USE OF VISUAL MATERIALS IN TEACHING OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES IN SOME SELECTED ADULT LEARNING CENTRES IN PANKSHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the Study

           English for specific purposes (ESP) refers to the teaching and learning of English as a second or foreign language where the goal of the learners is to use English in a particular domain. The teaching of English for specific purposes, in its early days, was largely motivated by the need to communicate across languages in areas such as commerce and technology. This has now expanded to include other areas such as English for academic purposes (EAP), English for occupational purposes (EOP), English for vocational purposes (EVP), English for medical purposes (EMP), English for business purposes (EBP), English for legal purposes (ELP), and English for sociocultural purposes (ESCP) (Belcher 2009).

          English for specific purposes (ESP) is a subset of English as a second or foreign language. It usually refers to teaching the English language to university students or people already in employment, with reference to the particular vocabulary and skills they need. As with any language taught for specific purposes, a given course of ESP will focus on one occupation or profession, such as Technical English, Scientific English, English for medical professionals, English for waiters, English for tourism, etc. Despite the seemingly limited focus, a course of ESP can have a wide-ranging impact, as is the case with Environmental English. English for academic purposes, taught to students before or during their degrees, is one sort of ESP, as is Business English. Aviation English is taught to pilots, air traffic controllers and civil aviation cadets to enable clear radio communications.

Since 1960s ESP has become a distinctive part of Teaching English as a Foreign Language(TEFL) itsimportance being due to the fact that English has become the contemporary lingua franca. Thus, the growing demandfor English as a medium of communication and the introduction of governmental mass educational programs in whichEnglish was the first or even the only language contributed to the rapid expansion in English for Academic Purposes(EAP) to which ESP belonged initially.

The communicative trend in teaching and learning English has resulted in different reasons for acquiring thislanguage proficiency: daily communication, academic or business purposes and English for Specific Purposes wascreated with all these in view. According to Harmer (2015) it refers to ‘’situations where the student has some specific reasons to learn a language”. Chuwang (2019) is more specific when she declares that ESP is” An approach to language teaching in which alldecisions as to content and methods are based on the learner’s reason for learning” (p.19]. The same idea is supportedby Strevens because as he says, the “ESP is particular case of general category of special-purpose language training.

The same principles apply no matter which language is being learnt and taught”. Ten years later, Duddley –Evans et al gives a similar definition of ESP and both authors cooperated to offer absolute and variable characteristicsof ESP. Most researchers seem to agree on two characteristics:

1. a) ESP is based on a particular context;

b)ESP is based on the learners’ specific needs.

According to Igbojinwaekwu (2013) instructional materials are broad ranges of resources, which can be used to facilitate effective and efficient communication. One of such instructional materials is the visual material. Visual material is a type of instructional material that aids in making ideas or concepts clearer in instructional programmes, but should not be regarded as a substitute for good teaching (Moronkola, 2012). Gbodi and Laleye (2006) posited that diagrams, pictures and videos are visual materials useful for programming instruction on topics that are abstract and difficult to explain verbally. Visual aids are most effective tools for developing flawless communication and interaction between adult Learners and content as well as adult Learners and instructors. These aids not only help to save the instructor’s time but also help in developing and arousing curiosity, creativity and motivation. It emphasizes on the comprehension of knowledge and concept as well as keeps working on developing sound foundations for higher and further studies. According to Anzaku (2011), the term visual materials is commonly used to refer to those instructional materials that may be used to convey meaning without complete dependence upon verbal symbols or language. Visual aids are any devices which can be used to make the learning experience more real, more accurate and more active. Visual aids are tools that help to make an issue or lesson clearer or easier to understand and know (pictures, models, charts, maps, videos, slides, real objects etc.). Mkpa (2003) opined that people remember ten percent of what they hear, twenty percent of what they see, twenty percent of what they do, and fifty percent of what they hear, see and do, hence, management of learning resources is paramount in teaching and learning. Before modern education was incorporated, adult Learners were passive listeners and instructors were autonomous body who knew what, when and how of education. But in recent years the superiority is shifted towards adult Learners. Use of visual aids is preferred as they are considered as 85% of the whole teaching (Jadal, 2011). They keep the individual learner focused on what is being taught by the instructor in the classroom session. Human beings’ five senses are the doorway for effective learning, especially seeing, hearing and touching brings maximum knowledge for the individual. Instructors should be aware that adult learners learn in different ways and have different ways of absorbing information and of demonstrating their knowledge during   class (Tamakloe, Atta and Amedahe, 2005). Instructors employ a variety of teaching strategies and methods to ensure that learners have equal opportunities to learn. New methods and techniques evolve almost every day to supplement existing ones in teaching. Notable among them is technology supported ones. Kochlar (2004) observed that more recently technology and most especially visual aids has been successfully introduced in the field of education in general and adult education in particular to make Adult Learning Centres more productive and more learner centred. Most significantly, it has converted a common phenomenon to integrate textbooks with visual aids as additional or supplementary resource for classroom setting learning activities.

It is with the above discussion in mind that this study seeks to investigate the use of visual materials in teaching of English for Specific Purposes in in adult learning centres in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State.

• Statement of the Problem

Over the years, the performance of adult learners in ESP has been a source of concern to both instructors and curriculum planners. This low rate of performance can be attributed to the teaching methods, learners’ attitudes towards English for Specific Purposes, instructional materials. It is the opinion of the researcher that the use of visual materials in teaching ESP can enhance the performance of adult learner in the course. This is because the use of Visual Materials in the teaching for adult learners has so many benefits to both adult Learners and instructors. However, it was observed by the researcher in Pankshinlocal government area of Plateau State, that despite all the benefits that can be derived from the use of visual materials, less attention has been paid to it in adult education centres. This is as a result of lack non availability of audio-visual materials, lack of quality instructors who can operate and make effective use of these few available aids.

Therefore, it is against this background that the researcher wants to ascertain the use of visual materials in teaching of English for Specific Purposes in Some selected Adult Learning Centers in Pankshin local government area of Plateau State, Nigeria.

• Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to carry out an investigation on the use of visual materials in teaching of English for specific purposes in some selected adult learning centres in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State. Specifically, the objectives of the study are to:

1. Determine the performance of adult learners who are taught English for Specific Purpose (ESP) with visual materials?
2. Evaluate the performance of adult learners who are taught English for Specific Purpose (ESP) without visual materials.
3. Find out the differences in the performance of adult learners who are taught English for Specific Purpose (ESP) with visual materials and those who are taught without it.

1.4. Research Questions

          In order for the researchers to have a sense of guide, the following research questions have been formulated:

1. What are the performances of adult learners who are taught English for Specific Purpose (ESP) with visual materials?
2. What are the performances of adult learners who are taught English for Specific Purpose (ESP) without visual materials?
3. What are the differences in the performance of adult learners who are taught English for Specific Purpose (ESP) with visual materials and those who are taught without it?

• Significance of the Study

The study will invariably be of tremendous importance to adult Learners, instructors and researchers. The work will enable adult Learners’ on various -visual aids that facilitate teaching learning process, particularly video show. The study will serve as reference to instructors who wish to find out the impact of -visual aids (video-show) on adult Learners academic achievement particularly in Adult Learning Centres. It will also highlight the appropriate materials of teaching in adult learning centres which will bring about adult Learners’ interest and active participation in the subject. The work will enable the instructors to understand that the success of any teaching-learning activity is determined by how much the adult Learners are able to learn or gain from teaching. This can be achieved through the use of appropriate -visual aids. The study will serve as a reference material to researchers who wish to embark on further research on impacts of – visual aids on adult Learners’ academic achievement.

• Delimitation of the Study

The study is delimited to the impact of visual materials in teaching of English for Specific Purposes in Adult LearningCentres inPankshin LGA, Plateau State. It is also limited to all the instructors, facilitators and the adult learners in all adult learning centres in Pankshin Local Government.

• Operational Definition of Terms

Visual:Visual is an electronic media possessing pictures, such as slide tape presentations, films, television programs, corporate conferencing, church services and live theater productions.

Teaching: is an instruction or delivering or imparting a particular skill or subject or something that someone tells you to do. For Teaching in this case may refer to showing or explaining to an adult Learner how to do something.

Visual Materials: It is an instructional material which has to do with pictures, charts, graphs and other visual objects. This include graphic organisers and concept mapping.

Teaching: This is the process whereby a more knowledgeable individual impart knowledge on a learner.

English for Specific Purposes (ESP): This is a subject or course in adult education which teaches adult learners to read and write in English.

Adult Learner: This is an individual who attends an adult learning centre in order to acquire basic literacy skills to promote his reading and writing skills.