Correlates of Disadvantaged Children and Literacy Achievements in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper investigated the correlates of disadvantaged children and literacy achievement in Cross River State, Nigeria. In order to carry out the study, 3 determinant factors of disadvantaged children which relate to children literacy achievement were identified. These factors include, group identity, family expectation and autonomy in thinking. These factors also formed the variables under study and where used in formulating the three hypotheses used for the study. The Ex-post factor research designed was adapted for study. The data collection instruments were a questionnaire titled Correlates of Disadvantaged Children Questionnaire (CDCQ) and a 20 item literacy achievement test. This questionnaire was administered to 120 students who formed the sample for the study. The data collected was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The result after analysis revealed that group identity (r-value= 0.72), family expectation (rvalue= 0.77) and autonomy in thinking (r-value=0.69) are significantly related to literacy achievement, since their calculated r-values were greater than the critical rvalue of .178. It was therefore concluded that children are likely to achieve more when they are exposed and made to interact with others and also when parents provide the necessary support they need. Based on the findings, it was therefore recommended that children should be encouraged to interact with their peers at home or in school, and also parents should always provide the necessary support for their children’s education. Also, both parents and teachers should encourage the students to think for themselves as a way of developing their own personal autonomy. This will help in enhancing their literacy achievement.

LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research, 8(2), 15-25, 2011