The English Language and the Use of English Texts in the Nigerian Universities: a Case of Conflicting Interests
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE USE OF ENGLISH TEXTS IN THE NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES: A CASE OF CONFLICTING INTERESTS
ABSTRACT
The status of the English language in Nigeria has not engendered a commensurate development of the language, especially in the school system. That the youths, especially, do not have adequate functional competence in the language is attested to by the rate of failure in the terminal senior secondary school examinations and the low level of performance in the General English/Use of English programmes in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria, to mention just two instances. This study therefore investigates the potential contributions of materials to the maximum involvement of the learners in the English language programmes. The study evaluates the Use of English (USE) textbooks in eight randomly selected tertiary institutions in Nigeria with a view to determining the extent to which the textbooks are designed to enhance the involvement of the learners in the USE programmes. It was thus revealed that the learner-centredness concern of the texts is very remote. The goals of the materials appear to be subject and money-centred, rather than exposing the learners to the relevant language skills that should facilitate their studies in the institutions. The paper therefore suggests a more learner-centred and humanistic ‘USE’ materials so that adequate learning tasks and activities will be available for the learners to be maximally involved in the Use of English programmes, thereby ensuring that they are adequately equipped with the English language skills for their courses and professions.
BACKGROUND The status of the English language in the higher institutions in Nigeria as the language of instruction, and that of the Use of English as a service course needs no further enunciation. However, the low level of competence demonstrated by the students in and out of school continues to draw attention to the ineffectiveness and the
ABSTRACT
The status of the English language in Nigeria has not engendered a commensurate development of the language, especially in the school system. That the youths, especially, do not have adequate functional competence in the language is attested to by the rate of failure in the terminal senior secondary school examinations and the low level of performance in the General English/Use of English programmes in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria, to mention just two instances. This study therefore investigates the potential contributions of materials to the maximum involvement of the learners in the English language programmes. The study evaluates the Use of English (USE) textbooks in eight randomly selected tertiary institutions in Nigeria with a view to determining the extent to which the textbooks are designed to enhance the involvement of the learners in the USE programmes. It was thus revealed that the learner-centredness concern of the texts is very remote. The goals of the materials appear to be subject and money-centred, rather than exposing the learners to the relevant language skills that should facilitate their studies in the institutions. The paper therefore suggests a more learner-centred and humanistic ‘USE’ materials so that adequate learning tasks and activities will be available for the learners to be maximally involved in the Use of English programmes, thereby ensuring that they are adequately equipped with the English language skills for their courses and professions.
BACKGROUND The status of the English language in the higher institutions in Nigeria as the language of instruction, and that of the Use of English as a service course needs no further enunciation. However, the low level of competence demonstrated by the students in and out of school continues to draw attention to the ineffectiveness and the
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