ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The study investigated the influence of learning environment on students’ academic performance, with special reference to secondary schools in Esan-Central Local Government Area of Edo State. The population of the study comprised of nine thousand two hundred and four (9204) students in twenty (20) public secondary schools in the Local Government and a sample one hundred (100) students purposively selected from five (5) randomly selected secondary schools was used for the study. Three research questions were raised to guide the study, and a descriptive research design was adopted for the conduct of the study with the use of a questionnaire as the instrument for gathering data to answer the research questions. The use of, frequency count, percentage and tables were used to present the results for ease of discussion and interpretation. Based on the results, it was concluded that location of school, the size of English language class and the instructional facilities in schools influence students’ academic performance in English Language.
Finally, appropriate recommendations like the government, policy makers and school administrators should make provide a more conducive learning environment by providing schools with social amenities and more classroom and learning facilities.

The study investigates “the influence of instructional materials on the academic performance of junior secondary school students in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State”. Four (4) research questions were raised to guide the study. The respondents comprised of students who were one hundred (100) in number. Also, the descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. In organizing and presenting collected data, tables and percentages were used. The study was motivated by the necessity to establish the essence at which instructional materials affects the academic performance of students. To solve the research problem, various methodology was used such as population of the study and sample and sampling techniques. The research instrument used in collecting data were questionnaires. The questionnaires were divided into two sections, Section A and B. Section A was designed to generate personal information of the respondents, while Section B comprised of items on the topic under investigation. The instrument was reviewed and validated by the project supervisor and other experts in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City. The findings of the study revealed that instructional material are not available in schools for teaching English Language. Such materials like computers and projectors. It was also found that though teachers are experienced in teaching English Language in schools, some of them only come to class with either a textbook or a lesson note. Findings of the study also revealed the non-adequacy of the materials available in schools for teaching English Language. Based on the findings, the following were recommended; that government should organize seminars and workshops for training and retraining teachers on the effective use of instructional materials for teaching. Also, it was recommended that schools should ensure they make available and adequate instructional materials for teaching and learning English Language in junior secondary schools. Lastly, it was recommended that teachers should develop a positive attitude towards the usage and improvisation of instructional materials for teaching.