AKWA IBOM STATE UNIVERSITY JOUNAL OF ARTS

This study titled “Problems of Learning and Teaching of English as a Second Language in Nigeria: A Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Uyo Urban” investigates the problems affecting both the learning and teaching of English as a second language among selected secondary schools in Uyo Urban, Akwa Ibom State. The study uses Krashen’s Input Hypothesis and Weinreich’s Interference Theory as its theoretical lenses. Using a descriptive survey design, sixty Senior Secondary Three (SS3) students and fifteen English language teachers participated in the study. Data were collected through a structured student performance test and teacher questionnaires. Findings reveal that students exhibit significant weaknesses in grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and reading comprehension, with the poorest performance recorded in pronunciation (75% incorrect) and grammar (70% incorrect). Teachers, on their part, reported facing considerable obstacles such as overcrowded classrooms, inadequate instructional materials, lack of training in modern English as a Second Language (ESL) pedagogy, and insufficient access to language laboratories. The evidence suggests a strong interconnection between these teaching challenges and the observed learning deficiencies. The study concludes that unless these systemic issues are addressed, English language proficiency among secondary school students in Uyo Urban or Akwa Ibom State will continue to lag behind national expectations. Recommendations include targeted teacher training, provision of language laboratories, reduction of class sizes, and curriculum adjustments to meet local ESL needs.

Open Full Text (PDF)