22
Running head: FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ SLA 1 Factors Affecting Students’ Second Language Acquisition (SLA) at Greenoak International School, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Elisabeth Clapp Post University 2016

EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

  • Upload
    e-clapp

  • View
    18

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

Citation preview

Page 1: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

Running head FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 1

Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Elisabeth Clapp

Post University

2016

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 2

Abstract

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 3

Problem Statement

Teaching English in Nigeria is a challenging experience even though the official language

in Nigeria is English Most people speak one of over five-hundred indigenous languages in

addition to English English is the only language used in the primary through secondary schools

for reading writing and speaking identifying the language learners as bilinguals Most of the

problems affecting students learning English arise from the inadequate training of teachers and

the teachers not being native English speakers UNESCO (2015) states ldquoonly two-thirds of

current teachers in Nigeria have the minimum qualificationsrdquo (p 41) As a result students find

it difficult to learn English as a subject and to use it as a medium of academic instruction Ariyo

(2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with

grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433) UNESCO (2015) reports after four years

of schooling less than one in ten children emerge literate and after six years less than thirty

percent of the students will be able to read a sentence (p 24) These findings are expected to

continue and the rate of illiteracy is expected to increase if the crisis occurring with SLA is

allowed to continue

Problems occurring with SLA are apparent in both the public and private schools in

Nigeria A private (K-12) school in Port Harcourt currently is experiencing a shortage of skilled

English as a second language (ESL) teachers As a result the students mimicking or parroting of

English is undetected and misdiagnosed Students can speak write and define subject matter

terms so the teacher mistakenly assumes the student is performing poorly in the subject area

rather than experiencing a problem with SLA According to Tamunobelema (2015) ESL teachers

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 4

need an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and applied linguistics to be able to assess student

performance and enhance learning (p 69)

The majority of the research available is from the perspective of non-native English

speaking educators The study will research the problem from a native English speakerrsquos

perspective providing insight according to training in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of

Other Languages) and will address the following question

1 How can teachers properly detect diagnose and remedy a problem with second language

acquisition (SLA) when the student is exhibiting mimicking and parroting strategies

rather than displaying cognitive processing

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 5

References

Ariyo K S (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoiorg103923pjssci

2010433436

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of English in

Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender Studies 4(1)

httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

UNESCO (2015) EFA global monitoring report 2015 education for all 2000-2015

Achievements and challenges [Report] Retrieved from httpunesdocunescoorg

images0023002325232565epdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 6

Literature Review Outline

Review of the Literature on The Effect Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTS) Have on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Nigeria

a The teachers of a private international K-12 school in Port Harcourt are non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs)

b Ineffective teacher-centered methods such as teacher-talk (lecturing) and the use of rote memorization

c Rote memorization by the students has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p 29-30) Parroting has masked language acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

d What effects do NNESTs have on student SLA in Nigeria

Defining Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs)

a Some English as a second language (ESL) students naively subscribe to the native-speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker

b Braine (2011) explains that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English teachers

c Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine 2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008)

d The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

a Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

b Ajibola (2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any professional development

c Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted English teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach English Some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that is required to teach English (Ajibola 2010)

d English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 Tamunobelema 2015)

e Linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 7

Pedagogy

a Teacher-talk (lecture method) recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014)

b The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200)

c The literature suggests that collaborative learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

d Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012)

e Consider a transition point to next Theme An interactive learning environment through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun 2014)

f If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that technology will have any impact

Parroting

a Research addressing the topic of parroting was sparse b Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos

theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting

c Second language acquisition is a cognitive activity d Further research is necessary to provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Possible Effects on Student SLA

a Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433)

b The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Tamunobelema 2015)

c Two and three teachers are required to proof studentrsquos work submitted and not all errors are corrected

Resources strategies and curriculum

a The majority of stories contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 2: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 2

Abstract

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 3

Problem Statement

Teaching English in Nigeria is a challenging experience even though the official language

in Nigeria is English Most people speak one of over five-hundred indigenous languages in

addition to English English is the only language used in the primary through secondary schools

for reading writing and speaking identifying the language learners as bilinguals Most of the

problems affecting students learning English arise from the inadequate training of teachers and

the teachers not being native English speakers UNESCO (2015) states ldquoonly two-thirds of

current teachers in Nigeria have the minimum qualificationsrdquo (p 41) As a result students find

it difficult to learn English as a subject and to use it as a medium of academic instruction Ariyo

(2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with

grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433) UNESCO (2015) reports after four years

of schooling less than one in ten children emerge literate and after six years less than thirty

percent of the students will be able to read a sentence (p 24) These findings are expected to

continue and the rate of illiteracy is expected to increase if the crisis occurring with SLA is

allowed to continue

Problems occurring with SLA are apparent in both the public and private schools in

Nigeria A private (K-12) school in Port Harcourt currently is experiencing a shortage of skilled

English as a second language (ESL) teachers As a result the students mimicking or parroting of

English is undetected and misdiagnosed Students can speak write and define subject matter

terms so the teacher mistakenly assumes the student is performing poorly in the subject area

rather than experiencing a problem with SLA According to Tamunobelema (2015) ESL teachers

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 4

need an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and applied linguistics to be able to assess student

performance and enhance learning (p 69)

The majority of the research available is from the perspective of non-native English

speaking educators The study will research the problem from a native English speakerrsquos

perspective providing insight according to training in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of

Other Languages) and will address the following question

1 How can teachers properly detect diagnose and remedy a problem with second language

acquisition (SLA) when the student is exhibiting mimicking and parroting strategies

rather than displaying cognitive processing

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 5

References

Ariyo K S (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoiorg103923pjssci

2010433436

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of English in

Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender Studies 4(1)

httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

UNESCO (2015) EFA global monitoring report 2015 education for all 2000-2015

Achievements and challenges [Report] Retrieved from httpunesdocunescoorg

images0023002325232565epdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 6

Literature Review Outline

Review of the Literature on The Effect Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTS) Have on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Nigeria

a The teachers of a private international K-12 school in Port Harcourt are non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs)

b Ineffective teacher-centered methods such as teacher-talk (lecturing) and the use of rote memorization

c Rote memorization by the students has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p 29-30) Parroting has masked language acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

d What effects do NNESTs have on student SLA in Nigeria

Defining Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs)

a Some English as a second language (ESL) students naively subscribe to the native-speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker

b Braine (2011) explains that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English teachers

c Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine 2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008)

d The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

a Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

b Ajibola (2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any professional development

c Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted English teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach English Some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that is required to teach English (Ajibola 2010)

d English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 Tamunobelema 2015)

e Linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 7

Pedagogy

a Teacher-talk (lecture method) recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014)

b The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200)

c The literature suggests that collaborative learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

d Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012)

e Consider a transition point to next Theme An interactive learning environment through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun 2014)

f If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that technology will have any impact

Parroting

a Research addressing the topic of parroting was sparse b Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos

theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting

c Second language acquisition is a cognitive activity d Further research is necessary to provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Possible Effects on Student SLA

a Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433)

b The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Tamunobelema 2015)

c Two and three teachers are required to proof studentrsquos work submitted and not all errors are corrected

Resources strategies and curriculum

a The majority of stories contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 3: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 3

Problem Statement

Teaching English in Nigeria is a challenging experience even though the official language

in Nigeria is English Most people speak one of over five-hundred indigenous languages in

addition to English English is the only language used in the primary through secondary schools

for reading writing and speaking identifying the language learners as bilinguals Most of the

problems affecting students learning English arise from the inadequate training of teachers and

the teachers not being native English speakers UNESCO (2015) states ldquoonly two-thirds of

current teachers in Nigeria have the minimum qualificationsrdquo (p 41) As a result students find

it difficult to learn English as a subject and to use it as a medium of academic instruction Ariyo

(2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with

grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433) UNESCO (2015) reports after four years

of schooling less than one in ten children emerge literate and after six years less than thirty

percent of the students will be able to read a sentence (p 24) These findings are expected to

continue and the rate of illiteracy is expected to increase if the crisis occurring with SLA is

allowed to continue

Problems occurring with SLA are apparent in both the public and private schools in

Nigeria A private (K-12) school in Port Harcourt currently is experiencing a shortage of skilled

English as a second language (ESL) teachers As a result the students mimicking or parroting of

English is undetected and misdiagnosed Students can speak write and define subject matter

terms so the teacher mistakenly assumes the student is performing poorly in the subject area

rather than experiencing a problem with SLA According to Tamunobelema (2015) ESL teachers

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 4

need an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and applied linguistics to be able to assess student

performance and enhance learning (p 69)

The majority of the research available is from the perspective of non-native English

speaking educators The study will research the problem from a native English speakerrsquos

perspective providing insight according to training in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of

Other Languages) and will address the following question

1 How can teachers properly detect diagnose and remedy a problem with second language

acquisition (SLA) when the student is exhibiting mimicking and parroting strategies

rather than displaying cognitive processing

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 5

References

Ariyo K S (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoiorg103923pjssci

2010433436

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of English in

Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender Studies 4(1)

httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

UNESCO (2015) EFA global monitoring report 2015 education for all 2000-2015

Achievements and challenges [Report] Retrieved from httpunesdocunescoorg

images0023002325232565epdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 6

Literature Review Outline

Review of the Literature on The Effect Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTS) Have on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Nigeria

a The teachers of a private international K-12 school in Port Harcourt are non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs)

b Ineffective teacher-centered methods such as teacher-talk (lecturing) and the use of rote memorization

c Rote memorization by the students has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p 29-30) Parroting has masked language acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

d What effects do NNESTs have on student SLA in Nigeria

Defining Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs)

a Some English as a second language (ESL) students naively subscribe to the native-speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker

b Braine (2011) explains that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English teachers

c Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine 2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008)

d The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

a Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

b Ajibola (2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any professional development

c Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted English teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach English Some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that is required to teach English (Ajibola 2010)

d English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 Tamunobelema 2015)

e Linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 7

Pedagogy

a Teacher-talk (lecture method) recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014)

b The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200)

c The literature suggests that collaborative learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

d Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012)

e Consider a transition point to next Theme An interactive learning environment through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun 2014)

f If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that technology will have any impact

Parroting

a Research addressing the topic of parroting was sparse b Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos

theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting

c Second language acquisition is a cognitive activity d Further research is necessary to provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Possible Effects on Student SLA

a Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433)

b The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Tamunobelema 2015)

c Two and three teachers are required to proof studentrsquos work submitted and not all errors are corrected

Resources strategies and curriculum

a The majority of stories contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 4: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 4

need an in-depth knowledge of theoretical and applied linguistics to be able to assess student

performance and enhance learning (p 69)

The majority of the research available is from the perspective of non-native English

speaking educators The study will research the problem from a native English speakerrsquos

perspective providing insight according to training in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of

Other Languages) and will address the following question

1 How can teachers properly detect diagnose and remedy a problem with second language

acquisition (SLA) when the student is exhibiting mimicking and parroting strategies

rather than displaying cognitive processing

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 5

References

Ariyo K S (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoiorg103923pjssci

2010433436

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of English in

Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender Studies 4(1)

httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

UNESCO (2015) EFA global monitoring report 2015 education for all 2000-2015

Achievements and challenges [Report] Retrieved from httpunesdocunescoorg

images0023002325232565epdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 6

Literature Review Outline

Review of the Literature on The Effect Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTS) Have on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Nigeria

a The teachers of a private international K-12 school in Port Harcourt are non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs)

b Ineffective teacher-centered methods such as teacher-talk (lecturing) and the use of rote memorization

c Rote memorization by the students has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p 29-30) Parroting has masked language acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

d What effects do NNESTs have on student SLA in Nigeria

Defining Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs)

a Some English as a second language (ESL) students naively subscribe to the native-speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker

b Braine (2011) explains that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English teachers

c Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine 2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008)

d The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

a Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

b Ajibola (2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any professional development

c Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted English teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach English Some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that is required to teach English (Ajibola 2010)

d English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 Tamunobelema 2015)

e Linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 7

Pedagogy

a Teacher-talk (lecture method) recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014)

b The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200)

c The literature suggests that collaborative learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

d Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012)

e Consider a transition point to next Theme An interactive learning environment through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun 2014)

f If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that technology will have any impact

Parroting

a Research addressing the topic of parroting was sparse b Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos

theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting

c Second language acquisition is a cognitive activity d Further research is necessary to provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Possible Effects on Student SLA

a Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433)

b The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Tamunobelema 2015)

c Two and three teachers are required to proof studentrsquos work submitted and not all errors are corrected

Resources strategies and curriculum

a The majority of stories contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 5: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 5

References

Ariyo K S (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoiorg103923pjssci

2010433436

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of English in

Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender Studies 4(1)

httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

UNESCO (2015) EFA global monitoring report 2015 education for all 2000-2015

Achievements and challenges [Report] Retrieved from httpunesdocunescoorg

images0023002325232565epdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 6

Literature Review Outline

Review of the Literature on The Effect Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTS) Have on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Nigeria

a The teachers of a private international K-12 school in Port Harcourt are non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs)

b Ineffective teacher-centered methods such as teacher-talk (lecturing) and the use of rote memorization

c Rote memorization by the students has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p 29-30) Parroting has masked language acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

d What effects do NNESTs have on student SLA in Nigeria

Defining Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs)

a Some English as a second language (ESL) students naively subscribe to the native-speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker

b Braine (2011) explains that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English teachers

c Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine 2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008)

d The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

a Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

b Ajibola (2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any professional development

c Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted English teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach English Some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that is required to teach English (Ajibola 2010)

d English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 Tamunobelema 2015)

e Linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 7

Pedagogy

a Teacher-talk (lecture method) recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014)

b The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200)

c The literature suggests that collaborative learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

d Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012)

e Consider a transition point to next Theme An interactive learning environment through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun 2014)

f If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that technology will have any impact

Parroting

a Research addressing the topic of parroting was sparse b Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos

theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting

c Second language acquisition is a cognitive activity d Further research is necessary to provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Possible Effects on Student SLA

a Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433)

b The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Tamunobelema 2015)

c Two and three teachers are required to proof studentrsquos work submitted and not all errors are corrected

Resources strategies and curriculum

a The majority of stories contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 6: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 6

Literature Review Outline

Review of the Literature on The Effect Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTS) Have on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Nigeria

a The teachers of a private international K-12 school in Port Harcourt are non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs)

b Ineffective teacher-centered methods such as teacher-talk (lecturing) and the use of rote memorization

c Rote memorization by the students has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p 29-30) Parroting has masked language acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

d What effects do NNESTs have on student SLA in Nigeria

Defining Non-native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs)

a Some English as a second language (ESL) students naively subscribe to the native-speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker

b Braine (2011) explains that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English teachers

c Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine 2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008)

d The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

a Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

b Ajibola (2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any professional development

c Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted English teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach English Some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that is required to teach English (Ajibola 2010)

d English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 Tamunobelema 2015)

e Linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 7

Pedagogy

a Teacher-talk (lecture method) recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014)

b The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200)

c The literature suggests that collaborative learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

d Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012)

e Consider a transition point to next Theme An interactive learning environment through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun 2014)

f If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that technology will have any impact

Parroting

a Research addressing the topic of parroting was sparse b Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos

theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting

c Second language acquisition is a cognitive activity d Further research is necessary to provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Possible Effects on Student SLA

a Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433)

b The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Tamunobelema 2015)

c Two and three teachers are required to proof studentrsquos work submitted and not all errors are corrected

Resources strategies and curriculum

a The majority of stories contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 7: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 7

Pedagogy

a Teacher-talk (lecture method) recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014)

b The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200)

c The literature suggests that collaborative learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

d Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012)

e Consider a transition point to next Theme An interactive learning environment through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun 2014)

f If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that technology will have any impact

Parroting

a Research addressing the topic of parroting was sparse b Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos

theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting

c Second language acquisition is a cognitive activity d Further research is necessary to provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Possible Effects on Student SLA

a Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their work (p 433)

b The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Tamunobelema 2015)

c Two and three teachers are required to proof studentrsquos work submitted and not all errors are corrected

Resources strategies and curriculum

a The majority of stories contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 8: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 8

b Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

d Little attention is devoted to English as a subject (Olanipekun et al 2014) e The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and motivated to employ

innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the classrooms

Mother tongue

a The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013)

b With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014)

c The literature suggests that the mother tongue has no effect on academic performance There is no correlation between the English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp Sarki 2014)

d As a result of the number of indigenous languages it is probable that the NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 (native language)

Conclusion

a According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNEST (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot effectively learn a second language

b The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to supplementing their academic qualifications

c A weakness found in the literature is that the authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native English language speakers as well

d With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers employ

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 9: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 9

e As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools A survey will be conducted to identify better the NNESTs in the schools and the results will be analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 10: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 10

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach An intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning Clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria Cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 11: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 11

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers Research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers Student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners How educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

History and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 12: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 12

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria A choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights The role in the teachinglearning of

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 13: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 13

Review of the Literature on Factors Affecting Studentsrsquo Second Language Acquisition

(SLA) at Greenoak International School Port Harcourt Nigeria

Introduction

English is the language of instruction since the British colonization of Nigeria The

teaching of English continues to pose unique challenges to teachers as discovered through the

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) lens of an American educator in

Nigeria The non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) of a private international K-12

school in Port Harcourt are not all certified to teach The requirements for a teacher in Nigeria

are not as stringent as those for an American teacher All that is required is for teachers to have

earned a Bachelors degree in their field None of the teachers on staff are trained to teach

English as a second language Teachers display inconsistencies in their knowledge of English as

their second language (L2) Due to the number of indigenous languages in Nigeria it cannot be

assumed the teacher speaks the studentsrsquo mother tongue (L1) Since teaching credentials are a

secondary qualification essential exposure to teaching methods is omitted in their training As a

result ineffective teacher-centered pedagogy such as the inherited British-style of lecturing

ldquochalk-talkrdquo and the use of rote memorization dominates classroom instruction (Woolman

2001) Rote memorization has manifested into what Haynes (2007) refers to as ldquoparrotingrdquo (p

29-30) Parroting poses a perplexing dilemma for the American educator and causes NNESTs to

doubt their studentsrsquo abilities to perform academically Parroting has masked language

acquisition as the possible problem and mistakenly shifted the blame to the content area

Exploring the teachers and the implementation of the Cambridge Curriculum are the basis

for this study and attempts to answer the question What factors are affecting student SLA in

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 14: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 14

Nigeria It is necessary to examine the literature to determine the education NNESTs receive

the pedagogy and materials they use and the curriculum they have been following to answer the

question

Teachers

Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs)

English as a second language (ESL) students have naively subscribed to the native-

speaker fallacy that the ideal English teacher is a native English speaker Braine (2011) explains

that this belief derived from the frustration resulting from incompetent non-proficient English

teachers Over 80 of the English teachers in the world are non-native English speakers (Braine

2011 Moussu amp Llurda 2008) The literature estimates that NNESTs outnumber their

counterparts by three to one according to Braine (2011)

Education

Only two-thirds of the teachers in Nigeria are qualified to teach and even fewer are

qualified to teach English (Ajibola 2010 Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) Ajibola

(2010) states many teachers have been learning ldquoon-the-jobrdquo (p 101) and do not receive any

professional development Okpe and Onjewu (2015) observed that some teachers accepted

teaching positions as a last resort believing a misconception that anyone can teach As a result of

the British requirements for teaching some teachers assume arriving at the classroom is all that

is required (Ajibola 2010)

SLA Training

English teachers must acquire in-depth knowledge of linguistics to be able to assess

student performance and enhance learning (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015 Owolabi amp Bankole 2013

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 15: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 15

Tamunobelema 2015) However linguistic competence does not automatically conclude that

someone is a good teacher (Florence Ma 2012) Ariyo (2010) describes Nigerian studentrsquos

written and spoken English as ldquogenerally poorrdquo with grammatical mistakes apparent in their

work (p 433) The literature identifies English language teachers as the main factor responsible

for student performance with the potential to mislead the learner (Okpe amp Onjewu 2015

Tamunobelema 2015) In Port Harcourt teachers are not trained in SLA and it is necessary for

two or three of them to proof the studentrsquos work and still and errors still go detected

Mother Tongue

The literature states a desire for indigenous languages to appear in education (Owolabi amp

Bankole 2013 Woolman 2001) With over five hundred indigenous languages interference of

the mother tongue combined with unqualified teachers and limited relevant teaching materials

would further contribute to the challenges already facing NNESTs (Akabogu amp Mbah 2013

Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Usman amp Mustafa 2014) There is no correlation between the

English language and the mother tongue for interference to occur (Olanipekun Atteh Zaku amp

Sarki 2014) Also with the number of indigenous languages it is highly probable that the

NNEST does not speak the studentrsquos L1 The literature reviewed suggests that the mother tongue

has no effect on academic performance

Cambridge Curriculum

British-Style Exam-Driven

The curriculum structure is according to the culture education and history of the British

who colonized the area (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012 Woolman 2001) The majority of stories

contained in English Language textbooks are of foreign cultures (Akujobi amp Chukwu 2012)

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 16: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 16

Woolman (2001) states the use of external sources of textbooks curriculums and teachers that

cannot translate into culturally relevant forms of education should be abandoned (p 43)

Abandoning external forms of education contradicts what the Port Harcourt school is attempting

to accomplish Teaching strategies are ldquoun-innovative and fossilizedrdquo (Owolabi amp Bankole

2013 p 202) and not appropriate choices for studentrsquos differing needs (Tamunobelema 2015

Usman amp Mustafa 2014 Woolman 2001 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006) Differentiated

instruction is neither expected or common The teachers in Port Harcourt however do not face

the same challenges elsewhere in Nigeria

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy

Chalk-talk recitation and initiation-response-feedback (IRF) models dominate the

classroom instruction (Adeyemi 2011 Agbatogun 2014 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

The continued use of the General Purpose English approach to language teaching appears to

have failed (Owolabi amp Bankole 2013 p 200) The literature suggests that collaborative

learning is emerging in Nigeria to replace the lack of interaction among the students and

between the teacher and the students (Agbatogun 2012)

Technology

Research indicates technology will transform classrooms from being teacher-centered to

being student-centered (Agbatogun 2012) Port Harcourt is in the processing of installing smart

boards in every classroom beginning with the first grade An interactive learning environment

through the use of clickers is thought to improve student proficiency in English (Agbatogun

2014) If teachers do not change pedagogical strategies it is unrealistic to assume that

technology will have any impact The literature suggests that NNESTs must be supported and

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 17: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 17

motivated to employ innovative teaching strategies and implement technology into the

classrooms (Kalejaiye Fabunmi amp Adeoye 2011 Aduwa-Ogiegbaen amp Iyamu 2006)

Parroting

Research addressing the topic of parroting is sparse Lantolf and Thorne (2006) examine

the cognitive process of SLA through Vygotskyrsquos theories versus those of BF Skinnerrsquos

behaviorist theories which does resemble parroting Second language acquisition is a cognitive

activity It is the hope that the literature will provide insight into why the Port Harcourt students

solicit this strategy and support evidence as to how best to correct it

Conclusion

According to Chomsky (1965) linguistic theory traditionally considered native English

speakers as the preferred teachers of English However according to the literature the ideal

teacher of English is not necessarily a native speaker There is a lack of substantial evidence to

support whether NESTs are better teachers than NNESTs (Florence Ma 2012) Researchers

have concluded that without adequate teachers and resources language learners cannot

effectively learn a second language

The literature provided an overwhelming amount of information supportive of Nigerian

students being exposed to multiple language learning strategies and that no single strategy can

meet all of the studentrsquos needs According to the literature teachers in Nigeria need to employ

modern teaching methods and be exposed to professional development in addition to

supplementing their academic qualifications A weakness found in the literature is that the

authors unanimously appear to be non-native English-speakers from non-western countries and

cultures Some of the literature displayed certain biases toward the English language and native

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 18: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 18

English language speakers as well With the majority of Nigerian educational systems using

similar teaching methods and materials in the classroom very little literature was found

regarding parroting and cognitive processes as a result of the strategies Nigerian teachers

employ

As a result the next step will be to research further SLA and cognition to discover

pedagogy that correlates to address the issue of parroting observed in the Port Harcourt schools

A survey will be conducted to identify better NNESTs in the schools and the results will be

analyzed to determine the teacherrsquos strengths weaknesses and areas professional development

can address Regardless of the differing authorrsquos opinions a common theme in the literature

examined is that the teacher is ultimately responsible for their studentrsquos performance

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 19: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 19

References

Adeyemi D (2011) Reader-response approach an intervention in composition writing at junior

secondary schools in Botswana International Journal of Scientific Research in

Education 4(1) 1-7 Retrieved from httpwwwijsrecomVol204_1_-Adeyemipdf

Aduwa-Ogiegbaen S amp Iyamu E (2006) Factors affecting quality of English language

teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria College School Journal Publisher

40(3) 1-9 Retrieved from httpwwwfreepatentsonlinecomarticleCollege-Student-

Journal150965814html

Agbatogun A (2012) Investigating Nigerian primary school seachers preparedness to adopt

personal response system in ESL classroom International Electronic Journal Of

Elementary Education 4(2) 377-394 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba 040sessionmgr

110ampvid=7amphid=127

Agbatogun A (2014) Developing learners second language communicative competence

through active learning clickers or communicative approach Journal Of Educational

Technology amp Society 17(2) 257-269 Retrieved from httpedsbebscohostcomeds

pdfviewerpdfviewersid=886392f3-9569-4035-9fa0-69ca652d3ba040sessionmgr110

ampvid=13amphid127

Ajibola M (2010) Confronting the challenges of teaching English lanugage as a second

language in Nigeria Journal of the Nigeria English Studies Association 13(2) 95-105

Retrieved from httpwwwnigeriaenglishorgcontentv132ajibolapdf

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 20: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 20

Akabogu J amp Mbah B (2013) Second language acquisition attrition of indigenous languages

in Nigeria cultural implications IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science

13(4) 1-5 Retrieved from httpwwwiosrjournalsorgiosr-jhsspapersVol13-issue4

A01340105pdfid=3398

Akujobi O amp Chukwu E (2012) Challenges of effective English language learning in Nigeria

secondary schools An International Journal of Arts and Humanities 1(4) 57-68

Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphpijaharticleview10640496353

Ariyo K (2010) A study of the language learner strategies adopted by Nigerian students

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences 7(6) 433-436 httpdxdoi103923pjssci

2010433436

Braine G (1999) Non-native educators in English language teaching Mahwah NJ Lawrence

Erlbaum

Braine G (2011) Nonnative speaker English teachers research pedagogy and professional

growth Applied Linguistics 32(4) 466-469 httpdxdoi101093applinamr028

Chomsky N (1965) Aspects of the theory of syntax Cambridge MA MIT Press Retrieved

from httpwwwdticmildtictrfulltextu2616323pdf

Florence Ma L P (2012) Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-

speaking teachers student perceptions in Hong Kong TESOL Quarterly 46 280-305

httpdxdoiorg101002tesq21

Haynes J (2007) Getting started with English language learners how educators can meet the

challenge Alexandria Va Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Kalejaiye O Fabunmi A amp Adeoye A (2011) Role of school media centres in technology

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 21: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 21

integration in Nigerian schools an exploration Annals of Library and Information

Studies 58 211-218 Retrieved from httpnoprniscairresinbitstream

123456789128414ALIS20582832920211-218pdf

Lantolf J amp Thorne S (2006) Sociocultural theory and second language learning Retrieved

from httpoldfltrpcomdownload07041802pdf

Moussu L amp Llurda E (2008) Non-native English-speaking English language teachers

history and research Language Teaching 41(3) 315-348 httpdxdoiorg101017

S0261444808005028

Okpe A A amp Onjewu M A (2015) EFLEL2 teaching in Nigeria a choice or a charade

Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences 199 (The Proceedings of the 1st GlobELT

Conference on Teaching and Learning English as an Additional Language) 743-747

httpdxdoi101016jsbspro201507606

Olanipekun S Atteh D Zaku J amp Sarki P (2014) Mother tongue and studentsrsquo academic

performance in English language among secondary school students International

Journal of Language Literature and Culture 1(1) 1-6 Retrieved from http

wwwopenscienceonlinecomjournalijllc

Owolabi D amp Bankole M (2013) The English language in the ESL classroom in Nigeria

Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies 1(4) 197-204gt Retrieved from http

wwwajouronlinecomindexphpjournal=AJHSSamppage=articleampop=viewamppath5B

5D=594amppath5B5D=269

Tamunobelema I (2015) Linguistic insights the role in the teachinglearning of

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf

Page 22: EDU 687 Unit 8 Portfolio

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTSrsquo SLA 22

English in Nigeria An International Journal of Language Literature and Gender

Studies 4(1) 65-73 httpdxdoiorg104314laligensv4i15

Usman J amp Mustafa L (2014) Challenges of teaching oral English in Nigerian high schools

Issues in Language Studies 3(1) 15-23 Retrieved from httpwwwajolinfoindexphp

ijaharticleview10640496353

Woolman D (2001) Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development a

comparative study of four African countries International Education Journal 2(5)

27-46 Retrieved from httpciteseerxistpsueduviewdocdownload

doi=10114915399amprep=rep1amptype=pdf