enhanced participants’ news media knowledge, perceived control, and reduced their vulnerability to fake news. Participants became more motivated to report fake news, warn others, suggest alternative sources, and manage preferences to filter our problematic news sources. Participants also demonstrated an improved ability to evaluate the credibility of a real-world news article. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the training for this age group and suggest its potential for implementation in junior secondary-school classrooms.

Winning the game against fake news? Using games to inoculate adolescents and young adults in Singapore against fake news

Guided by inoculation theory and studies that examined serious games as a form of intervention to inoculate individuals against fake news, this study tested the impact on college (n = 84) and junior high and secondary school (n = 30) students of a fake news computer game developed in Singapore. The findings were replicated across both samples: Those who played the game subsequently improved in their self-reported scores on perceiving fake news as a threat, skepticism toward information from social media, and being cautious about believing in information they encounter online. We also found that those who played the game scored higher in detecting fake news than those who did not play the game–consistent with the predicted effects of message inoculation.

The impact of Chinese adolescents visual art participation on self-efficacy: A serial mediating role of cognition and emotion.

A large volume of evidence indicates that only high-class students attend extracurricular activities (Art, music, sport, dancing). On the other hand, this evidence intensively underlines the substantial importance of such extracurricular activities, particularly in visual art, in promoting children's cognitive and non-cognitive well-being. Adolescents' participation in visual art was always interrelated with enhancing their emotional affection towards the Art and cognitive skill in making one, which ultimately built solid efficacy that allows them to interact with their society. The present cross-sectional study sought to shed light on the potential impact of visual art on adolescents' emotional, cognition, and self-efficacy development, which needs to be improved in the Chinese context. Hence, randomly sampled (N = 2139) junior secondary school students were recruited from the rural province of Guizhou in Southwest China to attain the aim of the study. The study's finding affirms that students engaged in artistic activities start to develop a habit of communicating with their peers, showing their work, and commenting on works made by their peers or observed in art exhibitions or museums; such a process makes them self-efficacious. Ultimately, this paper extends the application of visual art activities from educational benefits to nonacademic development, which are the primary agents for children's well-being.

Retraction: Junior secondary school students' motivation for learning multiple foreign languages in Burundi: a cross-sectional study

Retraction: Junior secondary school students' motivation for learning multiple foreign languages in Burundi: a cross-sectional study

Unmet Need for School-Based Substance Use Prevention Strategies Among Secondary Schools in Orlu, Imo State

Abstract: Background. In Nigeria, the use of psychoactive substances has reached an epidemic proportion while substance use prevention remains inadequate or unavailable. Methods. Cross-sectional data from 300 Junior Secondary School students in Imo state were analyzed to evaluate the unmet need for school-based substance use prevention strategies among secondary school students in Orlu, Imo state. Information was collected using a structured questionnaire. Results. Substance use was common with easy access to psychoactive substances for young people. There was a perceived need for substance use prevention strategies in their school with most students lacking access to basic preventive strategies. Conclusion. Though there was a high need for preventive strategies for substance abuse among secondary school students in Orlu, few strategies were in place to meet the needs of the students.

ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS ACQUISITION NEED FOR SELF-RELIANCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES AMONG GOVERNMENT JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS IN NIGER STATE

This study was conducted to assess the employability skills acquisition need for self-reliance in business studies among government junior secondary schools students in Niger State. The researchers raised two research questions for the study. In line with the research question, two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level if significant. A survey research design was used for the study. The area of this study consists of one government junior secondary schools from each local government in the state which comprise of twenty-five local government. A random sampling technique was used and the sample size for the study was two hundred and ten (210). A 4-point Likert scale used for the and the questionnaire was tagged as “Business Studies Skill Acquisition Questionnaire (BSSAQ)” containing twenty (20) statement items were used to collect data. To obtain the reliability coefficient of the measuring instrument, the instrument was pilot tested using some fifteen (15) selected junior secondary schools in Ilorin. The result obtained from the pilot study were then analyzed using Cranach alpha reliability coefficient statistical and the reliability index obtained was 0.88. The data collected on the twenty (20) statement items of the questionnaire were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and t-test was used to test the null hypotheses formulated for the study. The study revealed among others, that a significant difference existed in the employability skills acquisition need for self-reliance in government junior secondary schools in Niger State. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that at junior secondary schools business studies contents should be well taught in other to encourage the acquisition of employability skills among the students of junior secondary schools in Niger state. Also, Business studies at the government junior secondary level should be encouraged through proper funding, and the provision of equipment for better acquisition of computer skills.

Development of <i>algebrameter</i> for remediating junior secondary school students’ learning difficulties in mathematics

The purpose of the study was to develop mathematical instructional card game titled <i>algebrameter</i> and determine its efficacy in remediating junior secondary school (JSS) students’ learning difficulties in algebra and geometry. The study employed research and development design. A sample of 120 JSS II students drawn from a population of 4800 JSS II students in Nsukka Education Zone, using multi-stage sampling procedure participated in the study. Algebra and geometry achievement test (AGAT) comprised 30 multiple choice questions developed by the researchers was used for data collection. The internal consistence of AGAT was determined using Kuder-Richardson formula 20 (KR-20) formula, which yielded α value of 0.82. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypothesis was tested using analysis of covariance. The results of this study revealed that students who were exposed to <i>algebrameter</i> significantly performed better than students who were not exposed to <i>algebrameter</i> package.

Academic Efficacy Scale of Junior High School Students in Indonesia

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an academic self-efficacy instrument for junior secondary school students in Indonesia. This research is important to understand the extent to which students at the junior high school level feel confident in facing academic demands. The type of research in this study used a quantitative approach. The population obtained amounted to 564 eighth-grade students from several provinces in Indonesia. The sampling technique used was convenience sampling, and a sample size of 300 students was determined. Primary data in this study were obtained from the results of students' instrument answers with the filling method circling the most appropriate answer. At the same time, secondary data is obtained from searching journals related to the research. The data collection technique was a fill-in sheet given to 300 grade 8 students in several provinces in Indonesia. Then, the data analysis used was quantitative data analysis carried out by descriptive analysis and verification analysis (hypothesis testing with t-test). Furthermore, based on the data obtained from junior high school students, the instrument was tested for validity and reliability using SPSS version 25. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the instrument used to measure the academic self-efficacy of junior high school students in Indonesia has good validity and reliability. The instrument consists of 49 valid items and has a reliability coefficient of 0.861. Then, to determine the effectiveness of the instrument made, a t-test was conducted, and obtained the result that H0 was rejected, which means that the instrument is effective in measuring academic self-efficacy for junior high school students in Indonesia. Thus, it can be concluded that the instrument is effective in measuring the academic self-efficacy of junior high school students in Indonesia.

Effect of Service and Collaborative Learning Strategies on Learners’ Environmental Attitude

Environmental issues have become recurring phenomena at international forums. This empirical paper investigates the effects of service learning and collaborative learning on Junior Secondary School students' environmental attitudes. Learners are exposed to environmental studies through many school subjects, and learning strategies have helped to increase students' knowledge and awareness about environmental issues. However, environmental challenges and problems are still on the increase in Nigeria. The students are also culpable as their attitude does not reflect what they learn. This paper is premised on the cognitive dissonance theory. The quantitative study employed the multistage sampling technique. The results revealed that there was a significant effect of treatment (service and collaborative learning strategies) on junior secondary school students environmental attitude (F(2,582) = 1317.79; p<0.05, partial ?2 = 0.819). Based on this finding, it was recommended that teachers adopt service and collaborative learning strategies in teaching environmental concepts and problems to improve student performance and, more importantly, positively influence their attitudes. Teachers should use service and collaborative learning strategies to provide practical experience for students to be well-grounded and equipped to use these strategies.

The Impact of Field Trip Method of Teaching Basic Science and Technology on Junior Secondary School Students: Benefits and Challenges

The Impact of Field Trip Method of Teaching Basic Science and Technology on Junior Secondary School Students: Benefits and Challenges