An Analysis of Secondary School Learners’ Psychological State in Written Texts

An Analysis of Secondary School Learners’ Psychological State in Written Texts

Paul Mulambia^1*, Daniel L. Mpolomoka², Chitondo Lufeyo³ & Limbali Muyendekwa^4
1,3Rockview University, Zambia
²Unicaf University Zambia
⁴University of Zambia
*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.70622

Received: 27 March 2023; Accepted: 05 April 2023; Published: 20 June 2023

ABSTRACT

The study was undertaken to analyse learners written texts in order to assess their psychological state. The research design used was purely descriptive in nature. The study was conducted in six selected secondary schools in the outskirts of the Central Business Area (CBA) of Lusaka District of Lusaka Province in Zambia. The sample size was 60 participants. The researcher used a non-probability subjective sampling. This was purposively done. The sampling was also homogeneous, focusing on particular subgroups (school administrators, teachers of English language, guidance teachers, and learners. The instruments used for collecting data were Interview Guide (IG), written scripts and Transect Walk/Observation. The major findings were that learners do express their state of mind as well as their emotional feelings through their written texts. Findings reveal that teachers’ perceptions of their learners vary, with some belittling what learners write; others discrediting learners’ written text; others labeling learners written text. Unanimously, guidance teachers and school administrators adamantly observed that “there is little or no educative help given to learners emanating from their written text”. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education through the Curriculums Development Center (CDC) should realign teaching approaches in order to improve in the teaching and delivery of quality education. The study also recommended that teachers should play a critical role in using written texts to identify learners’ needy areas to shape their writing skills, develop critical reasoning and interpretive skills so as produce critical, classical and creative writers.

Key Words: Analysis, Classical, Critical Indicative, Text, Psychological.

INTRODUCTION

Having taught and served for many years in the Ministry of Education and in various positions, and having read many written texts of both established writers and learners written texts through their books, the researchers were prompted to carry out the study in order to understand what exactly compels learners to write the way they sometimes write and establish the role teachers play in analyising learners’ written text.

Writing is one way of either communicating or expressing an opinion or idea from one person to another, from one area, community to another with a view to achieving a set goal. What is written can be effectively understood or interpreted if a clear analysis of a text is done. The writer exhibits literacy skills that enable them to write proficiently, write to communicate and all rules of grammar apply. In like manner, a teacher employs grammar and multi-disciplinary approaches to mark and analyse a written text to avoid misunderstanding a writer.

Literature abound that links a persona, their community, self and context on one hand, and places emphasis on the significance of cultivating exemplary writing, literacy skills to write to communicate (Cherry, 1988; Peter Berger & Thomas, 2003; Hedda, 2005;Dube and Mpolomoka, 2019; Banda and Mpolomoka, 2016).

According to James Penn Baker (2003) what people write is an expression of inner thoughts and personality. This is evident in the late Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, in his book, ‘Afrika Kuti Twabelela Uluse Leloteti Tulabe’, right from the cover page depicted the prevailing situation of ‘someone chained’;‘someone brought out with a caption beneath’ reading ‘am I not a brother?’;appeals to the affective and emotions /feelings of the writer; and the exposure of the personality of the writer. This study contends that teachers are expected to understand learners’ Psychological state through their written text because  mostly, the words and expressions used are indicative of the state of mind as well as revealing emotional states that learners go through when recounting their experiences. This underscores the significance of analyzing secondary school learners’ written text so as to groom them to be prolific writers on one hand, and appreciate their writing and its socio-economic, religious, cultural and political milieu.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

When one generally looks at the well-being of learners in most schools, it is easy to notice that their social well-being is questionable as it is hardly difficult to understand why some learners commit suicide while at school, home and or in various environments (Hutchison, 2015). Furthermore, performance levels of some learners is not just worrisome but unacceptable (also). This performance is often linked to the holistic welfare of learners too (Thomas, 2015). Juvenile delinquency, drug abuse among youths and school-going children can easily be deciphered from their daily associations as well as their written texts in academic works. Given teachers’ accessibility to learners’ written texts, it becomes easy analyse and an insight into them an intense and engaging manner. This explains why unprecedented written texts have flooded the media platforms and literature with errors and unheard emotional and psychological bearings (John Decco & William Crawford, 1974). No wonder, it has become eminent that social media networking seems to have an unprecedented influence on learners such that it has led to vigorous researches to date. Without doubt, all these have a bearing on the psychological state of learners. Written texts do reveal such characters, minds and behaviours. For instance, when an individual is affectively (that is, emotionally) disturbed by the environmental situation to such an extent that his/her cerebral control is weakened or lost…this is emotional (Mushibwe, Mpolomoka, Botha & Machaka, 2020; Susan Clayton, 2012). This corroborates with what James Penn Baker (2003) asserts that it is how an author expresses his/her thought that reveals character.

Reflecting critically, teachers assign learners to write essays, letters, stories, profiles, editorials and many more. Whether guided or unguided, learners express themselves – accordingly. However, the questions worth asking or considering are:-

‘To what extent do they read between lines and understand the psychological state of learners through those texts?’

‘To what extent do teachers take time to identify pupil’s expressions in written texts that are indicative of their thoughts and behaviour?

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study were to:

1. identify expressions in learners’ written text indicative of their thoughts and behaviour.
2. describe teachers’ perceptions of learners’ written texts and
3. establish popular topics learners write about in their written texts.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The study was anchored on the Sentiment Analysis Model that clarifies the polarity of a given text at the document, sentence, or feature/aspect level and whether the expressed opinion is positive, negative or neutral (Lin Yue, Weitong Chen, Xue Li, Wanli Zuo & Minghao Yin, 2019; Wenxuan Zhang, Xin Li, Yang Deng, Lidong Bing &Wai Lam, 2022).

This framework goes beyond polarity sentiment classification and looks at emotional states such as ‘angry’, ‘sad’, and ‘happy’. The need to investigate the mind and behaviour of a learner through written texts is a notion that is not weird but supported by James Penn Baker (2003) who contends that it is how an author expresses his/her thought that reveals character. This means that words that writers use in writing are an expression of inner thought and personality.

Anfara and Mertz (2014) state that a theory allows the revelations of existing predispositions about the study and offer assistance in data encoding and interpretations. It should be observed that the researcher held no preconceived notions but just sought to provide an opportunity(ies) to discover own voices along with the intellectual resources to construct the findings that seek to emancipate rather than control.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature review uncovers both successes and challenges that many learners face and do bring out excerpts that uncovers the cognitive and affective practices of learners through text analysis. Writers need to use good selected words that would put across their opinions, feelings by expressing themselves through such communication. For example, the excerpt below:

Writing to express emotions and portraying character

“…All our gods are weeping, Idemili is weeping, Ogwugwu is weeping….Our dear fathers are weeping because of a shameful sacrilege they are sitting….. Are all our sons of Umofia with us here? If we fight the stranger, we shall hit our brothers and perhaps shed blood. But we must do it” (Chinua Achebe 2001:144).

From the excerpt, we see how classical the writer plays with words to bring out feelings, emotions of the ‘Character’. The situation portrayed is tensed and contrastingly……’But we have to do it’.

Writing to educate the masses

Some writers write to educate the masses and others write targeting particular group(s) or class of people.

Obama (2018) in her book ‘Becoming’ narrates good human and uncommon conduct, providing a vivid, behind- the-scenes account of her father’s history, making launch into global lime light. She brings out the idea of one being eager to know more because of the strong belief embedded in her when she writes:

I still do not know about America, about life, about what the future might bring. But I do know myself…. My father taught me and that I am a hard worker and that I can become a hard worker and that ‘IAM’.

The diction used here achieves more than one thing, for example, a focused personality, one who believes in being shaped and a believer of self-esteem is figured out so well.

Writing in Poetry (Literary language)

Globally, we see writers who bring out different characters of different personality through literary language (e.g. Dickson M. Mwansa, Kenneth Kaunda, Dominic Mulaisho, Bessie Head, Galesiti Baruti, Henrique Abranches, Antero Abreu, Leila Aouchal, Malek Alloula, Ahmed Fagih, Caroline Ntseliseng Khaketla, Steve Chimombo, Tito Banda, Neshani Andreas, Antonoine Abel, Adichie Chimamanda, Ngugiwa Thiongo, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, AyeiKwei Amah).Those are the writers who are role models to infantile writers, like students. Through such written texts, characters of different characteristics, emotional feelings are portrayed through literature using either hyperbole, figurative or satire language to share or transmit feelings or share knowledge without injuring others. What is even more interesting is that modern African literature has evolved, it is faster, has enhanced tone and style than the ancient one we knew years following many African countries’ attainment of independence.

Orwell (1945) in his book ‘Animal Farm’ is an excellent example of a classical piece that depicts political upheavals in Russia. He uses selected diction that brings out different characters and emotional situations that in the end compels collective measures that no one could expect that in the near future such condemned acts could justifiably reemerge and be condoned.

The Theory of Knowledge as it relates to writing

There are many theorists who can be attributed to the Theory of Knowledge as it relates to writing and other periphery denotation and connotations (e.g. John Dewey, Schon, Koln and Fry, Boud, Keogh and Walker).Borrowing from the ‘Theory of Knowledge’ we see that knowledge is something with which one involves oneself. Learners get engaged in thinking and know things by introspection. This is why teachers must help learners to become critical thinkers by helping in shaping learners mind and behavior (Noah Lemos, 2007; Elif Bilginoglu, 2018).

Robert et al (2009) agrees with the theory of knowledge when he says that feelings shape thought and thought shapes feelings. This simply means that people’s feelings and moods strongly influence several aspects of cognition and, cognition in turn exerts strong effects on people’s feelings and moods.

Through well selected diction/words, writers’ communication is expressed, feelings and affects are also expressed and listeners are informed. The atmosphere is created that is aimed at revealing the intensity of the situation under discussion. This is what George Orwell did in using the main characters who vividly laid the situation to all listeners and in the end all animals decided to avoid another upheaval against their fellows and actions and consequences of hopelessness were avoided.

Persuasive Writing: exemplars from texts

Mbozi (1997) posits that messages that are presented more confidently tend to persuade more than those presented with uncertainty. What Snowball the pig (a character in the novel, Animal Farm) said with confidence to the audience that had already resolved to rebel, quelled the whole scenario and people changed their mind all because of selected words that were used after a carefully thought structure of words (Florman Ben, 2013).

Writings from Zambian perspective

In Zambian education system, there are four different styles of writing taught in Zambian Schools: expository, descriptive, persuasive and narrative. Each of these styles is taught to be used in specific situations/purpose. However, a single text may include more than one writing style (Secondary School Syllabus, Grade,8-12).

Writing to teach and transfer morals is the core many Zambian writers concentrated on. For example, Chimolula (1995) ‘Akatansh iTakalisha’, Mulaisho (1989) The Tongue of The Dumb’ and Politically, Kasonde Mwenda (2020) ‘The Apocalyptic ENDGAME’.

In Zambian schools, four types of writing styles are prominent. These are expository, descriptive, persuasive and narrative:

Expository writing is an example of ‘genre’ inculcating in learners the responsibility to be investigative writers as well as evaluators. The aim is to bring out clear and logical transitions between Introduction, body and conclusion.

Descriptive writing is the skill that evokes sights focusing on creating mood or atmosphere. This is enhanced by the use of figurative or other literary devices such as analogues, similes and metaphors to help paint the picture on the readers mind.

As regards the persuasive writing style, its main aim is to develop the skill of writing to convince the reader /audience to believe in the idea. Learners are taught to use reliable appeal to reason.  Referring to the ‘Rhetorical Triangle’ of ethos, pathos and logos, the writer is expected to bring out sound reasoning, detailed and relevant and strong evidence support as evidenced by George Orwell (1945) in ‘Animal Farm’.

In narrative writing, learners are taught from two perspectives: ‘fiction’ and ‘non-fiction’ which is imaginative and factual writing respectively. Written stories bring out protagonists (hero/heroine) and the antagonist (the opposing characters). From all these examples, it can be stated that there is greater need to understand learners psychological state of mind at all times for both academic and social treaties.

Having outlined the styles of writing learners are exposed to, it is clear that there is a link between a written text and the learner worth nurturing. What remains crucial is that there is need to continuously borrow and lend to the ‘Theory of Knowledge’, which states that knowledge is something with which one involves oneself with. In learning institutions, learners are engaged in thinking…and to question the basis of different kinds of knowledge using their own experience and learning. Furthermore, learners also know things by introspection (Woolman, 2000).

According to Robert et al. (2009) peoples’ feelings and moods strongly influence several aspects of cognition, and cognition in turn exerts strong effects on feelings and moods. Thus feelings shape thought and thought shapes feelings. When a person remembers when at one time they were in a good mood –something good had happened, and when one remembers a bad or negative mood, thought shapes the feelings and vice versa. Transpose to the learner analogy in the study, we notice that the learner (writer) under this state, is capable of expressing positive perception in almost everything–situations, other people, ideas even new inventions in the perception he/she is in. This affect is so strong and so pervasive that one is even able.

METHODOLOGY

This section explains the method that the researcher employed to collect data from the start to the end. It starts with the research design, location sites, population target, and sample size, sampling procedures instruments of data collection, data analysis and ethical considerations.

The study employed the descriptive qualitative design. It involved exploring and understanding the individual learners and their text by looking at rich descriptions of written text scenarios. It being a multi-method in focus, it involved naturalistic approach to its subject matter (Creswell, 2014; Gay & Mills, 2010; James Arther, et al., 2012).

The study was conducted in selected schools in Lusaka District of Lusaka Province. All were secondary schools falling in three categories, namely: day, private and public schools. The schools were in the outskirts of the Central Business Area (CBA).

In this study, the population comprised all head teachers, guidance teachers/officers, teachers of languages and learners from selected schools in the identified sites of Lusaka District. Schools selected were deemed cost effective in terms of accessibility and proximity. Literature defines a population as a comprehensive group of individuals, institutions, objects that have common characteristics that are of the interest of the researcher (Kothari, 2004; Mishra, 2015; Kothari & Gaurav Garg, 2019).

The total sample size was 84 participants: 06 head teachers, 06 guidance officers (teachers) 12teachers of English and 10 learners from each of the selected schools. The sample size was arrived at to facilitate for effectiveness, efficiency and to avoid unnecessary data problems. The samples were convenient because they were readily available and were chosen on their perceived ability to perform/contribute to providing data on learners’ written text and its analysis.

A non-probability technique was employed in the selecting of participants. A purposive sampling technique was seen to be convenient way to arrive at participants by virtue of their unique interaction with learners (Kothari, 2004; Gay & Mills, 2010; Mishra, 2015; Kothari & Gaurav Garg, 2019). Teachers of language were purposefully selected as they are the ones who facilitate writing of texts most through composition writing. Further, the researchers did a homogeneous sampling in which all those sampled belonged to a particular group occupation. For comparative information sake, the teachers of language and guidance officers were selected for interviews basing on their perception and belief on learners’ written texts.

The researchers used learners’ written scripts/texts, Interview Guide (IG) and the transect walk/observation guide to collect data. Ten (10) scripts/texts were collected from each school. These provided rich data ranging from writing styles, psychological experiences that learners harbour that could not be given out by teachers during interviews.

An Interview Guide was used to solicit data from teachers. They were asked questions relating to their perception of learners’ written scripts/texts because the researchers viewed the technique as flexible and accommodative to participants in the study (Mishra, 2015; Banda, Mpolomoka, Mbono & Sampa, 2017; Russell Bernard, 2020). Literature points to various ways of soliciting participants to share their scenarios related to topics being probed (Mark Leary, 2004; Banda et al., 2017). For example, if one wanted to know more on how people feel, what they experience and what they remember what their emotions and motives were like as well as reasons for their actions they took, the best way was simply to ask them.Focus group interviews (FGI) were also conducted,which were exclusively individually in order to avoid some difficulties that could have arisen in (FGD). The researchers took a more listener role with participants exploring the topic under discussion.

The study employed the qualitative data analysis technique, in particular the thematic one. As such, there were neither tables nor charts for illustrations. The researcher employed ‘Thematic Sentiment Analysis’. Narratives were transcribed, coded and analysed. All narratives from head teachers, teachers and guidance officers were transcribed and analysed.

In the study, data analysis was taken as a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision making. This understanding coincides with the definition of ‘analysis’, which entails breaking something down into smaller parts and examining them. It involves breaking down its ideas and structures to understand better think critically and draw conclusions (Russell Bernard, 2020; Mishra, 2015; Gay & Mills, 2010).

All ethical issues were taken into consideration. Participants consent and permission was sought. Participants’ identities were kept anonymous in order to enhance confidentiality. The researcher ensured that no psychological harm acts were involved. No social harm in relation to participants life styles were done as there was no disclosure of person’s lifestyle and all participants were assured that the study was strictly for academic purpose and that data collected was going to be treated with high degree of confidentiality.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

This section presents the findings and also brings out demographic information, themes that emanate from the findings showing popular topics learners write on. Besides, expressions that are indicative of psychological state in learners also came out. The data was analysed based on the research objectives and questions.

Demographic Information

The study showed the following demographic presentations of the participants: head teachers, six (06) comprising four males, representing 66.67% and two females, representing 33.33%; guidance and counseling officers were 06, comprising five (05) males, representing 83.33% and 01 female, representing 16.67%; teachers of English language were 12, comprising five (05) males, representing 41.66% and seven (07) females representing 58.34%;learners were 60, comprising 15 boys, representing 25% and 35 girls, representing 75%.

Theme1: Expressions in written texts indicative of psychological state and behaviour

1.From the 60 learner participants, 90% handed in the written texts while 10% did not hand in. and the findings were as follows:

60% of the findings showed expressions in written texts that were indicative of their Psychological state and behaviour. Some examples were as follows;

1. ‘…My pastor ‘rocks me up’…he is awesome and makes my world…. (this was from a female writer)
2. ‘…It is interesting to learn how sex parties are entertained today…my daddy did not beat my sister when she went to Chisamba for such an event.’
3. Inonge is a village girl, no wonder she has no boyfriend, she does not dress ‘peddle pusher’, ‘hip star’. Us are modern boys and girls …The Bible even says enjoy your youth…. (a male writer).
4. ‘…My sister, brother and cousins spent the entire holiday at the camp meeting retreat….without any comment from daddy.

75% showed that they liked writing sex, love and marriage, 10% wrote on traditional ceremonies, 10 % liked writing on educational tours, 5% on church /birth day parties.

Educational Psychology main aim is to guide learners in the right direction in order to canalize their abilities. This can be effectively be done if teachers take cognizance of all factors that can affect learners’ learning processes such as Teacher-Pupil relationship, Classroom management, Discipline as well as emotional factors. For this reason, it is vital for teachers to have their learners at heart and offer necessary guidance academically, socially, emotionally as well as psychologically so as to develop holistic learner approach (Randy, 2011; Mushibwe, et al., 2020).

Theme 2: Creative, resourceful versus unproductive, retrogressive written text

Findings obtained from teachers of English language showed unanimous narratives of their viewpoints about learners’ works:

‘Abanabalembaifyabulaukulolamo’ (Icibemba),

‘children write things that are useless’(translated into English language)

There is a rise in the number of learners we teach and have taught who are devilish in mind. Some boys and girls write evil stories, evil schemes of schemes to rob banks, factories, getting rich fast, manipulating technology to enrich themselves (cyber thieving), advancing hooliganism, mafia lifestyles, and many draconian mindsets.

20% observed that some learners were creative and progressive in their writing and that they were seeing future leaders who were analytical and were thinking progressively.

Theme 3: teachers’ perceptions of learners’ written text: Developing learner cognitive skills

Unanimously, teachers’ perceptions of their learners varied,positively and negatively. One stunning finding relates to the fact that in learning processes, learners are engulfed into various conflicting environmental/ situational scenarios that affect and impact on them. This finding points to such as home environment, social groupings, peer groups, emotional factors and mental hygiene that impact on learners. Literature (Mushibwe, et al., 2020; Mwila, Lufungulo, Masaiti, Siampule, Namuchana, Chinemerem & Mugala, 2022; Mainde, Mpolomoka & Mwansa, 2022; Mpolomoka, Chulu, Mwandila, Muvombo, Simwiinga, Kabungo and Sampa, 2023) contends that if these are not attended to, there will be no educative plane worth writing about for the youths and leaders of tomorrow, the students at various levels of learning, evident by the written script analysis of the secondary school learners. Instead, that will lead to applying ineffective strategies that will culminate into non-development of higher cognitive skills as exhibited in the History Grade 12 result analysis of 2021-2022 examination papers. Literature abounds with plausible ways to cultivate positivity in learners through the insight of their written text and others. For example, Mainde, Chola & Mpolomoka (2021) and Mainde, et al. (2022) promote use of civic education pedagogies to stimulate learner participation in civic matters. This corroborates with what Mwase, Simuyaba, Mwewa, Muleya & Simui (2020) advance that there is need to leverage parental involvement in the education of their children as a conflict resolution strategy in secondary schools. This rides on the submission of teachers interviewed in this study, who called on parents to taken a keen look at what their children write so they work together (teachers and parents) in analyzing and re-aligning learners’ thoughts in written scripts. Teacher training institutions are also challenged to work towards the application of Bloom’s Taxonomy in categorization of cognitive process development of learners (Banda, Phiri, Kaale, Banda, Mpolomoka, Chikopela & Mushibwe, 2023).

Theme 4: Building a holistic learner by tapping into their written text

Building a holistic learner by tapping into their written text offers an opportunity to teachers to look at the approach of ‘Every Child Matters’ that defines the right of children to be mentally health, stay safe, make positive contribution and offer the desired service. Findings showed a huge gap in school administrators’ failure to coordinate analysis of learners’ written text and use it as part of the school experiences for both learners and teachers. Mushibwe, et al., (2020) problematized this and offered plausible ways school administrators can handle their emotional intelligence to the wellbeing of learners. Teachers can make a difference to the well-being of learners through their belief about their ability to make a difference, an ethos of inclusive schooling (Sikanyika, Muvombo, Matimba, Chikopela, Mpolomoka & Banda, 2022). Literature offers a way of school administrators engaging teachers in not only paying attention to learners’ written text but the learner as a whole by employing the bottom up approaches to school administration, learner centered teaching methodologies, among others (Mpolomoka, Mwanza, Mabenga, Muvvombo, Matimba, Nguni& Banda, 2019).

Theme 5: Promoting collective teacher efficacy

Findings reveal that having a collective teacher efficacy should move teachers to always realise that each learner is unique and has unique needs. According to Mushibwe, et al., (2020) this can be promoted by cultivating positivity in emotional intelligence of school administrators besides the teachers. This corroborates with what Mpolomoka, Banda &Dube, 2017) conjure when they wrote on how to invigorate the teaching profession for the 21st century teacher in Zambia. Therefore, learner’s unique needs of the ‘Whole Child’ must be always addressed so as to help them. This will help teachers understand their learners’ growing cognitive stages that will in the end boost their learning and shall help them learn to connect skills and ideas gained (Sikanyika, et al., 2022; Chikopela, Mandyata, Ndhlovu & Mpolomoka, 2019).

Theme 6: Issues uncovered in learners’ written text

Findings from the written text also revealed emotional experiences of learners that showed what they were being exposed to from/at their homes:

My mother has a heart of humility and like her, I would like to be. She is a hardworking, determined to do greatest, God fearing and down to earth…she is one in a million

When I was 12 years old, my mother died and father could not take the pain any more. So he drank alcohol a lot and beat me often. He used to say that I was the cause of my mother’s death. I stopped school because there was no money

I was once a girl who was loved by my mother. When my mother died my father married another woman who was not kind hearted…she had a daughter…everything that was mine was given to her.

I am writing this letter to apologise  for not sweeping the house. Please forgive me mother. I am your child…I know that what I did was wrong.

These extract narrative from learners’ written text coincides with what teachers revealed during interviews. Teachers highlighted varying home environments that learners come from and the dynamics of their homesteads. Unanimously, what learners’ written text uncovers is that they come to school with a lot of varying experiences from their environments. Findings further point to unprecedented instances where some learners are morally getting eroded as their written text clearly shows and others from parents who spend little or no time to inculcate traditional values, morals and acceptable practices to their children. Mpolomoka, et al. (2023) allude to such in their study on problems faced by female students in a weekly boarding day secondary school in Chadiza in Zambia.

Theme 7: Omnipotence, Benevolence, Malevolence, the supernatural in the written text

The learner who talked about the pastor who rocks her up, reveals two sides of the that scenario: the first side is the immoral side, which foreshadows the young girl as a learner who is engrossed in immoral acts of her pastor; and the second side of the scenario portrays that the girl might have had a moving and powerful Christian life that the pastor has imparted in her, such that she always sees herself in moving spiritual realms when worshiping God. This is in accordance with what Robert, et al. (2009) alludes to that writers in social life experiences, most of the times may tell how they feel about situations they experience.

The researchers contend that the interesting finding about the supernatural depicted in the students’ written text accords teachers the rarest opportunity to (a) interpret ad analyse what supernatural literature reveals about the nature of life, death and the universe, transposed with multi-cultural an multi-traditional norms (b) explore what supernatural literature uncovers. For example, understand the basic differences between supernatural literature, science, fiction and fantasy literature) (c) appreciate non-natural beings, such as vampires, monsters, zombies. Literature abounds that espouses this line of thought (Kessler, 2000, 2004; Campbell, 2010).

CONCLUSION

The findings revealed that the thoughts or mental images which teachers have about their professional activities and their learners are shaped by their background knowledge, life experiences and influence their professional behaviour. Teachers should be able to deal with a wide range of learner abilities and challenges, different home situations and different abilities and disabilities. They must adapt instructions and assessment to learners needs. They should efficiently collect and correct homework, re-group learners and direction, and deal with distractions(Pritchard, 2013; Anita Wool folk Hoy, Heather Davis & Eric Anderman, 2013).

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. School administrators should put deliberate policies in Schools to encourage teachers to take keen interest in pupils written texts in order to understand and appreciate educational psychology.
2. Teachers of language subjects should engage learners to adopt progressive writing styles
3. School administrators should involve the community and stakeholders and sensitize them on matters bordering on the well-being as teachers observe in their written text.
4. Teachers of language subjects and guidance and counseling officers should employ their educational Psychology to help counsel learners whose written texts are vulgar, malicious and non-progressive.

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