Re-Inventing The Current ‘Ss' English Language Curriculum: Implications For Students' Performance In Essay Writing

Abstract

The study was motivated by the need to find a practical solution to the problem of students' mass failure in essay/letter writing in particular and English language in general in Nigeria. The problem of mass failure has been seen to have originated from the ‘inappropriateness' of the existing English language curriculum to address the students' need. This paper, therefore, reports the findings from a study that was carried out using a re-invented senior secondary school English language curriculum on essay/letter writing which was carried out to compare the ‘new' curriculum with the existing one. The study formulated three hypotheses which were tested for significance at 0.05 level. Findings show that even though the three hypotheses were accepted, the ‘new' curriculum led to improved expression and achievement scores of students exposed to it. Students from various socio-economic background were also found to have benefited from the ‘new' curriculum. Based on these findings, the ‘new' curriculum was recommended for adoption in the teaching of essay/letter writing at the senior secondary school level because of its potentials to help students to overcome their problem of writing.

International Journal of Emotional Psychology and Sport Ethics Vol. 10 2008: pp. 165-175