Towards Testing the Effectiveness of English Language Teacher’s Repertoire through Teaching Reading in Nigerian Secondary Schools
- July 11, 2020
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: IJRSI, Language and Literature
International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue VI, June 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705
Hussaini Sa’idu
Department Of Liberal Studies, Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, Nigeria
Abstract:- This study is meant to test the effectiveness of English language teacher’s repertoire through teaching reading in Nigerian secondary schools. Failure to include national reading policy in Secondary school curriculum leads to making this paper. The study highlights the importance of reading. New official policy statement on reading as produced by Research Development Council (NERDC) also comes in the paper. Various reading techniques and sub-techniques are fully discussed with ample illustrations. These techniques include teaching vocabularies, teaching reading for main ideas, teaching reading for critical evaluation, teaching oral reading skills etc. Since the major goal of the study is to test the mastery of language teacher’s reading skills, retrain them towards accumulating new trends related to teaching reading, the paper then finally recommends that let the teachers provide right techniques and right instructional materials that can help to correct errors for the benefits of learners. Let the teachers improve reading culture in students because successful training in extensive reading naturally leads to the development of the reading culture which is the bed rock of life-long education. There is also need for federal ministry of education to include national reading policy in secondary school curriculum where reading should be seen and treated as a school subject.
I. INTRODUCTION
Reading is the ability to pronounce or absorb what is on the print. Reading is the third skill in the four language skills; others are listening, speaking and writing. The development of the ability to read in the second language is one of the most important responsibilities of the language teacher. Language teacher is the best resourced to inculcate in the learners reading competence. To support this, Azikiwe (1998:33) posits that “reading competence is important because it underlines success in all areas of learning.
Moreso, one needs to understand that secondary education provides a vital link between the primary and tertiary education. While reading should be introduced in the primary level, the teaching of reading should be consolidated in the secondary school. If reading is necessary for the acquisition and use of knowledge (Okoye and Ene 2011), secondary school students need to be well grounded in reading skills to be able to meet up with the challenges of secondary education, external examinations, higher education and successful living outside school and in the work places.
