Abstract
The work used the ex-post-facto design to deepen our understanding of
the relationship between gender and students’ academic achievements in
English Language. The sample comprised 200 staff of the department of
English in higher institutions in Sokoto state drawn randomly from
selected institutions of higher learning in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Two
instruments were used: questionnaire administered to the lecturers and
sample of semester result in English Language. These items were obtained
from English Language lecturers. The data were correlated and analyzed
using chi-square statistics to derive the research measure. The result
showed a no significant relationship between gender and students’
achievements in English Language. The study therefore recommended that
lecturers shouldembark on their duty with unbiased notions of gender
among learners in their various disciplines.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPETR ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
1.8 Organization of the study
CHAPETR TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPETR THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Gender is a broad analytical concept which highlights women roles and
responsibilities in relation to those of men. It refers to all the
characteristics of men and women which a particular society has
determined and assigned each sex. Gender, according to Mershall (1994),
refers to socially-constructed aspects of differences between men and
women. Since its introduction as a social concept, it has been extended
to refer not only to individual identity and personality but also at the
symbolic level, to cultural ideas and stereotypes of masculinity and
femininity. The differences in the behaviour of males and females are
learned rather than being the inevitable result of biology.Scholars have
tried to determine the contribution of students’ gender to their
academic achievements. Inyang and Archibong (1998) studied effects of
gender and order of treatment of related mathematical principles on
students’ performance in Chemistry Quantitative Problems. The study
investigated the effects of exposing senior secondary school students of
different gender to selected mathematical principles on their
performances in quantitative problems in Chemistry. Subjects were
exposed to three different instructional models. Those in the control
group were exposed to treatment of chemistry quantitative problems with
related mathematical principles; those in experimental Group 1 were
exposed to quantitative problems in Chemistry before treatment of
related mathematical principles while those in experimentalGroup 2 were
subjected to related principles before treatment of quantitative
problems in Chemistry. Post-test data in Chemistry Quantitative Ability
Test (CQAT) collected and analysed using independent t-test revealed
that an instructional model in which related mathematical principles
were taught first before chemistry quantitative problems was most
effective in understanding quantitative problems in Chemistry
irrespective of gender. Akpama (2007) studied the gender influence on
perception and attitude to HIV/AIDS prevention among secondary school
students in Cross River State, Nigeria. The author formulated the null
hypothesis: there is no significant difference between male and female
adolescents in terms of their perception and attitude to HIV/AIDS
prevention. 900 adolescents (450 males and 450 females) constituted the
sample. A 20-item questionnaire was used for data collection. Data
collected were analysed using independent t-test. The result showed that
males and females did not differ significantly in their perception and
attitude to HIV/AIDS prevention. It showed that the knowledge of the
means of transmission and prevention was high among both male and female
adolescents. According to Donahue, Veolki, Campbell and Mazzco (1999),
some correlations appear to exist between gender and some academic
achievement e.g. reading. They noted that disaggregation of the 1998
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading results based
on gender rather than other variables revealed that females
outperformed males in 4th, 8th and 12th grades, as they also did in 1992
and 1994; that at the 4th grade level, the males made a significant
gain over their 1994 score while the females remained the same. They
reported a similar trend in the North Carolina end-of-grade test
administered in grades three to eight of the North Carolina State
Department of Public Instruction (2000). Baharudin and Luster (1998)
asserted that in US some of these gender differences could be explained
by a national survey of reading attitudes conducted with 18,185 children
across country among the first to third grades. They advanced that
girls as a group possessed more positive attitude than boys at all grade
levels, both towards recreational and academic reading. Similarly,
Eccles, Wigfield, Harald and Blumenfield (1993) affirmed in a four-year
longitudinal study of elementary school children in Michigan that girls
valued reading significantly more than boys. But Baharudin and Luster’s
study of 1998 using gender as a predictor of Mathematics achievement of
six to eight-year-olds emerged again as significant in favour of females
sub-group. Females, in general, as reported in a study supported by
Campbell and Beaudry’s (1998) longitudinal study of American youth data,
revealed less confidence in their mathematical ability and greater
exertion of effort in mathematical classes than males. According to
Fennema, Carpenter, Jacobs, Franke and Levi (1998), mathematical ways of
thinking may differ by gender. This team of researchers studied
children as they progressed from first through third grades. They
identified gender differences in strategy use that was evident from the
beginning of the study and persisted through the end. Girls, they said,
tended to use more modelling or counting strategies, while boys tended
to use more abstract strategies such as derived facts or invented
algorithms. By the third grade, girls used significantly more standard
algorithms than did the boys.The natural traits that distinguish
individual user of a language can never be denied .It has never occurred
in the world history that two persons speak the same way even though
they use the same language. The language behaviour of different users of
a language spells out the unique language identity. Eloquence, power of
oration and ability to acquire the necessary tools of communication in a
language may vary from person to person. Heredity may play a vital role
in the learning and acquisition of a language. But this
notwithstanding, the theory of nurture through which the necessary
cultivation of language behaviour is observed can make a difference in
language performance. Language as one of the natural phenomenon has its
complex peculiar characteristics but the ability to cope with all its
features is given to man. This is controlled through proper nurture in a
particular linguistic situation within a language region. Human being
is given the power to acquire any language with different individual
distinctions: language competence and language performance could be
blind to gender variation. The uses of a language are based on
individual language acumen rather than the sex. In the process of
language acquisition and language learning, every creation (human) has
equal opportunity to perform. Apart from illness, accident and some
abnormalities, all human beings have equal opportunity of using the
tools of communication effectively. The theory of navitivism according
to Chomky (1968) suggests that nature had provided every linguistic
paraphernalia needed by any man to acquire the necessary tools of
communication in human language. The number of human languages in the
world is infinite yet there are common cores. The natural features are
similar and every normal person has the potentials to use the features
for social interactions. Though the mentalist theorists do not believe
in the concept of learning language through stimulus- response, their
claim in language learning processes does not deny exposure to language
culture as being practised in the environment of the learner/ child. The
crux of the matter in acquiring the needed tools of language of
communication is exposure. The correct language habit is formed through
exposure to the right language model .Good language habit is developed
as the child/learner imitates the linguistics tit-bits which the mature
speakers often demonstrate before him. The drama is carried out through
repetition, recapitulation and replication. In language pedagogy, the
best methodology is explored in order to develop the standard and
globally acceptable linguistic norms in the child/learner as regards the
Language of Wider Communication (LWC).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Despite the importance attached to the English Language, and efforts
made by stake holders in the educational sector to optimize the learning
of English Language as a school subject, students’ achievement in
English Language has not commensurate to the investment made in it.
There has been a fall in students’ academic achievement in English
Language over the years as compared to other subjects in the school
system. Evidence abounds that students have not been doing well in
English Language.
Nigeria as a country, has been suffering from a disgustingly high
rate of students‘failure in key subjects (Eze, 2011) among which is
English Language, the language of administration in government and
medium of instruction in Nigerian schools. This failure rate has
attracted the attention of educators, educationists and educational
researchers in investigating its causes Unfortunately, not much
consideration has been given to the gender factor in streaming students
as a possible vital variable that can impact on students‘ academic
performance in Nigeria‘s educational system. This factor is often
conspicuously absent in such enumerations. Consequently, of recent, a
deliberate and drastic shift from coeducation, much more to singlegender
education is fast gaining ground and has prompted several studies,
especially outside the shores of Nigeria. This shift to single gender
system today in other parts of the world is attributable to a number of
research findings that that male and female genders are different in
several respects such as the rate of brain development (Lenroot et. al.
2007), brain lateralization (Harriet, Robert & Marvin, 1999, Burman,
Tali& James, 2008), brain tasks execution strategies (Gomez, 2011),
seeing and hearing endowed capabilities Corso in Algoe 2012), and
activeness in the brain. Other differences reported include learning
strategies or styles (Vernon-Gestenfeld, 1989 &Hodgins, 2008); and
classroom learning climatic conditions (Hodgins, 2008). Each of these
poses some pedagogical challenges and consequently, constraining
students‘ academic performance if not addressed. This research,
therefore, investigated the influence of gender in the use of English
language of 400 level students of Sokoto state university.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to ascertain the influence of
gender in the use of English language among 400 level students of Sokoto
state university; in order to aid the completion of the study, the
researcher intends to achieve the following specific objective;
i) To ascertain the influence of gender disparity on the
use of English language among student of Sokoto state university
ii) To investigate the relationship between gender disparity and student eloquence in English language
iii) To examine the effect of gender on student academic performance in English language
iv) To ascertain the effect of gender differences on the failure rate in English language
1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
To aid the completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;
H0: there is no significant relationship between
gender disparity and student eloquence in English language in Sokoto
state university
H1: there is a significant relationship between
gender disparity and student eloquence in English language in Sokoto
state university
H0: gender disparity does not have any effect on the use of English language among student of Sokoto state university
H2: gender disparity does have aneffect on the use of English language among student of Sokoto state university
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
At the completion of the study, it is believed that the findings will
be of great importance to English lecturers in higher institutions as
the study seek to explore the influence of gender disparity on student
eloquence level among 400 level student of Sokoto state university In
Nigeria, it is clear that the government does not give much attention to
the issue of gendertype when it comes to the matter of streaming or
placing students into senior secondary school level or when allocating
classes to them in schools. In most cases, government‘s concentration is
on career/professional predictions such as arts, science, technical or
vocation aptitudes, and day or boarding variables. The exploitation of
gender streaming strategy for academic performance implications is never
viewed with much seriousness. Therefore, since this study is designed
to investigate whether or not streaming students according to gender
composition can significantly impact on senior secondary students‘
academic performance particularly, in English Language, its findings may
help teachers, school administrators and managers, school counselors,
curriculum specialists, teacher trainers and teacher re-trainers.
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers the influence of gender in the use of
English language of 400 level students of Sokoto state university. But
in the cause of the study, there were some factors which limited the
scope of the study;
a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study
does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other
academic activities and examinations with the study.
c) FINANCE: The finance available for the
research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very
limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Gender
Organisms of many species are specialized into male and female
varieties, each known as a sex. Sexual reproduction involves the
combining and mixing of genetic traits: specialized cells known as
gametes
English language
English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and is now a global lingua franca
Eloquence
Eloquence is fluent, forcible, elegant or persuasive speaking. It is
primarily the power of expressing strong emotions in striking and
appropriate language, thereby producing conviction or persuasion
Student
A "student" is a learner or someone who attends an educational institution. In the United Kingdom, those attending university are termed "students" while "pupil" refers to an attendee of a lower educational institute; the same was typically true in the United States previously
where student was considered a more lofty and ambitious title, one who
was actively seeking knowledge, not just learning it because they were
required to.
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy
understanding, as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction,
which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem,
objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study,
research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of
the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the
study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three
deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study.
Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and
presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and
recommendations made of the study.