Content familiarity, attitude and achievement in dramatic literature-in-English in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined content familiarity and attitude as predictors of student’s achievement in dramatic Literature-in-English language. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. Three hundred and four students of Literature-in-English language, purposively and randomly selected, were involved in the study. Four research questions guided this study. The instruments used were Dramatic Literature-in-English Achievement Test (DLEAT), Content Familiarity Test (CFT) and Questionnaire on Students’ Attitude to Dramatic Literature-in-English (QSADLE). Data obtained were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results showed that there was a positive relationship between content familiarity and achievement (r= 0.35, P<0.05); the two factors had a positive moderate multiple relationship with students’ achievement (R=.44); content familiarity ((β=.15) made the highest contribution to achievement (β=.35), followed by attitude to dramatic Literature in English (β=-.04). The results further showed that content familiarity (β =.18, t= 2.35, P<.05) could predict students’ achievement in dramatic Literature in English. Based on the findings of the research, it is recommended that school authorities and the government should make available, in school libraries, literature texts that are relevant to the social and cultural environment of the students.

Keywords: Dramatic literature, content familiarity and attitude