Study is on the role of language laboratory on effective teaching and learning of oral English in junior secondary schools a case study of Aninri local government area, Enugu state. It is a descriptive survey. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which language laboratory in the study area has influence the effective teaching and learning of oral English.The population was meant to cover16 junior secondary. The 170 Teacher were use out of 213 teachers in the area of study. The major instrument used foe data collection is questionnaire. On the presentation of data, the author uses frequency tables and means percentages to depict the responses of the respondents to a particular research question. Data collected from their responses were used in analyzing the study. Data collected reveled that Language laboratory teaching would have improved teaching and learning of oral English in junior secondary schools, but there is no language laboratory in the schools. And also, teachers and students were not trained to use language laboratory. The research finding revealed that there is absence of language laboratory in schools in which make teaching and learning of oral English ineffective in schools. Based on the findings, it is recommended that there should be provision for language laboratory in schools in order to foster effective teaching and learning of oral English, stakeholders in Education should make implementation of language laboratory in curriculum planning. Proper training should be given to teachers/instructors and students on how to use language laboratory equipment, Government and Public should assist in the provision of language laboratory equipments to enhance teaching and learning of oral English.

Table of contents

Title Page

Approval page

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Table of Content

Abstract

CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Statement of the Problem

Purpose of the Study

Significance of the Study

Scope of the Study

Research Questions

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Conceptual framework

Theoretical framework

Empirical studies

Summary of literature review

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURE

Design of the study

Area of Study

Population of the study

Sample and sampling technique

Instrument for collection

Validation of instrument

Reliability of the instrument

Method of data collection

Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULT

Research Question 1

Research Question 2

Research Question 3

Research Question 4

Findings of the study

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUMMARY

Discussion of the result

Findings

Educational implications

Limitations

Summary of the study

Suggestions for further study

Recommendations

References

Appendices

Appendix i list of schools and teacher number

Appendix ii letter to the respondents

Appendix iii questionnaire

Appendix iv reliability of instrument using Cronbach alpha coefficient (α) formula

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

English language has remained the language of; government, law, administration, Politics, mass media, commerce and all sort of social engagement for people from different language groups in Nigeria, Adeoya (2012). It is the language for Education and a medium of instruction for all subjects. An applicable degree of competence is expected from the learners of English. In various sectors in Nigeria, English language has proven to be a more efficient medium than any of the native languages.

According to Aremu (2012), English language is a medium of communication, like every other language of the world. He added that English language is the native language of some parts of the western world like the great Britain (united kingdom), some part of the America (U.S.A) etc. He further describes English language as one of the most spoken languages of the world. Today, English is the lingua franca of Nigeria (official language) as Nigeria was colonized by the British people. Also Abdullahi (2012) opined that it is the language introduced to some countries of the world by their colonizers. He added that, the English language is a universal language though not adopted by the entire nations of the world but more than 97% use it as means of communication. However, Salihu (2012) is also of the opinion that the English language serves a general means of communication in some areas, mostly where it is generally accepted as their lingua franca. Aliyu (2010), also observed that the English language is said to be the language which originates from British as their native language and it is recognized by the Americans with the exception of south Americans.

For the process of education to function effectively, the school curriculum is taken into consideration. Therefore, curriculum is the term used to indicate a group of subjects or field of study arranged in a particular sequence. According to Puckett (2009) Curriculum is the selection, organization and administration of a body of subject matter designed to lead the students on the same definite life objective.

In spite of the fact that so many aspects of man’s knowledge compete today for inclusion as subjects in the school curriculum, at least one modern language continues to maintain the right to a place in the secondary school curriculum. All those who believe that the study of a modern language other than one’s own has an important part to play in the development of the adolescent, a part which perhaps today is even more essential than in the past, are content that this should be so. It has been observed that in theory and practice whenever circumstances allow the advantages inherent in such a study are beneficial to children in secondary schools.

Language according to Webster’s Encyclopedia Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language: Is the system of use common to people who are of the same community or nation, from the same geographical area or the same cultural tradition. Language is human speech either spoken or written. Whenever there is a human society, there is language. Most forms of human activity depend on the co-operation of two or more persons. A common language enables human beings to work together in an infinite variety or ways.

Lieberman (2004) argues that human language is biologically based as in other primates, and that both humans and animals have innate neural mechanisms which are matched to their respective sound producing mechanisms. Yet most linguists will readily agree that only humans have language proper and that the possession of language put humans at considerable advantage compared with other species.

According to Anibueze, (2007), English Language is a lingua franca. As lingua franca, it is the Language for unification. It is highly established so that the people of varied languages will have purposes to relate together mutually and work in union. A Hausa man may comfortably stay and effectively speak with a Yoruba man or an Igbo man, and vice versa.

It is, therefore worthwhile acquiring mastery of this very important language for whoever does not, has deprived him of access to the world’s brightest ideas and modern technologies.

In Nigeria today, English remains the language of pedagogy, students can hardly make commendable progress in their studies without adequate mastery of English through which most of the course in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions are taught and examined.

This calls for a system that would be both rudimentary and functional in its approach.

This is important for according to Umaru (2005) as a student learns a new Language; very often he does not know how to express what he wants to say.

Since the student uses a foreign Language as a medium of communication, he has to start from the scratch to learn the rudiments of the Language. It is natural then that this is the function where the various problems arising from the teaching and learning of the Language meet the need to do so properly.

Language teaching, according to Oluikpe (2005) is that the basic criteria for assessing students’ proficiency in writing and speaking as generally controlled by the basic grammatical categories such as punctuation, tense, number, gender etc. Language teaching in Nigeria has a lot of deficiencies. The major reason for these deficiencies is our English teachers who not only lack the technical know-how but are also non-professionals. A situation where a teacher of the language has no mastery of its grammatical categories, as we see today, does not mean well for the system. Also writing on these problems facing Language teaching, according Regner (2001) ascertained that “many good teachers are adaptive rather than rigid in their approach to teaching children and only loosely base on their instruction on a given method.

According to Ozohili (2007) language literally means the “tongue” a human organ used in speaking. Traditionally, language is defined as a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by which thoughts are communicated from one being to another.

According to Robert (2000) the language laboratory is “The center of Language teaching and the teacher helps its operational activities by providing suitable materials and learning situations. We are living in modern world. Language laboratory has the capacity to transmit a complete lesson of prose or poetry. At present language laboratory has been increased and its impact on Educational field. It is a two-way teaching learning process which minimizes pupil’s mistakes. It also strengthens the learning of English among students so the investigator is interested to find out the Effectiveness of using Language Laboratory in English among students.

According to Bamisaye (2006), English Language is the language used in Education sector, it is introduced as a subject in first year of the primary school up to secondary school and including the university level; it is a medium of instruction. Therefore it is necessary that student should understand it because of the greater importance attached to it. Most students dread from it because there are mass failures in the subject, reason been there are no competent teachers to handle the subject and also there are inadequate or no Language Laboratories in most of the Secondary Schools.

Hindu (2006), define Language Laboratory as a room in a school, college, training institute, university or academy that contains special equipment to help students learn foreign languages by listening to tapes or CDs, watching videos, recording themselves, etc. The Language Laboratory is an audio or audio-visual installation used as an aid in modern language teaching. It was also called Speech and Writing Laboratory. All the four language learning skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) are given importance and learners are provided with ample opportunities to practice by listening to the audio programmer and watching the video clips. In other words, a Language Laboratory is a room consisting of instructional technology tools source unit that can disseminate audio, audio-visual, and/or written materials to any number of students at individual seats or carrels, with a wide variety of potential feedback mechanisms to the student, teacher, or other students.

Modern language laboratory is really one of the newest media that is making a lot of impact in our educational system. The language laboratory is an audio or audio-visual installation used as an aid in laboratory each student is able to replay one track of a tape and at the same time record his response on another track. He is then able to rewind the tape to listen to both the master track and the recording to his own response comparing the two recordings.

Statement of the Problem

The problem of this study is to find out if the language laboratory has a role on effective teaching and learning of oral English in junior secondary schools. The most serious problem confronting learners of a second language is that the language is not widely used in their immediate environment.

In most cases, teachers who teach second languages are themselves not native speakers. So they neither speak the language fluently nor intelligibly. But they are not to be blamed because of the interference of the mother tongue.

The researcher, therefore, deemed it necessary to find out the role of language laboratory in the teaching and learning of oral English.

Purpose of the Study

The aim of this research is to highlight the role of language laboratory on effective teaching and learning of oral English in junior secondary schools.

To find out if there are language laboratories available for effective teaching and learning of oral English in junior secondary schools. (Availability )
To find out whether there is adequate motive for the use of language laboratory for both teachers and students during oral English class. (Utilization)
To find out the benefits of the language laboratories on the effective teaching and learning of oral English in junior secondary schools.
To find out the extent to which teachers’ incompetency has influence the proper use of language laboratory.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Findings from this study will provide valuable information to the government, the Nigeria Educational Research centre, the curriculum planners, because through this research awareness will be created for the installation of language laboratories.

This work is expected to enable teachers of the English language to identify problems and become aware of the factor that hamper the teaching of oral English and how to deal with them. Students will also be aware of their major “road blocks” to speaking and be able to find means of overcoming them.

Finally, findings from this study will be beneficial to all those involved in the teaching of English language in Aninri and the country at large.

Scope of the Study

This study is limited to investigating the role of language laboratory on effective teaching and learning of oral English in some selected junior secondary schools in Aninri Local Government Area, Enugu state.

The study is limited to the availability of language laboratories, the qualification of English teachers and the teaching methods, the role of language laboratory on students’ performance, and finally the mother tongue interference.

Research Questions

Are there enough language laboratories for the effective teaching and learning of oral English in junior secondary schools in Aninri Local Government Area, have language laboratories?
Are there adequate motives for the effective use of language laboratory for both teachers and students during oral English class?
How does the use of language laboratory improve the auditory performance of the students in the area?

To what extent does teachers’ incompetency influence the proper use of language laboratory