WELCOME TO KENTERPRO:
INFLUENCE OF GROUP DISCUSSION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS II STUDENTS IN PROSE IN PANKSHIN LGA

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the Study

Literature is the window through which readers see the world; their knowledge of that world provides the basis by which they assess the worth of their own lives and come to a better understanding of themselves and their society. Literature is a useful tool in the socialization and education of the individual because a literary text is a compendium of information and knowledge about humans and their social experiences. Proficiency in reading literature text is as important as being proficient in the use of language. Language and literature are important aspects of culture. They are also means of communication, though their focus differs in some ways. While literature is concerned with the literary aspect of communication, language is concerned with all forms of person to person relationships and interactions in the conduct of human affairs (Ayebola, 2016). By this submission, the study of literature does not only bring learners into contact with functional varieties of English which they need in actual communicative situations, it demands that learners apply their knowledge of language to read, understand and appreciate literature (Ogunsiji, 2019).

According to Williams (2016), prose sharpens students’ awareness of life as they share in the imaginative experience of the author. Secondly, it is believed that prose is simple and easier to read because its linguistic structure is closer to the language of everyday life. Prose makes students aware of the possibilities of language use (Lawal 2016) and provides them a greater opportunity for reading due to its simplicity of language. One implication of this is that some teachers of literature in Nigeria assume that students can read and understand prose even when they are not taught. Based on this assumption, some literature teachers in Nigeria do not employ effective teaching methods (Ogunaike 2012). Such teachers focus on story narration, vocal reading and treatment of past examination questions. Meanwhile, effective instructional procedure is aimed at helping the Nigerian student who has chosen to study literature to achieve desired expertise and independence in the reading of a text; build up a lifelong love for reading as well as achieve improved cognitive and affective skills in literature and reading.

Second language learners lack the basic language skill needed to appreciate literature (Chief Examiners‘ Report, 2017). Thus, they are predisposed to becoming resistant readers; lacking both literary and linguistic competence to read and understand prose literature texts or texts in other genres. Research has shown that when students encounter texts written in a language that is not familiar to them, they tend to struggle with the linguistic problems associated with such texts and Nigerian students are not an exception (Lawal 2016). Chamot and O‘Malley (2014) also assert that the most critical task facing second language learners is learning to read a text written in a language in which they have limited proficiency. The researchers observe that the second language learners whether learning to read for the first time or trying to transfer reading skills already learnt in the native language encounter an inordinate amount of unfamiliar language even in beginning texts. Lawal (2016) posits that part of the problems that students encounter in reading and understanding written literature in Nigeria are twofold, first is the complex and subtle nature of the English language itself; second is that the English language learners are exposed to is limited in scope and function to specific purposes, which are educational. Emphasis is on linguistic competence to the detriment of literary competence. Therefore, they lack exposure to the creative use of language needed to understand and interpret literature texts in English. These problems can frustrate the actualization of the objectives of teaching literature in schools.

In spite of the objectives and the profound values of literature, its teaching and learning in secondary schools have continued to undergo setbacks, resulting in the recurrent poor performance of students in the subject as indicated in the 2014, 2015 and 2017 May/June SSCE Chief Examiners’ Reports. Most often, these reports reveal that students display absolute lack of knowledge of the texts, understanding of the questions asked and good mastery of the English language needed to respond to the texts. There is also the indication that students do not read the set texts. For instance, the SSCE Chief Examiners’ Report for May/June 2014 noted that candidates could not adequately interpret the questions due to lack of expected in-depth knowledge of the texts. As a result, when they had points to deliver, they were mostly vague and shallow (Pg. 42).

According to Beach, Appleman, Hydns and Wilhelm (2017), innovative teachers are moving away from teacher-centred approaches where meaning is imposed on students to the student-centred approaches which expose students to activities that encourage personal response to the text. Crandall, Jaramillo, Olsen and Peyton (2020) believe that learning strategy is very important in the learning of concepts and teachers can employ various strategies to help students see how ideas or concepts relate to one another and help them develop a well-structured mental picture about the content they are learning. Exposing students to effective learning strategy helps to deepen their understanding of the content. Chamot and O‘Malley (2014) assert that students who have a storehouse of strategies to draw from consciously or unconsciously monitor their own learning and do better than students who do not have such strategies. Therefore, teachers can use a variety of strategies to ensure students’ active engagement with the prose texts they are reading and make personal responses to the texts too. Allington and Cunningham (2016) advocates for strategies which offer students opportunities to read literature that appeal to them and their interest and to which they will respond in unique ways. Stringer, Reynolds and Simpson (2013) emphasize strategies that allow children to learn by doing and take ownership of their learning through opportunities that lead to freedom of choice and social interaction. By inference, researchers are advocates of child-centred and sociocultural strategies that promote students’ active participation in the learning process.

Unfortunately, as research indicates learners are not exposed to these student centred strategies probably because teachers lack knowledge of these approaches and strategies or they do not consider their use of any importance (Ogunaike 2012). Teachers resort most often to the easiest strategy of ―take your book and read, making literature teaching in secondary school a teacher-centred activity. One way to enhance students’ performance in prose literature is by the use of instructional strategies that promote students’ active engagement with texts and provide opportunities for sharing what is read with others which the prevalent teacher-centred strategies used in the teaching of literature have not been able to achieve (Anyaniyi 2019). Teachers spend more time reading and narrating the story without much of students’ participation in meaning construction.

Group discussion is not a new practice, it originated from the reinvented adult book club of the 2016‘s in the United States of America, but Daniel’s first book in 2014 launched group discussions into limelight and increased its popularity among teachers and educational researchers (Rutherford, Carter, Hilmer, Kramer, Parker and Siebert 2019).  According to Daniels (2012), the term group discussions‘ was first coined and used by Kathy Short and Gloria Kaufman to refer to contemporary school-based book clubs and kid-led groups which exhibit real features of cooperative learning and student centeredness. Since then, group discussions has been called by many names such as Grand conversations; literature study groups; Group discussions; Literacy clubs; School based book clubs; Collaborative reading groups (O‘Brien 2017).These variations in terminology has resulted in what Daniels (2012) describes as undue divergence in the implementation of the strategy. This perhaps has led to the different definitions given to group discussions.

Group discussion has been described as a group which brings students together for an indepth discussion on a work of fiction or non-fiction (Fountas and Pinnell 2015); a group of connected, competent readers who read for a personally meaningful purpose (Moller 2018) or a small temporary collaborative literature group where students meet to select, read, discuss and share ideas on self-selected literature texts (Daniels 2014; 2012). Daniel’s definition appears to be more detailed because it aptly depicts the characteristic features of the ideal group discussions. In group discussions, students are placed in small groups and are encouraged to read with focus, share and discuss what they have read and determine what is significant in what they are reading and why they consider such significant. The use of roles which are re-assigned at intervals provides a structured framework for sustainable focus during the discussion. Group discussions may be structured in various ways depending on what model best suits the needs of the students as well as the type of text being studied, in terms of fiction, non-fiction or content area text (Chandler, 2014). Besides the face-to-face structure, teachers and researchers are experimenting with virtual or online group discussions. The essence of virtual or online group discussions is not to replace the face-to-face classroom structure but to re-enforce it. The basic concepts and elements of group discussions are maintained while students are provided more opportunity to extend their interactions and sharing beyond the classroom space (Petko, 2015).

In the light of the above discussion, this study seeks to examine the influence of group discussion on the performance of senior secondary school II students in prose in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State

• Statement of the Problem

Literature is expected to promote a reading culture – it encourages the development of reading skills. However, many students in secondary schools do not possess the necessary cognitive and affective skills needed to read and understand texts in literature. Hence, students’ performance in WAEC literature in English examination has not been much to reckon with. Several factors affect students’ performance in literature.

They include factors associated with learners’ home background, low level of interest in reading, poor language proficiency, poor comprehension skills and the instructional strategies used by teachers. Although Previous studies have been carried out on student-centred strategies like discussion, reading-questioning techniques, outlining and advance organizers with regards to enhancing students’ performance in literature but much empirical studies have not been carried out on group discussion instructional strategies in Nigeria. This study, therefore investigated the effects of basic group discussions, group discussions with roles on senior secondary school students’ achievement to prose literature in English.

• Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the influence of group discussion on the performance of senior secondary school II students in prose in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State. other specific objectives of the study are:

1. To determine the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in themes.
2. To determine the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in setting.
3. To determine the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in characterization.
4. To determine the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in plot analysis.

1.4.  Research Questions

            The following research questions were raised to guide the study:

1. What is the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in themes?
2. What is the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in setting?
3. What is the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in characterization?
4. What is the difference in performance of students who were exposed to group discussion and those who were exposed to traditional method in plot analysis?

1.5. Significance of the Study

The fundamental roles of literature in the making of the enlightened and educated mind and exposing readers to important human values and human condition cannot be fully achieved without qualitative instruction in the teaching of prose literature. Hence, the findings of this study would be useful to students and teachers of literature, curriculum planners, textbook writers, policy makers and other individuals interested in the teaching of literature-in- English. Specifically, it is hoped that the study would improve the way literature is taught and learnt through the strategies employed. This would in turn influence students’ interest in reading and increase achievement in literature. It would also help to foster independent reading skills in students. It would likely make teachers aware of alternative and more effective instructional strategies for teaching literature, especially the ones used in this study.

            Again, the findings would equally be useful to textbook writers who may wish to incorporate these instructional strategies into their texts so that schools, individuals and interested groups may adopt them for schools and for private study. The result of this study would probably be beneficial to the general public because it would enable learners and teachers to see reading as a fun-filled activity, through the atmosphere of play pervading the classroom during group discussions discussion, thereby raising the reading interest of students which is presently considered to be low. This will also help to improve the low literacy level being experienced among students. The study would serve as basis for further research on the use of other student-centered strategies in the effective teaching of literature in senior secondary schools.

• Scope of the study

The researcher is aware of other problematic areas confronting the teaching and learning of literature in secondary schools. However, this study will be basically concerned with senior secondary II students. The study will make use of two modes of group discussion. The prose text that will be used Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen. The dependent variable is performance in prose literature. Despite the fact that the study is restricted to the selected local government area, its findings will be generalized to other parts of the state and country at large.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Group discussions: These are students‘ study groups which teachers appropriate as teaching method. Thus, it involves small groups of students coming together to read and share ideas on the text(s) they have read.

Instructional Strategies: These are the various purposeful activities designed for the purpose of this study to enable students effectively read, comprehend, and interpret the prose literature texts used in this study.

Achievement in prose literature: This is what the student has learnt after undergoing a course of instruction as determined by the score of a test designed to measure what has been learnt. In this study, the achievement would be determined by the pre and posttest scores.