International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue III, March 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Effects of Instruction in Mechanical Accuracy on Correct Spelling and Use of Comma in Composition Writing by Students in College of Education, Billiri, Gombe State

Sulaiman Jamila & Danga, Luka Amos, Ph. D.
College of Education, Billiri, Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract – This research centered on effects of instruction in mechanical accuracy on correct spelling and the use of comma in composition writing by students in College of Education Billiri. It was geared towards improving students’ performance in essay writing. A quasi experimental research design was adopted. The population was NCE I students of College of Education Billiri, Gombe State. A sample of 112 NCE 1 students selected purposively was used. Two intact classes of NCE I students, one as the control and the other as experimental group were used. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The 2018 WASSCE questions were adapted and used to collect data, and the data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test statistics. The results showed a significant difference between students who received treatment on mechanical accuracy as they achieved higher than those who did not. The study concluded that instruction in mechanical accuracy improves students’ correct spelling and use of comma in composition writing. Based on these findings, a number of recommendations were made, major among is that teachers of English composition writing should teach mechanical accuracy separately for the learners to apply the rules while composing essays.

Keywords: Mechanical, Accuracy, Spelling, Comma, Composition Writing

I. INTRODUCTION

Learning a language involves becoming proficient in the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. As the language of the Nigerian multilingual community, for there is no mutual intelligibility and understanding amongst the greater majority of people, therefore, English language becomes a means of obtaining, maintaining, and regulating contact. It is therefore very important for every Nigerian to be proficient in both the speech and written forms of the language; for the limit of one’s language is the limit of one’s world. Above all, success in school is largely a language matter which purely depends on the ability to write.