AN INVESTIGATION ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PARAGRAPH WRITING PROBLEMS OF SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SHENDAM LGA, PLATEAU STATE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                       –        –        –        –        –        –        i        

Approval page                –        –        –        –        –        –        ii

Declaration          –        –        –        –        –        –        –        ii

Dedication            –        –        –        –        –        –        –        iv

Acknowledgements         –        –        –        –        –        –        v

Table of Contents –        –        –        –        –        –        –        vi-vii

Abstract                          –        –        –        –        –        –        ix

 CHAPTER ONE

1.1     Background to the study –        –        –        –        –        1-3

1.2     Statement of the Problem –        –        –        –        –        3-4

1.3.1. General Objectives –        –        –        –        –        –        4

1.3.2.  Specific Objectives of the Study        –        –        –        4

1.4     Research Questions-       –        –        –        –        –        5

1.5     Significance of the Study          –        –        –        –        5

1.6     Scope of the Study          –        –        –        –        –        5-6

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0   Introduction          –                  –        –        –        –        26

3.1    Research Design   –        –        –        –        –        –        26

3.2   Description of the Area of the Study   –        –        –        26     

3.3    Sample and Sampling Techniques                –        –        27     

3.4   Data Gathering Instrument       –        –        –        –        27-28

3.4.1 Document Analysis        –        –        –        –        –        28-29

3.4.2 Questionnaire       –        –        –        –        –        –        29-30

3.4.3 Class Observation           –        –        –        –        –        30-31

3.5   Data Collection Procedure        –        –        –        –        31

3.6   Method of Data Analysis          –        –        –        –        31

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1.  Introduction –        –        –        –        –        –        –        32

4.2.   Students’ Paragraph Writing Problems         –        –        32-36

4.2.1 Lack of Unity in Paragraph      –        –        –        –        36-39

4.2.2 Poor Organisation          –        –        –        –        –        39-41

4.2.3 Problem Paragraph Development      –        –        –        41-43

4.2.4 Grammar Problem         –        –        –        –        –        43-46

4.2.5 Punctuation Problem     –        –        –        –        –        46-48

4.2.6 Capitalization Problem  –        –        –        –        –        48-50

4.2.7 Spelling Problem –        –        –        –        –        –        50-52

4.3   Causes of Students Problems in Paragraph Writing –        53

4.3.1. Students Related Factors          –        –        –        –        53

4.3.1.1 Lack of Strategies Use           –        –        –        –        53-54

4.3.1.2 Students’ Writing Anxiety     –        –        –        –        54-55

4.3.1.3 Shortage of Vocabulary         –        –        –        –        55-56

4.3.1.4 Lack of Regular Exercise       –        –        –        –        56-57

4.3.2 Teachers’ Related Factors        –        –        –        –        57-59

4.4    Writing Strategies Employed by the teachers to

Overcome the Problems  –        –        –        –        –        59-61

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. Summary of Findings        –        –        –        –        –        62

5.2. Discussion of Findings     –        –        –        –        –        62

5.4 Conclusion              –        –        –        –        –        –        63

5.5. Recommendations   –        –        –        –        –        –        63-64

References            –        –        –        –        –        –        65-66

        Appendices

Abstract

This study investigated problems of paragraph writing in the written composition of selected secondary school students in Shendam Local Government, Plateau State. The data for the study were drawn from the written composition of the fifty senior secondary school students’ 1. Using document analysis as a research instrument, analysis reveals that students have some problems in their paragraph writing and these include: lack of unity, poor organization and poor paragraph development, problem of grammar and punctuation problem. Based on these indentifiable problems, the study therefore recommends that teachers of English at Secondary school level should adopt intensive communicative approach to the teaching of composition with particular attention to paragraph development.

CHAPTER ONE

• Background to the Study

By the time Nigeria obtained her independence in 1960, the English language had become a strong second language in the country. And today, English language is not only Nigeria’s  usual language of government, business and commerce, the mass media, and inter-ethnic communication, it is the country’s principal medium of education. Similarly, scholars have shown a great deal of interest in English language problems of Nigerian students since the early post-independence years, when deficiencies in the student’s writing first became a subject for private and public concern. In regard to this, Daudu & Opara (2011: p. 55), state that, writing is the most difficult and complicated language skill to master. Listening and speaking tend to come naturally in L1 situations. One can also be a good speaker but a poor writer, though some people end up writing better than they speak.

          According to Aliyu & Masagbor (1998 as cited in Adegun, et’ al 2004: pp83-84), emphasized that the purpose of the writing is simply the intention behind what is composed. And also, in Abiola et al (2006), stated that writing is important for personal development. An effective writer should be able to write accurately, patiently, courteously and even honestly. According to Opara (2015: p.95), says writing should be clear, concise, comprehensive, accessible, correct and accurate. Therefore, as students attain their secondary school level education, they are required to generate further written materials such as paragraph, essay, punctuation marks, among others. At this stage, students are required to practice paragraph writing than being involved in writing at phrase or sentence level. The students are required to create paragraphs with good elements and use sentences correctly correct to communicate effectively in writing.

          Ayuba & Gonse (2011: p.106), emphasized that paragraphs are the building blocks in a composition or essay. A paragraph comprises a series of sentences that develop a particular area in the context of an essay. Agamah (2006) said that no paragraph should contain a series of sentences with more than a topic. So writing a paragraph needs all sense of organization; each sentence must fit within the framework. Anujeet (2011), stated that a paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. That a paragraph should contain each of the following: unity, coherence, a topic sentence, and adequate development.

          Grammar, punctuation and spelling are very important for communication. Anujeet (2011), defines grammar as the field of linguistics that occupies all diverse things to make up the rules of language. Writing a paragraph is one of the initial steps of the writing process that contains some procedures, so that the students can follow these methods to make a good piece of writing in various ways in the school. Moreover, writing paragraphs is a pre-requisite course for composition writing.

          Merriam – Webster (1998), said that punctuation marks are used to help clarify, the structure and meaning of sentences. Therefore, students need help from teachers to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for them to use punctuation effectively in paragraph writing and also use correct spelling, choice of words in writing of composition or essay.

          However, inspite of the tremendous efforts at improving the quality of English language and teaching in the schools, it is a common belief today that the level of performance in the language by the generosity of Nigerian students has remained disturbingly low. There is even a feeling that the situation has gone from bad to worse.

          The study being proposed here represents a fresh attempt at meaningful grapping with the problems involved.

• Statement of The Problem

This study attempts to state some major problems S.S I students encounter while writing paragraph in English. Such problems are as follows:

1. Lack of unity in paragraph writing, meaning that information is not arranged in order. That is, the sentences in the paragraph are not talking about the central idea.
2. Lack of coherence: The sentences within a paragraph are not logically linked to one another.
3. Inadequate paragraph development: Students find it difficult to expand an idea or topic sentence in a paragraph by the use of supporting details.
4. Use of grammatical errors: Such as subject verb agreement, omission of third person singular “S”, article e.g. it bring development in Nigeria
5. Misuse of punctuation marks in the paragraph: the use of full stop instead of comma, the use of question mark instead of full stop.
6. Problem of using capitalization, using small letter instead of capital letter or capital letter instead of small letters e.g. Nigeria is the giant of Africa
7. Use of spelling errors e.g.

• Infac
• Recieve
• Generos
• Debator
  • Objective of the Study
    • General Objective

The general aim of this study is to investigate S.S. I students’ paragraph writing problems in selected secondary schools in Shendam L.G.A.

• The Specific Objectives of the Study

The study specifically intends to:

1. Identify the kinds of paragraph writing problems found in written English of S.S I students in Shendam Local Government Area.
2. Investigate the major problems encountered by S.S I students in paragraph writing.
3. Identify causes of students’ problems in paragraph writing.
4. Find out how teachers attempt to help students in overcoming the problems.

• Research Questions

1. What kinds siester of paragraph writing problems are found in written English of S.S.I students in Shendam Local Government Area?
2. What are the major problems students encounter in paragraph writing?
3. What are the causes of students’ problems in paragraph exercise?
4. What attempt do teachers make to help students with paragraph writing difficulties?
   • Significance of the Study

The proposed study is to identify the features of the problems students encounter when they try to write, the source of the problems, and how they hinder learners’ progress. Therefore, help in updating knowledge about the problems that Nigerian secondary students have with effective learning and use of paragraph accordingly. Similarly, the study is expected to provide some information that may require the writing of English language teaching textbooks for students in Nigerian schools.

• Scope of the Study

It will be clear from our objectives that even though the impetus for this study was generated by the state of English studies all over the country, the scope of this study has been restricted to secondary schools in Shendam L.G.A. The study did not touch all aspects of writing skills, but only on paragraph writing. The study was restricted to paragraph unity, paragraph development, grammar, punctuation, capitalization and spellings. However, there is strong indication from the available literature that our findings and conclusion will be generalized to schools in most other towns in the country today.