RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELECTED VARIABLES ON ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Abstract

The study investigates the relationship between selected sociological, psychological, pedagogical and environmental variables and achievement in English as a second language generally, and in the four selected language skills of aural discrimination, reading comprehension, lexis and structure, and guided composition. The sample consists of two hundred and thirteen first form students from eight secondary grammar schools in Ibadan. The schools were randomly chosen after a 'prestige rating' of all the grammar schools in the City. The Instruments used for the study were a home environment questionnaire, a school environment questionnaire, a home background questionnaire, an attitude and motivation scale, a standardized intelligence test, and an English language achievement test. With the exception of the intelligence test, all research instruments were developed or adapted by the researcher. The instruments were administered to subjects in their schools by the researcher. All tests were administered on the same day in each of the schools. Responses obtained from tests and questionnaires were analysed using the following Statistical methods:- (i) Pearson Product Moment Correlation. (ii) Multiple Regression Analysis. Results obtained indicate that some sociological, psychological, pedagogical and environmental variables influence achievement in English as a second language, in the order in which they are listed above. Age, however, had negative correlation on achievement in English as a second language, at the junior secondary school level. On each of the specific language skills, it was observed that the most influential variable on each language skill differs. It is therefore concluded that while overall achievement in English as a second language, at the level investigated, is dependent on sociological, psychological, pedagogical and environmental factors, achievement in each language skill is influenced most by a specific factor than other factors.