Investigating the Performance of Students in Colleges of Education in the English Language

Abstract

The study investigates the performance of students in Colleges of Education in the English language.The researcher is an English language tutor at the SDA College of Education and has observed over a period that the students perform poorly in the English language examinations. The study is guided by four research questions. They are (1) Are trainee teachers’ performance in the English language affecting pupils’ performance at the basic school level? (2) What are the causes of trainee teachers’ poor performance in English at S.D.A.College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua? (3)What are the effects of students’ poor performance in English on teaching and learning in the basic school(s) where they practised? (4) How can trainee teachers’ performance in English be improved at S.D.A.College of Education, Asokore- Koforidua? The study is a descriptive survey and the purposive sampling procedure and simple random sampling technique are used to select the sample for the study. The study concludes that the pupils in basic schools where trainees practice could not speak good English, write good essays, and pass their examinations. This is because trainee teachers do not have enough time to prepare for their lessons. The study recommends that the Principals of the Colleges of Education need to ensure that there is improvement in students’ performance by equipping the college library with relevant reference materials and the resource rooms with adequate teaching and learning materials. Furthermore, the Heads of English Departments need to supervise their teaching staff to ensure that they complete their syllabi on schedule. Tutors need to motivate students to attend classes regularly and use the English language as the main medium of communication to ensure that students become fluent in the language.