EFFECT OF ENGLISH WORDS SPELLING ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Approval Page – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgment – – – – – – – – iv
Dedication – – – – – – – – – v
Table of contents – – – – – – – – vi
Abstract – – – – – – – – – x

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study- – – – – – – – 2
1.2. Statement of the Problem – – – – – – – 2
1.3. Purpose of the Study – – – – – – – 3
1.4. Research Questions – – – – – – – 3
1.5. Research Hypotheses – – – – – – – 3
1.6. Significance of the Study – – – – – – – 3
1.7. Delimitation of the Study – – – – – – – 4
1.8. Justification of the Study – – – – – – – 4

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction – – – – – – – – – 5
2.1. Pronunciation – – – – – – – – 6
2.1.1 The Place of Pronunciation in English Language Teaching and Learning 8
2.2 The English Sounds – – – – – – – 13
2.3 Aspects of Ngas Language – – – – – – 22
2.4 The Ngas Sound System – – – – – – 27
2.5 Classification of Ngas Sounds – – – – – 28
2.6 Comparism of the English and the Ngas Sounds Consonant Sounds and their Word Sample – – – – – – – – 35
2.7 Similarities and Differences between the Words and Sounds of English and Ngas Language and their Effects – – – – – 37
2.8 Spelling Pronunciation – – – – – – 40
2.9 Phonological Change (Sound) – – – – – 42
2.10 Spelling Change – – – – – – – 43
2.11 Spelling and Phonetic Inconsistencies in English – – – 65

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research design – – – – – – – 49
3.2 Population and sample – – – – – – 50
3.3 Sampling techniques – – – – – – – 51
3.4 Instrument for data collection – – – – – – 51
3.5 Procedures for data collection – – – – – – 52
3.6 Method of data analysis – – – – – – 52

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
Introduction – – – – – – – – – 53
4.1 Mode of Presentation – – – – – – 53
4.2 Research Hypothesis – – – – – – 53
4.3 Research Questions – – – – – – – 53
4.4 Presentation of Result – – – – – – 54

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of findings – – – – – – – 56
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 56
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – 57
5.4 Limitation of the Study – – – – – – 58
5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies – – – – – 58
References – – – – – – – – 58
Appendices – – – – – – – – 59

Abstract
This project was carried out to investigate the effect of English words spelling on the pronunciation of senior secondary school students in Pankshin Local Government Area. The sample size of the research work was SS 2 students of Government College Pankshin in the local government. 30 students were used and were divided into experimental and control group. The test was used for the collection of data, simple mean was used to present data and t-test was used in testing of hypothesis. From the findings, the null hypothesis which states that there is no effect of spelling on the pronunciation of secondary school students is rejected. This is because those who were taught pronunciation using pronouncing dictionary performed better than those who were taught without it. The study finally recommended in line with the findings that teachers of English language should adopt the use of pronouncing dictionary for the purpose of clarity of understanding and understanding.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Pronunciation is said to be the standard way in which a word is made to be sound or spoken (Joel, 2003). Or the act or result of producing the sound of speech, including articulation, stress, and intonation often with reference to some standard of correctness or acceptability, (Wikipedia 2018). While spelling on the other hand is the act, practice, ability, or subject of forming words with letters, or of reading the letters of words; or orthography. Following the two definition, pronunciation and spelling one will notice that they have one thing in common which is “word” in terms of both spelling and pronunciation yet differs in their approach to the term “word”.
This difference posts a great problem to the Nigerian students who’s L2 is English language and also an official language in the country.
Thereby making it mandatory in school and in other areas like legal drafting, international relations etc. More so, with the multilingual nature of Nigeria and ethnic diversity, Nigeria is force to adopt a foreign language which will help in fostering unity among it’s citizens. However, English Language of its colonial masters and also the language familiar to its citizens had been picked among other languages to serve such purpose.
1.1 Background to the study
Language originally starts orally whereby; thought, ideas, messages etc were passed on through the oral aspect of the language. Afterward, the need to document these thoughts, ideas, and message came up, where the act of writing came up too.
However, this act of documentation or process is done by spelling or writing down on paper or tabulate these words pronounced or uttered in discourse (i.e communication). Moreso, pronunciation is different from spelling, whereby words sometimes are not spelt as pronounced or as they sound in English language. Examples are: “Europe” /ju∂r∂p/, one /w^n/ etc.
Therefore, the inconsistencies that is realized between spellings and pronunciations, have over the years pose a great problem or have effects on the pronunciation of words to the secondary school students in Pankshin Local Government Area.
1.2 Statement of the problem
It is quite worrisome now and then when words are wrongly pronounced. This of course is common with the secondary school learners of English language and as a result, the disagreement with spellings and pronunciations of English words. No wonder the American lexicologist Noah Webster went on a quest to ease the kind of problem encountered in pronunciation of English words as a regard of spelling and pronunciation of English words in favour of the Americans in the year (1812).

1.3 Purpose of the study
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of English words spelling on the senior secondary school students 2 in Pankshin Local Government Area. Other purposes include:
1. To determine the factors responsible for the poor pronouncing dictionary and those taught without it.
2. To find out how spelling affects pronunciation.
3. To proffer possible solutions to these problems.
1.4 Research question
In order to have a guide, the researcher has postulated the following research questions which will be answered at the end of the research:
1. What are the factors responsible for the poor pronunciation?
2. How does spelling affect pronunciation?
3. What are the possible solutions to these problems?
1.5. Research hypothesis
H0: spelling has no effect on the pronunciation of secondary school students.
Ha: spelling has effect on the pronunciation of secondary school students.
1.6. Significance of the study
The importance of English language to the Nigerian student can not be over emphasized in view of the falling standard of education in the country, this research will help importantly to forecast the pronunciation problem of learners of English as a second language and show why some of the students do not like it and as a result fail it. It will also guide the curriculum planners in secondary schools to plan effectively programmes and recommendations for the problems of pronunciation.

1.7. Delimitation of the study
English language pronunciation is a very broad aspect of English language study which covers the phonetic and phonological (segmental and suppra-segmental features) of the English language. Due to the nature of the study, and the long term experience on the problems of English pronunciation as a result of spelling effect, the researcher will limit the study to one (1) senior secondary school within Pankshin Local Government Area and will focus on spelling as regards to its effects on pronunciation. This school is Government College Pankshin
1.8. Justification of the study
English as a language has been traced back to Britain, hence, for English as a second language in Nigeria and for the learners of the language to pronounced word spelt as correctly as the native speakers would, or at least to confirm to international intelligility, they should be informed of the spelling and how sounds behave when found in different environment they occur. This would make learners more competent in listening to and speaking the language more effectively as possible. This forms the basis for carrying out this research study on the aspect of language study.