CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

          Education is a light that shows mankind the right direction to follow. The purpose of education is not just making a student literate but to add rationale thinking, knowledge and self-sufficiency. When there is willingness to change, there is hope for progression.

          English is the language of the people of England. It originated from the Jute,Angles and Saxon who are the early settlers in Britain.It is part of the Germanic branch of the Indo European language family.At the initial stage English was confined toBritish alone.Later,it grew within the British Empire as a prestigious core language among all other European languages in the upper classes of London,Oxford,Wales,Ireland, Scotland,Cambridge and England.It further developed and got to other people of the world.It spread to Asia,Germany,Africa and other continents as a nativelanguage or foreign languages

          In Nigeria, English language is a second language and an official language and also a lingual Franca. This means that it is the language of unit,communication, economy, national pride, low, press, trade and education.As the language of instruction, it is an essential prerequisite for an advancement and career succession in the country. It means a lot in the life and progress of a learner as it is a key subject with profound influence on all the school subjects.

The key elements of the course are designated to cover the four basic language skills,which are: Listening,Reading,Speaking and Writing.

          Teaching method of teaching is a proactive approach to improve or to integrate new teaching strategies and methods into a classroom. They are essential tools in the English language classroom. It improves the standard or quality of teaching, they allow student to interact with words, images, and ideas in ways that develop their abilities  in reading, listening, speaking, viewing, thinking, writing and using media and technology.

          A primary motive of using teaching method in teaching English language is to encourage the students to engage more in the learning process.When students interact with teachers and peers they gain more practical experience and retain more information from a class.

One finds it difficult to speak or learn the second language. As Wilkins (1972:101) puts it the effort of the second language learner to make utterances in the language is influenced not only by the sound of his mother tongue, but also by his structures.

          Learning a second language needs some skills and components to be mastered. Among those skills and components, English language is one of the most crucial ones in language learning without which communication is not possible. Harmer (2001) argues that “if language structures makes up the skeleton of language, then it is English language that provides the vital organs and the flesh” (p. 24). Wilkins (1972)“Without grammar very little can be conveyed. But without English language nothing can be conveyed” (p.111, quotes in Lewis, 2000).

English language is a very important means to express our thoughts and feeling, either in spoken or written form. Indeed, neither literature nor language exists without English language. According to John (2010),he says that words are the bricks with which the poetry and the literature of the world have been built. It is mainly through using words that we compose and express our thoughts to others. We can tackle our own task through words. It shows words are powerful tools. Famous imperialist poet, Rudyard Kipling says that words are the most powerful drug used by mankind. Those who are rich in English language can speak and write English correctly.

1. 1. This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research work
2. 2. As a source for additional understanding of the subject.
3. 3. As a source for ideas for your own research work (if properly referenced).
4. 4. For PROPER paraphrasing (see your university definition of plagiarism and acceptable paraphrase)
5. 5. Direct citing (if referenced properly)
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