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INFLUENCE OF SPACED LEARNING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ DESCRIPTION ESSAY IN JOS SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the Study

Writing performs different communicative functions in the society and in school settings. The relevance of writing and knowledge of writing skills for academic performance, social and professional activities in this era of information and communication technology cannot be over-emphasized. Anyebe (2017) opined that in view of the role writing plays in people’s academic, vocational and personal lives, the development of students’ ability to write is the main priority in Nigeria where English is studied as a second language and composition writing is an integral part of the language curriculum. According to Carman (2000), educators can use writing in general and composition writing in particular to stimulate students’ higher order thinking skills such as the ability to make logical connections, to compare and contrast solutions to problems and to adequately support arguments and conclusions. In addition, in the school situation, both teacher and students can use writing to grasp more fully new vocabulary structures and organisation techniques. The teacher uses the students’ writing to gauge how much progress the students are making, what area needs further work and which strengths of the students can be built on (Aliyu, 2010).

Aside the critical role of writing enumerated above, the minimum of a credit pass (C6) in English language is one of the requirements for admission into Nigerian universities and proficiency in English has remained a condition for job placement. Any child that falls short of this requirement is bound to remain at home for many years without admission. Besides, English is the official language of administration, the judiciary/ legislature and all other areas that require official communication including Nigeria’s links to the outside world (Ofuokwu, 2010).

In the current educational landscape, there are many methods of learning that educators use to impart knowledge to students, ranging from traditional classroom lectures to online learning and blended learning models. However, it is critical to consider the most effective methods of learning for students to optimize their educational experience. One such method that has garnered significant attention in recent years is the technique of spaced learning. Spaced learning involves breaking up learning sessions into smaller, spaced-out sessions over time. This method has been shown to be effective in improving memory retention and recall by allowing students to consolidate knowledge over an extended period. By spacing out learning sessions, students have the opportunity to revisit and reinforce previously learned concepts, leading to better academic performance and knowledge retention.

By nature, writing is often a solitary activity done silently, involving physical effort and taking a lot of time. This might not make it attractive to students or teachers as a classroom activity. Besides, writing is difficult because there are linguistic, psychological and cognitive problems involved. Consequently, when students write, they find themselves confused over the choice of words, use of grammar, and the generation and organisation of ideas. Many of them struggle to construct correct sentences and some write without paragraphing. This makes them see the writing class as intimidating, frustrating and boring. Consequently, many students lack the necessary skills to tackle writing tasks. One of the central issues responsible for mass failure in English in general and in writing in particular at the secondary school level in Nigeria is the pedagogical nature. As students are being taught to write, their teachers do not provide adequate guides because they “test” writing instead of teaching it (National Teachers’ Institute, 2009).

Spaced learning is a teaching and learning technique that involves breaking down learning into shorter, more frequent sessions with intervals of rest and reflection in between. This method has been found to be an effective technique for improving memory retention and recall. The idea behind this approach is that learning in shorter, more frequent sessions allows for the consolidation of knowledge over a more extended period, which helps students to retain information for a more extended period. Research has shown that spacing out learning sessions improves retention and recall because the brain has more time to process and store information. The brain needs time to consolidate information into long-term memory, and spaced learning allows this process to occur more effectively. With each spaced learning session, the brain is given another opportunity to consolidate and strengthen the connections between neurons, leading to better long-term memory. Spaced learning has been widely used in various educational settings, including language learning, medical training, and professional development. However, its effectiveness in senior secondary school has not been adequately studied. Senior secondary school students face numerous challenges, including a wide range of subjects to study, high-stakes exams, and extracurricular activities, which can make it difficult to implement spaced learning effectively. Despite these challenges, there are several ways that spaced learning can be implemented in senior secondary schools. One approach is to break down subjects into smaller, more manageable topics, and then use spaced learning to cover each topic over a more extended period. This can help students to retain information more effectively because they are given more opportunities to consolidate their knowledge.

Another approach is to incorporate spaced learning into homework assignments and review sessions. Instead of assigning large amounts of homework in one sitting, teachers can break assignments into shorter, more frequent sessions, with intervals of rest and reflection in between. This approach can help students to retain information better because they are given more opportunities to consolidate their knowledge and identify areas where they need additional support. Therefore, spaced learning has been shown to be an effective technique for improving memory retention and recall. Although its effectiveness in senior secondary schools has not been adequately studied, there are several ways that spaced learning can be implemented effectively in this educational setting. By breaking down subjects into smaller, more manageable topics and incorporating spaced learning into homework assignments and review sessions, senior secondary school students can retain information more effectively and perform better on exams.

The study will focus on senior secondary school students in Jos South Local Government Area, who are preparing for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). This examination is essential for students to gain admission into higher institutions of learning, and their performance can significantly affect their future prospects.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

            The poor performance of students in English has led to public outcry in the media and become a concern for many parents since many Nigerian students are denied admission into higher institutions because they are unable to achieve a credit (C6) which is the minimum requirement in English language for entry into the institutions (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board brochure 2013). Many educationists, parents, other stakeholders, and examination bodies have acknowledged that urgent measures have to be taken to check the decline in the standard of education in general and that of English in particular.

Despite the importance of essay writing skills in the academic success of senior secondary school students, many students in Jos South local government area continue to struggle with writing descriptive essays. One possible solution to this problem is the implementation of spaced learning techniques, which have been shown to improve long-term retention and learning outcomes. However, the extent to which spaced learning can positively influence the performance of senior secondary school students in descriptive essay writing in Jos South local government area remains unclear. Therefore, the problem statement for this study is to investigate the influence of spaced learning on the performance of senior secondary school students in descriptive essay writing in Jos South local government area.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to determine the effects of spaced learning strategy on senior students’ performance in descriptive writing in selected secondary schools in Jos South Local Government Area. Other specific objectives of the study are:

1. ascertain the effects of spaced learning strategy on students’ construction of sentences in descriptive writing.
2. find out the effects of spaced learning strategy on students’ paragraph development in descriptive writing.
3. discover the effects of spaced learning strategy on use of punctuation marks in descriptive writing.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study:

1. What are the effects of spaced learning strategy on students’ construction of sentences in descriptive writing?
2. What are the effects of spaced learning strategy on students’ paragraph development in descriptive writing?

• What are the effects of spaced learning strategy on use of punctuation marks in descriptive writing?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of benefit to students, teachers, curriculum planners/developers, Ministry of Education and future researchers.

Students will also benefit from the findings of this study as the use of spaced learning strategy in the teaching of writing will boost their achievement and help to increase their retention of how a standard piece of writing should be written. The findings will also help them to develop more interest in writing, acquire and develop scientific skills which will help them in their career choice particularly those careers geared towards being secretaries, journalists, etc.

The findings of this study will be of benefit to teachers of English as they will help teachers in choosing appropriate teaching writing technique capable of releasing students’ tension toward the subject. They will motivate teachers to develop interest in utilizing spaced learning strategy in teaching writing and selecting suitable teaching methods that will be a possible means towards reducing failure in English language.

The findings of this study will also benefit curriculum planners in curriculum planning, as using spaced learning strategy will be encouraged in the teaching of writing.

The study when completed, will serve as a reference material to future researchers who will want to carry out a research under the same topic.

The Federal Ministry of Education can also benefit by using the findings of this study to engage teachers and administrators in training programmes that can model this teaching writing technique.

1.6 Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The researcher is aware of other writing challenges, existing methods and other problems in writing as a skill, however, the present study covers effects of spaced learning strategy on senior students’ performance in descriptive writing. It is restricted to selected secondary schools in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. However, despite the fact that the study is restricted to the selected Local Government Area, its findings will be generic or it can be generalized to other parts of the state and country at large.

1.7 Operational Definitions of Terms

Spaced learning: A learning technique where studying materials are organized into small, manageable sections with breaks or intervals of time in between each section. This technique allows for better retention and recall of information over longer periods of time.

Performance: Achievement or success in a particular subject or activity, as measured by grades or test scores.

Senior Secondary School: The last three years of formal education in Nigeria, typically attended by students aged 15-18 years old and divided into three levels: SS1, SS2, and SS3.

Jos South Local Government Area: A local government area in Plateau State, Nigeria, with its headquarters in the city of Bukuru.