University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh INVESTIGATING THE PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE BY FRANCISCA KESEWAH 10296923 THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF M.PHIL DEGREE IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE JUNE 2012 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh i DECLARATION I do hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own research prepared entirely by me under close supervision of Prof. L. A Anyidoho (Department of Linguistics, University of Ghana, Legon) and Dr. J.A.N. Saanchi (Department of Linguistics, University of Ghana, Legon). References cited have been duly acknowledged. ...................................... ................................ Francisca Kesewah Date (Candidate) .......................................... ................................... Prof. L. A. Anyidoho Date ........................................ ................................... Dr. J.A.N. Saanchi Date University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ii DEDICATION Dedicated to Christian Ben Briandt Melissa Briandt Sasha Briandt University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere thanks to my supervisors: Prof. Akosua Anyidoho and Dr. J.A.N. Saanchi of the Lingistics Department whose invaluable guidance, support, patience, and encouragement steered me throughout this academic work. I profoundly appreciate the support they provided and their careful reading of the draft which helped to shape it into its final form. I really consider myself fortunate to have had them as my supervisors. I should extend my appreciation to my lecturers Prof. Aba Amfo, Prof. Kofi Saah, and Dr. Akaling Pare for their valuable feedback, contributions and guidance. I would also like to give my deepest thanks to the Principal of the Seventh Day Adventist College of Education and all staff members, especially Bismark Osei, Eric Sakyi and Mustapha Adamu for not denying me of their moral and spiritual support. I should not forget my dear students Clement Adjapong Aborah, George Oduro and Emmanuel Adjapong who encouraged me to see the meaning of not only being their teacher but also a mother and a friend. I can never forget Mr. Thomas Ogua and his family, Mr. Emmanuel Kwabena Sarfo for everything they are and have been and always will be to me. Finally, I want to thank my husband, whose love, support and advice made me to understand that what ever good thing I set out to do, I can do it through Christ. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh iv 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. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh v TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE DECLARATION i DEDICATION ii AKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii ABSTRACT iv TABLE OF CONTENT v LIST OF TABLES x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 1.1 Background to the Study … … … … … … 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem … … … … … 6 1.3 Purpose of the Study … … … … … … 7 1.4 Research Questions … … … … … … 7 1.5 Significance of the Study … … … … … … 8 1.6 Theoretical Framework ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 1.7 Delimitation … … … … … 13 1.8 Organization of the Study … … … … … 14 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh vi PAGE CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.0 Introduction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 2.1 Teacher Education in Ghana ... ... ... ... ... 15 2.2 English Language Teaching and Learning in Ghana … … 21 2.3 Assessing the Performance of Teachers in the Classroom ... 24 2.4 Causes of Pupils Poor Academic Performance … … … 27 2.5 Reforms and Language Policies in Ghana … … … 33 2.6 The Dzobo Education Reforms of 1974 … … … 37 2.7 The 1987 Educational Reform … … … … … 40 2.8 The 2007 Educational Reform … … … … … 42 2.9 Issues that Affect the Quality of Education in Developing Countries 44 2.9.1 Peaceful and Safe Environments … … … … 45 2.9.2 Effective School Discipline Policies … … … … 46 2.9.3 Professional Learning for Teachers … … … … 47 2.10 Teacher Competence and School Efficiency … … … .. 48 2.11 Teachers’ Working Conditions … … … … 50 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh vii PAGE 2.12 Administrative Support and Leadership .. … … … 51 2.13 Using Formative Assessment to Improve Achievement Outcomes 53 2.14 Outcomes Sought By Parents … … … … ... 54 2.15 Experiential Approaches to Achieving Desired Outcomes … 55 2.16 English Language Learning and Teaching … … … 56 2.17 English Language Learners (ELLs) … … … 58 2.18 Summary of Chapter … … … … … … 59 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction ... ... ... ... ... ... 61 3.1 The Research Site … … … … … … 61 3.2 Research Design … … … … … … 63 3.3 Population … … … … … … 65 3.4 Sample and Sampling Procedure … … … … 66 3.5 Research Instrument … … … … … ... 68 3.6 Pre-Testing … … … … … … 73 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh viii PAGE 3.7 Data Source … . … … … … … … 73 3.8 Data Collection Procedure … … … … … 74 3.9 Data Analysis Plan . … … … … … 74 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.0 Introduction … … … … … … … 76 4.1 Background Information of Respondents ... ... ... 76 4.2 Findings of the Study … … … … … … 81 4.3 Findings of the Interview … … … … … 115 4.4 Discussion of Findings ... ... ... ... ... ... 118 CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.0 Introduction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 124 5.1 Summary of the Study … … … … … … 124 5.2 Conclusion … … … … … … … 126 5.3 Recommendations … … … … … … 128 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ix PAGE 5.4 Area for Further Study … … … … … 129 REFERENCES … … … … … .. . 131 APPENDICES Appendix A … … … … … … … 140 Appendix B … … … … … … … 147 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh x LIST OF TABLES PAGE Table 1.1 Analysis of the English language Results from the New Juaben Municipality – Eastern Region … … 4 Table 3.1 Population Distribution … … … … 66 Table 3.2 Sample selected for the Study … … … 68 Table 4.1 Sex of Tutors … … … … … … 76 Table 4.2 Sex of Trainee Teachers … … … … 77 Table 4.3 Level of Academic Achievement of Tutors … … 78 Table 4.4 Level of Study of Trainee Teachers … … … 79 Table 4.5 Teaching Experience of Tutors … … … 80 Table 4.6 Trainee Teachers’ Performance in English Language and its Effect on Pupils’ Performance at the Basic School 81 Table 4.7 Trainee Teachers’ Performance in English Language and its Effect on Pupils’ Performance at the Basic School 84 Table 4.8 The Causes of Trainee Teachers’ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education … … 87 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh xi PAGE Table 4.9 Causes of Trainee Teachers’ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education … … 92 Table 4.10 Trainee Teachers’ Performance in English Language and Teaching and Learning at the Basic Schools where Trainees are practicing … … … … 99 Table 4.11 Trainee Teachers’ Performance in English Language and Teaching and Learning at the Basic Schools where Trainees are Practicing … … … … 101 Table 4.12 Measures to Improve Trainee Teachers’ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua … … … … … 103 Table 4.13 Measures to Improve Trainee Teachers’ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua … … … … … 108 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction This chapter considers the background to the study, the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, research questions, the significance of the study, the theoretical framework, delimitation and the organization of the study. 1.1 Background to the Study The world is very rapidly turning into what many people call a “global village”. As the pressure to communicate increases, the importance given to language which is the very basic tool for communication also increases and language teaching and learning, seen as international channel of communication, becomes even more crucial. Such a demand for learning foreign languages consequently results in a bigger demand for language teachers and training of these teachers (Esra, 2008). With such a dire need for language teaching, there has been increased demand for language teachers and the consequent need to train these teachers, hence the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 2 numerous training colleges we have in Ghana today. For a country like Ghana to have forty (40) colleges of Education, all aimed at training the “perfect” teacher, shows how important language teaching and learning is to our part of the world. To form part of the global world and to be able to fit into the Ghanaian society, it is very important that beginners are exposed to the English language at the early stage of their educational set-up. This is because the English language is necessary for every meaningful and effective academic work (Tabi-Arhin, 2004). It is the official language in Ghana, which everybody is expected to formally use in governmental affairs, the media, commerce, the banks and the like. It has become the communication medium across a country faced with different languages. The English language thus serves as a unifying force amongst Ghanaians. It is the language of the press and the professionals. English helps people to travel all round the world without any difficulty of interaction. However, the English language teaching and learning has been a problem in this country due to its second language nature and the deficiencies of the methodology used by the teachers. French (2004:4) pointed out that “A fairly University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 3 large proportion of discussion on educational issues in Ghana is focused on the problem of „falling standards‟ in academic performance and central to the problem of „falling standards‟ is learners inability to read and follow simple instructions due to weak foundations in reading”. The teaching of English as a second language in Ghanaian schools comes with its own challenges. The citizens of this country require training especially in the English language for a successful academic life. In Ghana today, even tailors and hairdressers need to pass an examination in English before they can earn their certificates. Ghana, therefore aims to produce resourceful and employable school leavers who can at least read and write in English. In view of this, quality teachers are being trained in various institutions to see to the intellectual and educational needs of pupils. The forty (40) Colleges of Education in Ghana aim at training young people and dispatching them throughout the nation to provide quality education to Ghana‟s future leaders in the Basic Schools. Yet, there are always reports of alarming Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results in the English language. For example: University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 4 Table 1.1: Analysis of the English Language Results from the New Juaben Municipality - Eastern Region Year Total number of Total number of Total number of Overall total candidates who candidates candidates for grades 1-5 wrote the obtaining grades obtaining grades in English English language 1-3 in English 4 and 5 in exams. English 2011 2743 926 1089 2015 2010 2769 768 1206 1974 2009 2758 1090 1292 2382 2008 2766 1079 1286 2365 2007 2765 1013 1210 2229 Discussion of the Table1.1: The analysis above clearly explains that for the past five years, the New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region cannot boast of any good performance in the English language since the majority of the candidates obtained grades 4 and 5, the average pass for the the BECE (2007-2011). The New Juaben Municipal University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 5 Assembly presented about seventy (70) schools with an estimated number of two thousand seven hundred and sixty nine registered candidates each year to write the BECE. For example in 2011 alone, two thousand seven hundred and forty three (2743) candidates were present during the examination, out of this, two thousand and fifteen (2015) passed with aggregate 1-5. The Chief examiners of the English language paper reported that “the general performance of the candidates revealed that many of them have still not grasped the rudiments of the English Language. The performance of the majority was disappointing. A majority of the candidates exhibited poor knowledge of the mechanics of the language. Their work contained many grammatical errors, inaccurate tenses, wrong spellings, wrong use of capital letters, etc. Example, your‟s son” (chief examiner‟s report, 2011: p.14). Researchers such as Etsey (2005) who investigated the causes of low academic performance of primary school pupils asserted that the teacher-factors contribute to pupils‟ poor academic performance. Etsey pointed out that the teacher- factors that were found to contribute to the low academic performance were incidence of lateness to school, incidence of absenteeism, the use of the local language in University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 6 teaching to mention but a few. Agyeman (1993) reported that a teacher who does not have both academic and the professional teacher qualification would undoubtedly have a negative influence on the teaching and learning of his/her subject. It is against this background that the study set forth to investigate the performance of students in Colleges of Education in the English language. 1.2 Statement of the Problem The performance of trainees of Colleges of Education in Ghana in the English language keeps falling. This is exemplified in the chief examiner‟s report on the end-of-semester examination for the 2009-2010 academic year for teacher trianing colleges. The chief examiner indicated that only 35% of the total number of trainee teachers who took the English paper scored a “B” and above. This indicates that there is a problem concerning the teaching and learning of English in the Colleges of Education. The researcher is therefore interested in investigating the performance of students in Colleges of Education in the English language. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 7 1.3 Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to investigate the performance of students in Colleges of Education in the English language. Specifically, the study looks at the causes of the students‟ poor performance in the English language and how the poor performance is affecting the teaching and learning of the English language in the basic schools where the trainees practice. Also, the study aims at finding solutions to the problems trainees face in the English Language examinations in the Colleges of Education. 1.4 Research Questions The main research questions of the study are as follows: 1. Are trainee teachers‟ performance in English affecting pupils at the basic schools? 2. What are the causes of students‟ 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? University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 8 4. How can students‟ poor performance in English be improved at the S.D.A College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua? 1.5 Significance of the Study In Ghana, the teaching and learning of English as a second language has always been given enough importance and priority for it is one of the compulsory subjects offered at the training colleges. The more importance given to the teaching and learning of English, the more qualified language teachers are needed to teach it. In the Colleges of Education, the major concern of many educators is to train professional and excellent teachers who will go out there to teach, evaluate, communicate with students, provide guidance and counseling, organize co-curricular activities, participate in community programmes, diagnose and remedy students‟ problems, to mention but a few, in order to make the teaching profession effective and pleasurable. However, many factors that will ensure the quality and efficiency of these teachers in the classroom continue to call for investigation. Researchers such as Keteku (1999), Tona (2009) and Etsey (2005), who have contributed to the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 9 discussion have been silent on the assessment of the performance of professional teachers in English. They focus largely on educational reforms, leaving out the issue of quality of teachers that will implement these reforms in the classroom. The selection of this topic was based on the fact that the performance of teacher trainees in the English language in Ghana needs much attention and it is the hope of the researcher that this study will add to knowledge on teacher trainees‟ performance in the English language. The pedagogical significance of this study is that it will help the tutors of the Colleges of Education to appreciate the importance of trainee teachers performing creditably in the English language. The study will further enlighten trainee teachers to appreciate the importance of the English Language in the basic schools in Ghana and give it a serious attention in the teaching of it. It will also serve as a resource material to other future researchers who will be interested in working in this area. The findings and recommendations will help to fill some of the gaps identified in teacher education knowledge and practices. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 10 1.6 Theoretical Framework The study is couched in Steven Krashen‟s theory of second language acquisition. Krashen (2007) shares the view that language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules and does not require tedious drill, acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language-natural communication in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the messages they convey and their understanding. Simply put, “language acquisition, whether first or second languages occurs when comprehension of real messages occurs, and when the acquirer is not defensive” (Wilson, 2000). The question then is who supplies this comprehensible input in the classroom? How comprehensible is the teachers‟ language to the pupils if the teacher himself/herself does not have the preriquisite skill in English. Krashen‟s theory consists of five main hypotheses: The acquisition-learning hypothesis, the monitor hypothesis, the natural order hypothesis, the input hypothesis and the affective filter hypothesis. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 11 The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis: According to Krashen (2007) “The acquired system and the learned systems are two independent systems of second language performance”. Krashen argues that, the acquired system or acquisition is very similar to the process children undergo when they acquire their first language and it is the product of a subconscious process. It involves meaningful interaction in the target language-natural communication in which speakers are concentrated not in the form of their utterances but in the communicative act. Learning or the learned system on the otherhand is the product of formal instruction and it comprises a conscious process which results in conscious knowledge about the language. The Monitor Hypothesis: This defines the relationship between acquisition and learning and explains the influence of acquisition on learning. According to Krashen (2007), the monitor acts in planning, editing and correcting function when three specific conditions are met. These are: the second language learner‟s time at his or her disposal; he or she focuses on form or on correctness; and what he or she knows about the rule. Krashen distinguishes between two users of the monitor: Monitor over-users are those who try to always use their University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 12 monitor and end-up so concerned with correctness that they cannot speak with any real fluency. On the other hand, monitor under-users consist of those who have either not consciously learned or chosen not to use their conscious knowledge of the language. Although error correction by others has little influence on them, they can often correct themselves based on a feel for correctness. According to Wilson (2000) teachers should aim at producing optimal Monitor users who use the monitor when it is appropriate and when it does not interfere with communication. But my question is, what happens to the second language teacher who fails his/her English examination but ends up in the classroom? He/she can‟t deliver because we can‟t give what we don‟t have. The Natural Order Hypothesis: suggests that some grammatical structures tend to be acquired early while others are acquired late regardless of the first language of a speaker. Krashen (2007) therefore believes that in presenting grammar lessons, it should follow these natural orders. The Input Hypothesis: is concerned with acquisition, and helps learners to improve and progress along the natural order when they receive a second University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 13 language input that is one step beyond their current stage of linguistic competence. The Affective Filter Hypothesis: the Affective Filter embodies Krashen‟s view that a number of “affective variables” play a facilitative role in second language acquisition such as motivation, self-confidence and low-level anxiety. The learners with these variables are better equipped for success in second language acquisition. From the above discussion, one can conclude that Krashen‟s theory though does not really look into the teachers‟ role in giving out comprehensible input, it provides support for the view that once the teacher knows the language well and is able to communicate meaningfully with students, learning will be achieved provided the other factors are also taken into account in the teaching process. 1.7 Delimitation Even though there are forty (40) teacher training colleges in this country, the study is limited to tutors and students of S.D.A College of Education. This is University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 14 because, the researcher is currently an English tutor in the college and has observed the problems related to the teaching and learning of English in that college over a period. 1.8 Organization of the Study The study was organized in five (5) chapters. The Chapter One covers the background of the study, the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, research questions significance of the study, the theoretical framework, delimitation and the organization of the study. The second chapter reviews related literature with emphasis on issues like the need for teacher training, the causes of pupils‟ poor academic perform in the B.E.C.E and the new Educational Reform. The Chapter Three considers issues like population of the study, research design, sample and sampling technique, research instrument, and administrative procedure. The Chapter Four covers the analysis and discussion of the data collected. Chapter Five provides the summary, conclusions, and recommendations. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 15 CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.0 Introduction This chapter reviews some of the existing research literature relevant to this study. First of all, teacher education in Ghana is discussed. Then, the English Language teaching and learning in Ghana is looked into. Assessing the performance of teachers in the classroom, the causes of pupils poor academic performance, Ghana‟s Educational Reforms and Language policy which have undergone so many changes are critically analysed. In addition, the chapter looks at issues affecting quality education, and experimental approaches to achieving desired outcomes. 2.1 Teacher Education in Ghana The importance of teacher education in Ghana cannot be over emphasized. Teacher education is referenced throughout this present review of the literature because of its close relationship with the focus on the performance of teachers in colleges of education. While it is not possible or warranted to exhaustively review the research on teacher education, it is valuable to explore it within the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 16 boundaries of its relationship to the teacher trainee and the pupils at the basic schools. Teacher education is a general term that refers to both in-service teacher professional development as well as preservice teacher preparation (Urdan1996). As Ayers (1995:19) puts it, “when teaching is done well, it resonates in the deepest parts of your being - it satisfies the soul”. The above statements point out clearly the significance of teacher education and why much attention should be focused on it. Of general importance to teachers‟ ability to improve the quality of education is the ability to reflect on their own teaching, critically examining the methods to be used and looking for other ways of teaching. The Operational Emergency Care Orderly (OECO) report (1994) noticing the importance of teachers defines teacher quality in five dimensions: 1. Knowledge of substantive areas and content 2. Pedagogic skills, including the acquisition and ability to use a reportoire of teaching strategies. 3. Reflection and ability to be self-critical, the hallmark of teacher- professionalism; University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 17 4. Empathy and commitment to the acknowledgement of the dignity of others. 5. Managerial competence, as teachers assume a range of managerial responsibilities within and outside the classroom (p.13). The report adds, These dimensions of teacher quality should not be seen in terms of narrow behavioural competencies, but more in terms of dispositions. Teacher quality should be regarded as a holistic concept, that is, as a gestalt of qualities rather than as a discrete set of measurable behaviours, to be developed independently from each other. The integration of competencies across these dimensions of teacher quality is thought to mark the outstanding teacher (p.14). These assertions indicate that in order to have the good teachers, quality education should be provided, for one cannot stay at home and obtain all these qualities except through formal education. Teacher education is therefore seen as a major tool to help train teachers to be whom this country can be proud of. Perrenoud (1999) also identifies ten competences to describe the good teacher: 1. Organizing student learning opportunities University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 18 2. Dealing with student heterogeneity 3. Managing student- teacher progression 4. Developing student commitment to working and learning 5. Working in teams 6. Participating in schools curriculum and organizational development 7. Promoting parent and community commitment to school 8. Using new technologies in their daily practice 9. Tackling professional duties and their ethical dilemmas 10. Managing teachers own professional development (p.18) At this point, teacher education is put at the very heart of the process of preparation provided at the colleges of education. For how teachers teach and their quality and attitude towards their work is influenced by the schooling experiences at the educational institutions. Tellez and Waxman (2006) point out that teacher quality could be one of the measures linked to student achievement, and today, there is a need for highly qualified teachers for all students. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 19 Stakeholders responsible for the preparation of teachers agree that having a highly qualified teacher in every classroom is essential to students‟ motivation and academic achievements. The research of the past decades including Esra (2008) demonstrates the significance of the teacher in fostering students‟ growth and academic achievement. What researchers and practitioners are having difficulty agreeing on are essential characteristics of these qualified teachers who create effective learning and the ways in which professional development experiences need to be structured in order to foster and develop these critical teacher characteristics ( Lasley et al as cited in Esra 2008:14). Teacher education is the process of providing teacher and potential teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to teach effectively in a classroom environment (Cavallavi, 2011). Teacher education plays a crucial role in empowering a group of people to assist the greater majority of individuals to adapt to the rapidly changing social, economic and cultural environment to ensure the development of human capital required for the economic and social growth of societies (Anamuah-Mensah, 2002). It is said that “if teachers acquire the professional competence and attitude that enable them to effectively perform University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 20 their multiple tasks in the classroom, in the school and in the community, teachers become the single most important contributing factor in ensuring quality educational provision” (Anamuah-Mensah, 2002:3). He adds that in Ghana, one of the objectives of teacher education is to “provide teachers with knowledge and skills together with better incentives to use their knowledge for the benefit of children, through the creation of an accessible, integrated teacher education and training system which provides a structure for continuous professional development throughout their teaching careers” (p.3). According to Anamuah-Mensah (2002), the presidential committee on the Review of Education Reform in Ghana stated the objective of teacher education in Ghana as the training and development of the right type of teacher who is competent, committed and dedicated. However, it is known that after the teacher has been given the education necessary for him/her to deliver and function effectively in the classroom. Anamuah-Mensah & Benneh (2004) argue that there is no formal assessment for the teacher after employment. Hence, some of them tend to be reluctant in their University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 21 delivery in the classroom despite their level of education. But is assessment of teachers‟ performance in the classroom the only cause of teachers‟ poor performance? My next sub-topic looks at this assertion and gives evidence to show that though assessment is very important for effective delivery it is not the only means to measure teachers‟ performance in the classroom. 2.2 English Language Teaching and Learning in Ghana Teaching has been defined as a series of interactions between someone in the role of a teacher and someone in the role of a learner, with the main purpose of influencing the learner‟s intellectual, emotional, and motor behaviour. In short, it is a process that facilitates learning. Learning on the other hand, is said to have taken place when there is a change in behaviour and attitude on the part of the educated. The teacher is the cog around which the wheel of teaching and learning revolves. The English teacher can therefore be said to be the cog around which the wheel of teaching of the English Language revolves (Akagre, 2006). The English Language is the medium of instruction in Ghanaian schools. In Ghana, it is the hope of every government to make education free for all University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 22 students. This calls for the numerous reforms and language policies we have since independence. The goal of “Education for All by 2015” as instituted by the world‟s nation states has galvanized many countries in Sub-saharan Africa (SSA) into confronting their historically low rates of enrolment. According to Adu-Yeboah et al (2012) some remakable successes have been achieved in attracting more children into schools (UNESCO, 2008). However, filling the classrooms is not enough; education for all, if it is to have positive social and economic consequences must involve children learning at least the basic minimum competences of literacy and numeracy that will enable them to benefit from and contribute to their society‟s future. Unfortunately, much evidence suggests that many who attend school are not learning very much. UNESCO (2008:2) reports a relatively low and unequal learning achievement in language and mathematics in many countries expecially in Sub-saharan Africa. In Ghanaian public school for example, not many children make enough progress with reading in the early grades for them to benefit from continued schooling. Although these poor results are seen throughout basic schooling, it is becoming increasingly clear that the first year of schooling is especially University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 23 important children‟s early experiences with learning shape their attitudes and commitment to education and so more than at any other stage, what happens in the early grades, determines their educational failure. Unless they make sufficient progress at this stage they are liable either to cease coming to school entirely, relapsing into illiteracy or to become the “silently excluded” who are not able to access the increasingly demanding work of the later grades (Liddell and Rae, 2001; UNESCO, 2010; Glick and Sahn, 2010). This is particularly true in reading which underpins understanding across the school curriculum. In Ghana, many attempts are being made to address this problem, but little attention has been focessed on how teacher training prepares teachers for this task. It is not known what kind of teaching is being done in our primary schools classrooms or what preparation works best under which conditions. A range of studies have conducted a general analysis of initial teacher education and causes of pupils poor performance but the specific issue on the performance of trainee teachers in the colleges of education in English Language has not been addressed. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 24 2.3 Assessing the Performance of Teachers in the Classroom Adonis & Macayans (2010) observe that “A school is only as good as its teachers”. One way of determining a good teacher is through assessment. Assessment is one of the processes that characterize a school system and usually, the learners in the school system are the principal focus in assessment. However, while the usual goal of such assessment is to determine the presence and extent of learning among students, the teachers are given a large amount of responsibility to promote and ensure learning in students. Schools and teachers are being asked to be more accountable for student outcome (Naugle, Naugle, & Naugle, 2000). Assessment can give one insight into how teachers perform their roles as facilitators of learning inside the classroom which translates into students‟ learning achievement and their progress towards the desired skills and abilities. Shymansky (1978) once argued – that there are numerous factors contributing to effective classroom instruction, but it is the teacher that is recognized as having the greatest influence on the program success. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 25 According to de Guzman (2000), effective teaching is said to be brought about by the inner drive of the faculty to guide students learning equipped by his or her mastery of subject content and competence in utilizing appropriate pedagogical requirement. The strength and limitations of teachers‟ performance depend so much on their mastery of the subject matter and the pedagogical skills. “Performance assessment is what you do with what you know” (Rudner et al, 2005:18). It allows students (teachers) to demonstrate how effectively they put the pieces together in ways similar to how information is used in the larger world. This assertion is true since pupils‟ success depends so much on their teachers‟ ability to teach them well. If therefore the trainees are failing their examination (the English language) at the colleges of education but are made to come out and handle these pupils, then we shouldn‟t expect any better results than what we have now. In other words, a good or bad teacher trainee today will be a good or bad teacher tomorrow or further in the future. For instance, if a teacher‟s individual performance turns out to be stable (as assumed), then University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 26 measurement and accountability might best be used to weed out poor performances (Gordon et al, 2006). Indeed, outside of the teaching competencies and other professional responsibilities that help define what makes an effective teacher, a teacher must also have certain traits or characteristics that are imperative to make his or her teaching effective. The absence or lack of such traits may spell the difference between success and failure in bringing about the desired learning outcomes in students. For instance, the qualitative study of Bustos – Orosa (2008) on teachers‟ conception of good teaching reveals that both dispositional traits (content mastery and expertise) and professional competence are seen as components of good teaching. In general, assessment of teacher performance provides information about strengths and weaknesses of a teacher which could be used as a basis for improvement, not only for teachers, but also for the school in general in terms of policy making in teacher training and professional development. Teachers can be assessed through classroom observation – direct or indirect observation and also University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 27 through student outcome (Ochave and Abulon, 2006). This is based on the premise that students are the direct consumers of the services provided by teachers and are therefore in a good position to access and evaluate their teacher‟s performance. Just as a person provides curriculum vitae (CV) in order to be employed, the teacher also needs to be assessed and found to be academically sound in order to be allowed to teach. A language teacher who fails his examination in the language should not be allowed to teach that language. 2.4 Causes of Pupils Poor Academic Performance Poor academic performance according to Aremu (2000) is a performance that is adjudged by the examinee/testee and some others as falling below expected standard. Students‟ poor academic performance has been observed in school subjects especially Mathematics, Science, and the English language among Secondary School students (Adesemowo, 2005). The World Education Forum in Dakar in 2000 made the following observation; “Improving all aspect of the quality of education to achieve recognized and University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 28 measurable learning outcomes for all especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills” (p.23). It also emphasized the need to achieve education for all and also noticed the need to improve the quality of education (Darkar Framework for Action Aticle 7, World Education Forum, 2000). Article 28 of the Convention of the Right of a Child states the child‟s right to education and the state‟s duty to ensure that primary education at least is made free. In Article 29 of the same convention the states are requested to recognize that education should be directed at developing the child‟s personality and talents preparing the child for active life as an adult, fostering respect for basic human rights and developing respect for the child‟s own cultural and national values and those of others (United Nations, 1989). It can therefore be concluded that every child has the right not only to receive education but also to receive high quality education based on the recommendations in the Dakar Framework for Action and the convention of the right of a child. Quality education comes as a result of teachers‟ and pupils ability to deliver to expectations. It is therefore bizarre when at the end of the day pupils to whom this quality education is rendered perform below expectations. Many researchers University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 29 have given their view on what causes the poor academic performance among pupils in Ghana‟s Basic Schools. Etsey (2005), investigating the causes of the low academic performance of primary school pupils in the Shama Sub-Metro of Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly (SAEMA) in Ghana, pointed out that the schools had poor performance in all public examinations and The Chief Examiners‟ Report (2010) indicated that pupils‟ B.E.C.E results were appalling. The Report indicated that the situation was a great problem since the Ghana Government had initiated programmes such as the free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (fCUBE) with the view to improving the quality of the educational system. Through the fCUBE program the Ghana Government sought to ensure that all citizens were equipped with the fundamental knowledge and skills that would enable them to be full stakeholders in and beneficiaries of development. Etsey (2005) professes that the pathetic situation in the area compelled her to investigate the causes of the poor academic performance of the pupils and concluded that: The problems were found within the school and teacher factors, pupils‟ characteristics and parental support variables. The school factors University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 30 identified were limited teaching materials, inadequate textbooks and limited number of professionally trained teachers. The teacher factors that were found to contribute to the low academic performance were incidence of lateness to school, incidence of absenteeism, use of the local language in teaching, inability to complete the syllabi, less interest in children understanding of lesson and teachers not working hard enough. The pupils‟ characteristics found to be significant were absenteeism and irregularity in school attendance, truancy, use of local language in the classroom, lack of interest in teachers‟ lessons and little help with studies at home. The parental support variables causing pupils to perform poorly academically were their inability to provide breakfast, textbooks and basic school needs, less interactions with children‟s teachers and less involvement in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) activities. Agyeman (1993), reports that a teacher who does not have both the academic and the professional teacher qualification would undoubtedly have negative influence on the teaching and learning of his /her subject. Etsey, Amedahe and University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 31 Edjah (2005) in a study of 60 schools from peri-urban (29 schools) and rural (31 schools ) areas in Ghana found that academic performance was better in private schools than public schools because of more effective supervision of work. Studies by Lockheed (1991) indicated that lack of motivation and professional commitment produce poor attendance and unprofessional attitudes towards students, which in turn affect the performance of students academically. The availability and use of teaching and learning materials affect the effectiveness of a teacher‟s lesson. According to Ausubel (1973), young children are capable of understanding abstract ideas if they are provided with sufficient materials and concrete experiences with the phenomenon that they are to understand. Broom (1973) also states that the creative use of a variety of media increases the probability that the student would learn more, retain better what they learn and improve their performance on the skills that they are expected to develop. Others are of the view that the class sizes have also been identified as determinants of academic performance. Etsey (2005) shows that schools with University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 32 smaller class sizes perform better academically than schools with larger class sizes. Kraft (1994) in his study of the ideal class size and its effects on effective teaching and learning in Ghana concludes that class sizes above 40 have negative effects on students‟ achievement. Since children differ in motivation, interests and abilities and that they also differ in health, personal abilities, social sentiments and creativity, learning is best done in classes with smaller numbers that allow for individual attention (Asiedu-Akrofi, 1978). A further research on the poor academic performance of pupils by Asikhia (2010) revealed that teachers‟ qualification and students environment do not influence students poor performance but teachers method of teaching influence poor academic performance. Aremu and Sokan (2003) submit that the search for the causations of poor academic achievement is unending and some of the factors they put forward are motivational orientation, self-esteem/self-efficacy, emotional problems, study habits, teacher consultation and poor interpersonal relationship. In finding the cause of pupils poor academic performance some school psychologists outlined the following general causes: 1. Deficits in specific capabilities University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 33 2. Lack of developmental readiness 3. Lack of emotional freedom to learn 4. Lack of motivation. 2.5 Reforms and Language Policies in Ghana For more than two decades, policymakers have undertaken many and varied reforms to improve schools, ranging from new standards and tests to redesigned schools, new curricula and new governance model. One important lesson from these efforts is the repeated findings that teachers are the fulcrum determining whether any school initiative tips towards success or failure. Every aspect of school reform depends on highly skilled teachers for its success (Darling- Hammond, 2010). Ghana being a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual nation, education and language issues are very complex. The situation is even more severe when the official language is different from any of the indigenous languages as is the case of Ghana. There is always controversy over which language to use in schools especially at the lower primary level. Over fifty years (50) after independence, University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 34 Ghana is still grappling with which language to use as a medium of instruction in the lower primary schools. In May 2002, Ghana enacted a law which mandated the use of English Language (L2) as the medium of instruction from primary one to three to replace the use of a Ghanaian language (L1) as the medium of instruction for the first three years of schooling, and English Language as the medium of instruction from primary four (Owu–Ewie, 2006). This new policy has attracted a lot of criticism from a section of academics, politicians, educators, traditional rulers and the general populace. Hence, various reforms and language policies have been made in the name of making education and language flexible to the Ghanaian child. The following is a brief analysis of some of the reforms and policies that have been implemented in Ghana. According to “The Stateman”, a popular Ghanaian Newspaper released on Tuesday July 16, 2002, some reasons why Ghana has decided to espouse an English only language policy in its education include the following: University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 35 1. The previous policy of using a Ghanaian language as a medium of instruction in the lower primary level was abused, especially in rural schools. Teachers never spoke English in class even in primary six. 2. Students are unable to speak and write “good” English sentences even by the time they complete the senior secondary school (High school). 3. The multilingual situation in the country especially in urban schools has made instruction in a Ghanaian language very difficult. 4. There is lack of Ghanaian language teachers specifically trained to teach content subject in the Ghanaian language. According to the Editor of the newspaper being able to speak a Ghanaian language does not mean one can teach in it”. 5. There is no standard written form of the Ghanaian languages. 6. The Ministry of Education (2002) in order to support the claim for the use of English as the medium of instruction from primary one cited an experiment by Rockwell (1989) indicating that children transfer from L2 to L1 better. 7. The Ministry of Education (2002) observed that English is the lingua franca of the state and that all efforts must be put in to ensure that children University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 36 acquire the right level of competence in both the spoken and written forms of the language. Although the reasons given by the Minister of Education in “The Stateman Newspaper” for the change in policy are tangible and represent the harsh realities on the ground, it attracted a lot of challenges. Students‟ English language proficiency still fall below the adopted threshold (Andoh-Kumi, 1994). The problem is not with the policy but its implementation. Teachers and learners have not been provided with the needed resources to teach and learn the English language. According to Carroll (1962), a programme, which ensures success in L2, provides quality instruction and enough opportunities for learning the language, which includes adequate time. This is in line with the theoretical framework that the constant use of the target language by the instructor in the teaching and learning process is a factor in enhancing language proficiency. Ghana as a nation has therefore not trianed enough teachers to teach English as a second language in a meaningful way that could lead to maximum returns. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 37 2.6 The Dzobo Education Reforms of 1974 The 1974 committee chaired by professor N. K. Dzobo of the Faculty of Education, University of Cape Coast made the following recommendations: A two year kindergarten education for children between the ages of four (4) and six (6) years which will be followed by a nine year basic first cycle education: six (6) years primary for children between the ages six (6) and twelve (12) and three (3) years Junior Secondary School (JSS) for children between twelve (12) and fifteen (15) years. From the Junior Secondary School, there would be selection into the following terminal courses: Two-Years Senior Secondary (lower) course leading to the GCE „O‟ level, and three (3) years Technical, Vocational and Commercial courses. Students from the Senior Secondary (lower) would then pursue another Two-Years Secondary (upper) course to obtain the GCE „A‟ level or enter any of the Teacher Training Colleges or the Polytechnics. Those from the Technical, Vocational, and Commercial Schools would enter the Polytechnic or Technical Teacher Training Colleges. Students from the Senior Secondary (upper) would proceed to the University to pursue a three (3) year programme. Those from the other streams would eventually end up at the university level. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 38 The reasons for this reform were many. First, the basic education needed to focus on how Ghanaians could deal with the problems of the environment, disease, deforestation and low agricultural productivity. It was seen that the prevailing educational system did not address the socio-economic development needs of Ghana, therefore the need to place emphasis on science and technological education which was not the case in the prevailing educational system. Also, there was the need for a new system of education that would equip the Ghanaian youth with the relevant skills to be reliant on their own resources for their rapid development since it was believed that Ghana had inherited an educational system from the colonial experience which prepared people only to run an administration and an economy totally reliant on the demands of other countries instead of Ghana. Finally, it was argued that the schooling inherited from the colonial system was not the suitable type and that it did not equip people with skills that would enable them to secure appropriate employment. This Reform Shortened pre-university education from seventeen (17) to thirteen (13) years and as such reduced the net expenditure on students by the state (Ministry of Education, 1974). University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 39 Again the introduction of Technical and Vocational courses was to provide practical skills for school leavers to be self-employed or to equip them with the requisite skills to seek employment in existing establishment which aimed at providing the man power needs for the nation (Ministry of Education, 1974). The advantages of this reform were many:- First, it equipped school leavers with the needed skills to be employed in the productive sectors of the economy. Second, there were various exit points in the educational system which ensured that people who could not continue schooling could find something profitable to do. Students from the Junior Secondary School were to be equipped with some technical and vocational skills to enable them polish there skills through a few years of apprenticeship and those from the senior secondary (lower) and the technical, vocational and commercial schools who did not pursue further education were expected to possess skills and knowledge to be employed in various sectors of the economy. Again, there was the provision of various courses such as technical, vocational and commercial courses aside the grammar type of education to cater for the individual differences and interests of students. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 40 The short comings of the Reform include the fact that the Government of Ghana did not have the political will to implement the program nationwide. It established only 113 Junior Secondary Schools throughout the country. Also, the government implemented the reform on a pilot basis, and it co-existed with the old system it was supposed to replace. And again the Senior Secondary School component of the entire reform package which should have absorbed students from the Junior Secondary School was never implemented (Ministry of Education, 1974). 2.7 The 1987 Educational Reform Then came the Junior Secondary School Education Reforms of 1987, initiated by the government and aimed at providing a broad ranging manpower supply for the various sectors of the country‟s economy. This included the training of people to engage in agriculture to provide the needed raw materials to feed the industries and provide adequate food for the nation, to train people in science and technology for the advancement of science and technology in the Ghanaian society, protection and conservation of the environment, and raising health standards (Ministry of Education, 1986). It changed the structure of the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 41 educational system from seventeen (17) years to twelve (12) years at the pre- university level. It further reduced the Dzobo structure of 1974 by one extra year. That is, instead of the six (6) years primary, three (3) years Junior Secondary, two (2) years Senior Secondary (lower) and two (2) years Senior Secondary upper proposed by the Dzobo Report of 1974, the Evans-Anfom Report of 1986 recommended six (6) years primary, three (3) years Junior Secondary and three (3) years Senior Secondary education. The Common Entrance Examination (CEE) used for the selection into secondary schools was replaced by the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). While the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary „0‟ level and advanced „A‟ level were replaced by the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE). As usual, among the many weaknesses of this reform are insufficient textbooks for all basic schools in the country, inadequate infrastructure and teaching and learning materials, inadequate trained teachers for the Junior Secondary Schools which affected the quality of basic education in the country. However, the reform had its own strength which includes the following: it provided a University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 42 comprehensive basic education which improved access to education for more children of school going age. The reform also introduced continuous assessment which formed part of the final examination. This ensured that internal assessment in schools was included in the final examinations and this ended the single-shot examination existing in the old system (Ministry of Education, 1986). 2.8 The 2007 Educational Reform There was also the Junior High School and the Senior High School Education review Commission which was tasked to review the entire educational system in the country with the view to making it responsive to current challenges. It was intended to ensuring 100 percent access to basic education, placing high premium on technical and vocational education and training and improving the quality of instructions and making it flexible enough to accommodate diverse students abilities. According to the Government of Ghana White Paper on Education (2004), the Commission recommended the inclusion of two (2) years of Kindergarten education as part of Basic Education and apprenticeship training for leavers of University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 43 the Junior Secondary School who were unable to or do not want to continue in the formal sector. Kindergarten was not an integral part of the Basic Education and the reform incorporated it to prepare children between the ages of four (4) and six (6) years before they enter primary school. The apprenticeship training was to formalize the training of school leavers in the various trades. The three (3) years Senior Secondary School was maintained by the commission but the government decided to increase the number of years to four (4) and rename the schools Junior High School and Senior High School to replace the existing Junior Secondary School and Senior Secondary School respectively. The change in the number of years was to ensure that students have adequate time to prepare for the West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) as a result of the large percentage of students who fail the final examination. French and Information Communication Technology (ICT) were introduced as core courses at the Junior High Schools and Senior High Schools. The major problems the reform faced included delay in the supply of syllabuses and textbooks, classrooms and facilities as students entered the fourth year of University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 44 Senior High School in September 2010. Teachers were not adequately prepared in terms of training to implement the reforms (Ministry of Education, 2011). The reforms as discussed above aimed at providing well trained citizens to fit well into the national economy but, one weakness that cut across and which needs to be addressed is the inadequate teachers who would man the classrooms to ensure that the reform was implemented successfully. Until the government realizes that the teacher is the core most important tool for the implementation of any educational reforms the policy is likely to fail like all the other reform policies the country has known. It is therefore not surprising that students are still failing their exams despite the attempts to streamline education without paying attention to teachers. 2.9 Issues That Affect the Quality of Education in Developing Countries The school system works with children who come into them. The quality of children‟s lives before beginning formal education greatly influences the kind of learners they can be. Many elements including health, early childhood experiences and home support go into making a quality learner. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 45 2.9.1 Peaceful and Safe Environments Within schools and classrooms, a welcoming and non-discriminatory climate is critical to creating a quality learning environment. In many countries, attitudes discouraging girls‟ participation in education have been significant barriers to providing quality education to all students. The Republic of Guinea provides an example of how this barrier can be overcome. Between 1989 and 1997, Guinea was able to increase the percentage of enrolment of girls‟ of school going age from 17 percent to 37 percent. This was done through the establishment of a high-profile Equity Committee which researched to better understand various communities‟ needs and attitudes, policy reforms related to pregnancy of school- age mothers, the building of latrines for girls in schools, institutional reform that brought more women into teaching and administrative positions, and a sensitization campaign to raise community awareness about the value of girls‟ education (Sutton, 1999). According to Pigozzi (2000) once girls gain access to schools, they may experience both direct physical threats and more subtle assaults on their confidence, self-esteem and identity. The journey to school may be unsafe, since University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 46 many girls experience harassment and physical attacks either on public transportation in cities or remote paths in rural areas. At school, teachers often require girls to do maintenance work while boys study or play, and allow boys to bully girls. Girls must often sit at the back of the classroom, where teachers may call on them infrequently. In some cases, extreme physical assault, including rape, may be perpetuated against girls at school. The threats that come in the form of unequal treatment, harassment, bullying and undervaluing girls harm them in profound and long lasting ways. 2.9.2 Effective School Discipline Policies Well-managed schools and classrooms contribute to educational quality. Students, teachers and administrators should agree upon school and classroom rules and policies, and these should be clear and understandable. Order, constructive discipline and reinforcement of positive behaviour communicate a seriousness of purpose to students (Craig, Kraft & du Plessis, 1998). It is important not to mistake small group cooperative learning for disorder, however; although noise levels may increase, task-orientation and focus on learning signal effective practices. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 47 2.9.3 Professional Learning for Teachers The highest quality teachers, are those most capable of helping their students learn, have deep mastery of both their subject matter and pedagogy (Darling- Hammond, 1997). The preparation that teachers receive before beginning their work in the classroom, however, varies significantly around the world and even within the least developed countries. According to Postlewaithe (1998), in Cape Verde, Togo and Uganda, for example, 35 percent to 50 percent of students have teachers who had no teacher training. Yet in Benin, Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar and Nepal, over 90 percent of students do have teachers with some form of teacher training. In these latter countries, most teachers have, at least, lower secondary education. This contrasts sharply with Cape Verde and Tanzania where over 60 percent of students have teachers with only a primary education. Perhaps as a consequence of too little preparation before entering the profession, a number of teachers in China, Guinea, India and Mexico were observed to master neither the subject matter they taught nor the pedagogical skills required for good presentation of the material (Carron & Chau, 1996). This affects University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 48 educational quality since student achievement, especially beyond basic skills, depends largely on teachers‟ command of subject matter (Mullens, et al, 1996) and their ability to use that knowledge to help students learn. 2.10 Teacher Competence and School Efficiency Whether a teacher uses traditional or more current methods of instruction, efficient use of school time has a significant impact on student learning. Teachers‟ presence in the classroom represents the starting point. Many teachers face transportation and housing obstacles that hinder them from getting to school on time and staying until school hours are over. Many teachers must hold second jobs, which may detract from the time and energy they expend in the classroom. Teachers may miss school altogether. A study in China, Guinea, India and Mexico found that nearly half the teachers interviewed reported being absent at some point during the previous month (Carron & Chau, 1996), requiring other teachers to compensate for them or leaving students without instruction for the day. Next, when teachers are present, learning occurs when teachers engage students in instructional activities, rather than attending to administrative or other non-instructional processes (Fuller & Dellagnelo, 1999). University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 49 Verwimp (1999) observed that the opportunity to learn and the time on task have been shown in many international studies to be critical for educational quality. Finally, some schools that have been able to organize their schedules according to children‟s work and family obligations have seen greater success in student persistence and achievement. In Ethiopia, for example, schools that began and ended the day earlier than usual and that scheduled breaks during harvest times found that educational quality improved. According to Verwimp (1999) the quality of a school and the quality of teaching of the individual teacher is higher in schools that are able (and willing) to make more efficient use of the available time of its teachers and its pupils. Teacher education, both pre-service and in-service, should help teachers develop teaching methods and skills that take new understandings of how children learn into account. Just as curriculum should be child-centered and relevant, so should instructional methods. The limited view of teaching as presentation of knowledge no longer fits with current understandings of how and what students learn. Instead, instruction should help students build on prior knowledge to develop attitudes, beliefs and cognitive skills as well as expand their knowledge University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 50 base. Teaching styles in many places, however, remain traditional, teacher- centered and fairly rigid or even authoritarian (Carron & Chau, 1996). When Ethiopian teachers were interviewed about the degree to which their teaching practices were learner-centered and relevant to student‟s lives, about half said they link lessons to the daily life of pupils at least once a week. Almost two-thirds indicated they never or rarely ask pupils what their interests are, or what they would like to learn (Verwimp, 1999). Greater understanding of student-centered learning can be encouraged through programmes such as the Bangladeshi project on Multiple Ways of Teaching and Learning. The project which begun in 1994, helps improve teachers‟ skills by integrating brain research and multiple intelligences theory as the foundation for understanding children‟s needs (Ellison & Rothenberger, 1999). 2.11 Teachers‟ Working Conditions Teachers‟ working conditions affect their ability to provide quality education. Many aspects of school life and educational policy go into teachers‟ perception of their employment. The condition of infrastructure, availability of textbooks University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 51 and learning materials and class sizes all influence the teacher‟s experience as an educator. Teachers‟ remuneration also matters. In many countries, teacher salaries have declined in recent years, and teachers are not always paid on time (Postlewaithe, 1998). Low and late remuneration may lead teachers to take on another job, which hurts student learning. A study in 12 Latin American countries found that children in schools where many teachers work in other jobs in addition to teaching are 1.2 times more likely to have lower test scores and higher grade repetition (Willms, 2000). Effective teachers are highly committed and care about their students (Craig, Kraft, & du Plessis, 1998) they need supportive working conditions to maintain these positive attitudes. 2.12 Administrative Support and Leadership The quality of administrative support and leadership is another critical element in school processes, both for students and for teachers. At a more macro level, ensuring financial resources for education, especially for recurrent budgets is a necessity. Teachers need governments who are supportive of education systems. Organizational support for teaching and learning takes many forms, including such measures as advocating for better conditions and professional development, University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 52 respecting teachers‟ autonomy and professionalism and developing inclusive decision-making processes. Such support has been shown to have impact on student learning. In Malawi, for example, supervisors in the schools that showed the greatest learning gains regularly evaluated teachers, contributing to professional development and improved teaching practice (Miske, & Dowd, 1998). Unfortunately, however, few head teachers and administrators in developing countries have had any formal training in the leadership functions of schools, and promotions may not be based on leadership or management skills. Further, many heads of schools continue to have extensive pedagogical responsibilities in addition to administrative ones. This leaves little time for supervision and support of staff (Carron & Chau, 1996). In spite of practical constraints, programmes designed to increase professionalism in schools through management training, such as one sponsored by SIDA and conducted in disadvantaged districts in Sri Lanka, show that interventions in this area can have a real impact (Perera, 1997). University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 53 2.13 Using Formative Assessment to Improve Achievement Outcomes Assessment of academic achievement outcomes has most often been used in a summative rather than formative way. Testing information tends to be used primarily as a screening device to decide who can continue to the next grade on level rather than as a tool to help improve educational quality for individuals and systems. A project in Ghana has demonstrated that ongoing assessment of student performance can provide teachers with the information they need to improve student learning. The philosophical basis of the project was that “it is critically important to identify what skills each student possesses and to use instruction to progressively build on this foundation” (Harris, 1996:17). An assessment tool that centered on a curriculum-based rating scale was developed and administered to students in the pilot schools. This tool allowed teachers to determine students‟ level of mastery of previous and current years‟ curricula, which helped them determine the extent to which alternative instructional strategies and remedial content were necessary for both individuals and groups. This approach resulted in significantly improved outcomes. The proportion of children who fully mastered reading at grade level, for example, University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 54 rose from 4 percent to 21 per cent over just 18 months following the project‟s inception (Harris, 1996). 2.14 Outcomes Sought By Parents Parents tend to see academic achievement as closely related to the opportunity for social promotion and employment. These anticipated outcomes tend to be highly valued by families and future employment possibilities that result from education seem to be a primary factor in the demand for primary education (Bergmann, 1996). When parents in China, Guinea, India and Mexico were interviewed, they rarely cited school-related factors as reasons for drop-out or non-enrolment, but other evidence suggested that a lack of faith in school as an instrument for social promotion may have led to decisions to keep children out of school (Carron & Chau, 1996). Parents tend to attach more importance to educational outcomes as a measure of school quality than students, teachers or principals (Gaziel, 1996). Just as parents seek favourable outcomes, such as academic achievement and eventual employment, they seek to avoid outcomes they view as negative. Parents who University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 55 view education unfavourably cite the following potential outcomes: children do not respect their parents, school leavers consider themselves superior to their fellow villagers, school leavers become delinquents, girls object to the traditional rules governing marriage, and school girls do not master the required domestic duties (Bergmann, 1996). 2.15 Experiential Approaches to Achieving Desired Outcomes The content and processes that lead to the more affective outcomes of community participation and responsibility often happen in the classroom, but some programmes have discovered experiential community-based approaches that lead to these results. The Social Forestry, Education and Participation (SFEP) project in Thailand provides an example. In several Thai villages, the project brought fifth and sixth grade students out of the classroom and into the community to learn about forest management. Students surveyed villagers to identify specific forest management problems and community members gradually became more involved as informal teachers. Together, they developed community projects, such as the care of seedlings and the establishment of a University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 56 forest nature centre that helped students to increase their knowledge of forest ecosystems and the social systems that surround them (Bronfrenbrenner, 1986). An evaluation of the project found that communities supported this new form of teaching and learning and that school-community relations improved. The children were more connected to their local histories, social relations and economic structures. The students and the school came to be seen as a force for positive change in the community. 2.16 English Language Learning and Teaching This review has looked into teacher education, defining and exploring it extensively. Then it built upon that foundation to examine the causes of pupils poor academic performance,reforms and language policies in Ghana and some other issues affecting teaching and learning. Now, in narrowing the review of literature further, this exploration comes to the heart of the matter, looking specifically at the most relevant literature to the topic of the trainee teachers performance in English language learning and teaching in the mainstream University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 57 classroom. First this review will lay the foundation of a conceptual framework regarding English language learners (ELLs). ELL Conceptual Framework There is a “new „norm‟” in public school classrooms today where language, culture, and socio-economic diversity has replaced the traditional norm of English speaking. As Jones (2002:42) explains, the majority of children who are in the process of learning English as a Second Language are actually in regular mainstream, English only classrooms taught by monolingual classroom teachers, teachers who have not received any preparation for teaching English as a Second Language. A combination of social, political, and economic factors have resulted in less ESL and bilingual education opportunities, thus forcing ELLs into “regular”, “general”, “mainstream”, “English-only” settings for part if not all of their school days. These terms are largely used in an interchangeable manner, typically without explicit definition in the literature. For the sake of clarity I will offer a brief explanation for the terminology that is clear in the literature. Penfield (1987) has defined the “regular classroom” as “a setting in which subject matter and literacy skills are taught entirely in English and the majority University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 58 of the students are native speakers of English.” (p. 21). Furthermore, the term “English-only” is commonly used in reference to California‟s implementation of Proposition 227 effort to eliminate bilingual education (Necochea & Cline, 2000). However, “mainstream” is the term most often employed and the one used in this present study. The term mainstream has been defined as; Classes designed for native or fluent speakers of English, in which no accommodations are made for ELLs. 2.17 English Language Learners (ELLs) The term ELL includes a sizeable and very diverse range of students (LaCelle- Peterson & Rivera, 1994). ELLs are non-native English speaking students with limited proficiency in English. Some of them are native-born while others are foreign-born. They speak languages other than English at home and possess a different cultural heritage than mainstream students. They may be involved in ESL or bilingual education, though with the elimination of many such opportunities, they are often mainstreamed (Waxman & Padron, 2002). Because of the breadth of the spectrum of ELLs, they are defined broadly for the purposes of this study as “students whose first language is not English and who University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 59 are in the process of learning English.” While ELLs may learn enough English to communicate in a short amount of time, it can take many years to gain a command of English that is normal for their grade level (Cummins, 1981). Even after these students learn enough English to test out of these programs, the time it takes to develop academic English abilities comparable to native speakers takes much longer (Cummins, 1982). As they enter mainstream classrooms, they still require language development assistance which they must receive from mainstream teachers. According to Harper and de Jong, “most ELLs spend the entire instructional day in mainstream classrooms.” (2004, p.152). Therefore, it is critical and urgent that mainstream teachers be equipped to meet the needs and face the increased demands of teaching diverse students. Mainstream teachers actually make up a critical part of ESL and bilingual education. 2.18 Summary of Chapter Research demonstrates that teacher education in Ghana is of importance to all and therefore, there is the need to assess these teachers‟ performance in the classroom. The issue of underachievement is complex and involves a number of factors as those discussed under the causes of pupils‟ poor academic University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 60 performance, and one of such causes is the performance of the English teacher who handle these pupils. What this country has failed to address is the fact that these educational reforms and policies are failing because we have not taken the pain to look at the performance of the teachers who implement these reforms and policies in the classroom. That is why this research is aimed at investigating the performance of students in Colleges of Education in the English Language of to ascertain whether teacher trainees‟ performance has anything to do with pupils‟ poor academic performance in English at the basic school level. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 61 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction This chapter explains how the study was conducted. The research design, population, sample and sampling procedure, instruments, data collection procedure and data analysis techniques are explained in detail. 3.1 The Research Site The New Juaben Municipality is the only municipality out of the seventeen districts in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The municipality covers a land area of 110 square kilometers and shares boundaries to the north-east with East-Akim District, to the south-east with Akwapim North, Yilo Krobo on the east and Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District on the west. The Seventh Day Adventist College of Education is strategically located within the New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana. Due to the strategic location of the college it has played and do play host to numerous meetings, seminars, workshops, conferences, and other programmes such as the “Access Course” for admissions into teacher training colleges, and the Untrained Teachers in Diploma in Basic University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 62 Education (UTDBE) programme organized by the Teacher Education Division (TED) of the Ghana Education Service (GES). Currently, the college is a decentralized zonal conference marking center for Diploma in Basic Education (DBE) examination. It is also one of the campuses for the sandwich programme for Post-Diploma Degree in Basic Education, organized by the Institute of Education of the University of Cape Coast. In its present status as a diploma awarding and therefore a tertiary institution, courtesy the 2004 Education Reforms, the college currently has a total students‟ population of seven hundred and ninety six (796) which is made up of five hundred and four male students and two hundred and ninety two female students. In addition, the college has fifty four (54) teaching staff members. The college also had the privilege of being selected as one of the ten out of thirty eight government colleges of education to offer the Early Childhood Education programme to train specialized teachers to handle pupils at the kindergarten level. In terms of personnel, the college can boast of highly trained and qualified faculties. Most of the academic staff has secured their master‟s degrees with just a few yet to graduate. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 63 3.2 Research Design The study was a descriptive survey. According to Fraenkel and Wallen (2000), obtaining information from a large group of people by setting carefully worded questions and carefully administered questionnaire is what lies at the heart of a descriptive survey. Descriptive research involves the collection of data in order to answer research questions concerning current state of affairs of the subject under investigation. Descriptive research thus determines and reveals the way things are and is directed towards the determination of the nature of a situation as it exists at the time of the study. Gay (1992) is of the opinion that descriptive survey is a research technique which is very useful when investigating educational problems. Hence, the use of the descriptive survey is justified since the study seeks to find and analyze a current situation in an educational institution i.e. in the Seventh Day Adventist College of Education, Asokore- Koforidua. This design was chosen because it has the merit of gathering various responses from a wide range of people. It also enables one to have a clear picture of events and people‟s behavior on the basis of the data gathered for a particular period of University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 64 time. Again, in depth follow-up questions can be asked and items that are not clear could be explained using descriptive survey design. Furthermore, descriptive survey helps to present the true state of affairs of a given situation after data have been collected from a number of people who respond to the same set of questions about a given situation. However, there was the problem of ensuring that the questions to be responded to were clear and not misleading because the results obtained could vary significantly depending on the wording of the questions. It could also produce unreliable results since it inquired into private matters, people would not easily cooperate. These limitations notwithstanding, the researcher believed that this research design was the most appropriate design which could help her to make direct contact with the teachers and teacher trainees of the Seventh Day Adventist College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua and enabled her to draw useful conclusions from the study. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 65 3.3 Population The population for the study was the teachers and teacher trainees of the S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. The population consisted of two categories. The first category included the teachers in the college and the second category included the teacher trainees in the college. Data collected from the Vice Principal‟s office of the S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua indicated that as at the beginning of the 2010/2011 academic year the college had fifty one (51) teachers and eight hundred and twenty two (822) teacher trainees. Out of the fifty one (51) teachers five (5) of them were Heads of Departments and at the same time discharge their duties as teachers. The eight hundred and twenty two (822) teacher trainees were made up of two hundred and seventy four (274) teacher trainees in the first year, two hundred and seventy five (273) teacher trainees in the second year, and two hundred and seventy five (275) teacher trainees in the third year. Table 1 shows the distribution of the population. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 66 Table 3.1: Population Distribution Category Frequency Teachers 51 First year teacher trainees 274 Second year teacher trainees 273 Third year teacher trainees 275 Total 873 3.4 Sample and Sampling Procedure The sample of the teachers consisted of all the teachers of the college who were available at the time the survey was done. A sample of thirteen (13) respondents representing 25% of the teachers was used for the study. This sample was arrived at by using the purposive sampling technique to sample all of the eight English Language teachers in the college and all of the five (5) Heads of Departments in the college. In addition, all the eight (8) English Language teachers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 67 The sample of the teacher trainees of the college consisted of the second and third year teacher trainees. This was done because at the time of the study the examination results of the first year teacher trainees had not been released. A sample of 180 respondents representing 22% of the teacher trainees was used for the study. This sample was arrived at by using the simple random sampling technique to sample ten (10) respondents from each of the nine classes in the college. In addition, the researcher used the students‟ register to sample ninety (90) respondents from the third year teacher trainees‟ category using the simple random sampling technique. This was done because the researcher anticipated that these respondents had written at least two English Language Examinations at the college and thus would be able to provide relevant information for the study. Table 2 presents the sample selected for the study. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 68 Table 3.2: Sample selected for the Study Category Frequency Teachers 13 Second year teacher trainees 90 Third year teacher trainees 90 Total 193 In all, a sample of 193 respondents representing 22% of the population of 873 respondents was sampled for the study. The choice of the sample was influenced by the assertion made by Nwana (1992) that, if the population is of a few hundreds, a sample of 40% or more will do; if the population is of several hundreds a sample of 20% will be appropriate; if the population is of a few thousands, 10% will do and if the population is of several thousands 5% will be appropriate; hence, the use of 22% sample for the study is justified. 3.5 Research Instruments Questionnaires and semi-structured interview guide were used to collect data from the respondents for the study (see Appendix A & B). Sarantakos (1998) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 69 described questionnaires as being helpful because, they standardize data collection and ensures high confidentiality of respondents, thus eliciting truthful information from them. The questionnaire included a set of both open-ended and close-ended items, and it had 5 sections linked directly to the research questions raised for the study. The open-ended questions were used because they did not restrict the respondents to give a particular answer. The respondents were thus free to use their own words to provide the response the way they deemed fit. Open-ended questions give room for unanticipated but useful data and they are easy to construct, as they do not require special skills and competencies. On the other hand, close-ended questions restrict the respondents to the options given. Close-ended questions make the respondent‟s work easier, there is an assurance of focus and they save time. The merits of both the open-ended and the close- ended questions justify their combination. The questionnaire was completed by the respondents themselves because the study population was a literate one. The five sections of the questionnaire sought to solicit information on whether trainee teachers‟ performance in English Language affects pupils‟ performance at the basic school level, the causes of University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 70 trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language at S. D. A. College of Education, how trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language is affecting teaching and learning in basic schools, and how trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language can be improved at S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. The first section of the questionnaire sought to solicit information on the background of the respondents. The variables covered here included category of respondent‟s, gender, academic/professional qualification and the number of years spent in serving the S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua where applicable. These were important since they helped the researcher to determine the level of understanding of the respondents concerning the subject under investigation. The second section of the questionnaire sought information on whether the trainee teachers of S. D. A. College of Education performance in English Language is affecting the performance of pupils at the basic school level or not. The main purpose here was to find out the various areas where trainee teachers‟ University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 71 performance in English Language is affecting the performance of pupils at the basic schools. The respondents were expected to respond to various questions in respect of what their opinions were especially the frequency of the effects on pupils as reflected in the items shown on the questionnaire. The third section of the questionnaire was intended to gather data on the causes of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language at S. D. A. College of Education. The purpose of this section was to determine the causes of students‟ poor performance in English Language as reviewed in the literature. Both open-ended and close-ended questions were used. The fourth section focused on the effects of trainee teachers‟ poor performance on teaching and learning in the basic school(s) where they practised. The fifth section gathered data on how trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language can be improved at the S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. From the literature it was made clear that there are various ways through which the performance of trainees can be improved. Therefore, the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 72 researcher sought to gather data to find out whether the measures to improve upon the poor performance of trainee teachers would be effective at the S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua or not. The semi-structured interview guide had questions that hinged on the four research questions that were raised for the study. The first question sought to gather the views of the teachers on whether the performance of trainee teachers in English Language is affecting pupils performance at the basic school level or not. The second question sought the opinion of the teachers on the causes of trainee teachers poor performance in English Language at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. The third question focused on gathering responses on the perceived effects of students‟ poor performance in English Language on teaching and learning in the basic schools where the teacher trainees practiced. The last section of the semi-structured interview guide sought to find out the teachers‟ perception of how teacher trainees poor performance in English Language can be improved at the SDA College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 73 3.6 Pre-Testing The questionnaire was pre-tested at the Presbyterian Women‟s College of Education, Aburi using 45 respondents. The purpose was to determine the internal consistency (reliability) of the instruments and to revise and improve the questions to make them more specific and effective in eliciting the needed information. The 45 respondents were selected using the purposive random sampling technique for both the teaching staff and trainee teacher category. The Presbyterian Women‟s College of Education was chosen because it is a tertiary institution and it is likely to experience similar situation (trainees‟ poor performance in English) as it is happening in the S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. The suggestions were used to improve upon the questionnaire. Cronbach‟s Alpha α was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. Questions that were found to be ambiguous were rephrased. 3.7 Data Sources The study made use of both primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data were collected through the use of questionnaires administered to the teachers and teacher trainees at the S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. The University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 74 secondary sources of data were collected from published literature from the internet, journals, articles and unpublished theses related to the study. 3.8 Data Collection Procedure The researcher collected the data for the study. To facilitate the data collection process, an introductory letter accompanied the questionnaire. The introductory letter helped the researcher to gain access to the Principal‟s office at S. D. A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua to seek permission to administer and collect the questionnaire for the study. Two separate files were opened for the data collected from both the teachers and the teacher trainees. The files were given names to make identification easier. The study recorded 100% recovery rate as all of the questionnaire administered were completed and returned by the respondents. The data collection exercise lasted six (6) days. 3.9 Data Analysis Plan Two separate data analysis procedures were used for the study since the questionnaire consisted of both open-ended and close-ended questions. With regards to the close-ended questions, the researcher checked, edited, coded and University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 75 processed the data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Responses from the open-ended questions were read, edited, categorized, coded and processed using the SPSS software. From the questionnaire it was observed that each of the research questions had both open- ended and close-ended questions, hence, responses to the close-ended questions were checked, edited, coded and processed into tables of frequencies and percentages of occurrence using the SPSS software. In addition, responses to the open-ended questions were read, edited, categorized, coded and processed into tables of frequencies and percentages of occurrence using the SPSS software. This enabled the researcher to present a clear picture of the responses from the respondents on the issue under investigation. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 76 CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.0 Introduction The study sought to investigate the performance of students in Colleges of Education in the English language. Questionnaires were administered to two categories of respondents for the study. They are tutors and trainee teachers of S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. The results of the study are presented and discussed in this chapter. 4.1 Background Information of Respondents Table 4.1 presents the gender of the tutors of S. D. A. College of Education sampled for the study. Table 4.1: Sex of Tutors Sex Frequency Percentage Male 8 62 Female 5 38 Total 13 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 77 From Table 4.1, eight (8), representing 62% of the tutors were male and the remaining five (5), representing 38% of them were female. Table 4.2 presents the gender of the trainee teachers of S.D.A. College of Education sampled for the study. Table 4.2: Sex of Trainee Teachers Sex Frequency Percentage Male 107 59 Female 73 41 Total 180 100 From Table 4.2, one hundred and seven (107), representing 59% of the trainee teachers were males and the remaining seventy-three (73), representing 41% of them were females. This indicates that the sample of the trainee teachers was sex sensitive, hence, the views expressed by the sample was representative of the population of the trainee teachers. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 78 Table 4.3 presents the academic achievement of tutors of S.D.A. College of Education sampled for the study. Table 4.3: Level of Academic Achievement of Tutors Academic Frequency Percentage 1st Degree 6 46 Other (2nd Degree) 7 54 Total 13 100 From Table 4.3, six (6) representing 46% of the tutors sampled for the study are holders of 1st degree certificate and the remaining seven (7), representing 54% of the tutors possess 2nd degree certificate. This shows that the sample of tutors for the study was highly literate and the school has highly qualified members of staff. Table 4.4 presents the level of the trainee teachers of S.D.A. College of Education sampled for the study. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 79 Table 4.4: Level of Study of Trainee Teachers Year Frequency Percentage Second year 90 50 Third year 90 50 Total 180 100 From Table 4.4, ninety (90), representing 50% of the trainee teachers were in the second year and the remaining ninety (90), representing 50% of them were in the third year. This shows that the sample of trainee teachers have written English language examination at the S.D.A. College of Education at least on two occasions and thus can effectively comment on the performance of trainee teachers in English language examination at the College. Table 4.5 presents the number of years the tutors sampled for the study had been teaching at the S.D.A. College of Education. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 80 Table 4.5: Teaching Experience of Tutors Years Frequency Percentage 1-5 years 2 15 6-10 years 2 15 11-15 years 3 23 16 years and above 6 47 Total 13 100 From Table 4.5, two (2) representing 15 % of the tutors had taught for between 1 and 5 years. Again, two (2) representing 15% of the tutors had taught for between 6 and 10 years. Three (3) representing 23% of the tutors had taught for between 11 and 15 years and the remaining six (6) representing 47% of the tutors had taught for 16 years and above. This shows that the tutors have taught for a number of years and are experienced thus they are in a better position to comment effectively on the performance of trainee teachers in English language examinations. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 81 4.2 Findings of the Study Research Question 1: Are trainee teachers‟ performance in the English language affecting pupils performance at the basic schools where the trainees in S.D.A. College of Education practice? This research question sought to gather responses on the effects of trainee teachers‟ performance on pupils‟ performance at the basic school. Table 4.6 and Table 4.7 present responses gathered for this question. Table 4.6 shows the responses gathered from tutors of the S.D.A. College of Education on the effects of trainee teachers‟ performance on pupils‟ performance at the basic school. Table 4.6: Trainee Teachers‟ Performance in English Language and its Effect on Pupils‟ Performance at the Basic School S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % Basic school pupils cannot speak good English. 0 00 2 15 1 08 9 69 1 08 Basic school pupils cannot write good essays. 1 08 5 38 0 00 4 31 3 23 Basic school pupils are not University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 82 motivated to learn on their own. 1 08 5 38 1 08 5 38 1 08 Pupils fail their examinations. 1 08 3 23 1 08 4 31 4 31 Trainee teachers make studies at school difficult for pupils. 2 15 4 31 1 08 6 46 0 00 KEY: S.D = Strongly Disagree D = Disagree D.K = Don‟t Know A = Agree S.A = Strongly Agree From Table 4.6, two, representing 15% of the tutors disagreed that basic school pupils cannot speak good English as a result of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English language examination. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Nine (9), representing 69% of the tutors agreed and the remaining one (8%) of the tutors strongly agreed that pupils cannot speak good English because of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English language. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and five (5), representing 38% of the tutors disagreed that pupils cannot write good essays. On the other hand, four (4), representing 31% of the tutors agreed and the remaining three (3), representing 23% of the tutors strongly agreed that University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 83 pupils cannot write good essays. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and five (5), representing 38% of the tutors disagreed that pupils are not motivated to learn. But five (5), representing 38% of the tutors agreed and the remaining one (1), representing 8% of them strongly agreed that pupils are not motivated to learn on their own. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and three (3), representing 23% of the tutors disagreed that pupils fail their examination. However, four (4), representing 31% of the tutors agreed and the remaining four (4), representing 31% of them strongly agreed that pupils fail their examination. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors strongly disagreed and four (4), representing 31% of the tutors disagreed that trainee teachers make studies at school difficult for pupils. However, the remaining six (6), representing 46% of the tutors agreed. Table 4.7 presents responses gathered from trainee teachers on the effects of trainee teachers‟ performance on pupils‟ performance at the basic school. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 84 Table 4.7: Trainee Teachers‟ Performance in English Language and its Effect on Pupils‟ Performance at the Basic School S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % Basic school pupils cannot speak good English. 60 33 62 34 25 14 24 13 9 06 Basic school pupils cannot write good essays. 68 38 71 39 6 03 23 13 12 07 Basic school pupils are not motivated to learn on their own. 74 41 70 39 7 04 25 14 4 02 Pupils fail their examinations. 47 26 71 39 18 10 33 18 11 07 Trainee teachers make studies at school difficult for pupils. 77 43 64 36 11 06 21 12 7 04 From Table 4.7, sixty (60), representing 33% of the trainees strongly disagreed and sixty-two (62), representing 34% of the trainees disagreed that pupils cannot speak good English. Twenty-five (25), representing 14% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Twenty-four (24), representing 13% of the trainees agreed and the remaining nine (9), representing 6% of them strongly agreed that pupils cannot speak good English. Sixty-eight (68), representing 38% of the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 85 trainees strongly disagreed and seventy-one (71), representing 39% of the trainees disagreed that pupils cannot write good essays. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Twenty-three (23), representing 13% of the trainees agreed and the remaining twelve (12), representing 7% of them strongly agreed that pupils cannot write good essays. Seventy-four (74), representing 41% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seventy (70), representing 39% of the trainees disagreed that pupils are not motivated to learn. Seven (7), representing 4% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Twenty-five (25), representing 14% of the trainees agreed and the remaining four (4), representing 2% of them strongly agreed that pupils are not motivated to learn. Forty-seven (47), representing 26% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seventy-one (71), representing 39% of the trainees disagreed that pupils fail their examinations. Eighteen (18), representing 10% of them did not know the response to give. Thirty-three (33), representing 18% of the trainees agreed and the remaining eleven (11), representing 7% of the trainees strongly agreed that pupils fail their examinations. Seventy-seven (77), representing 43% of the trainees strongly disagreed and sixty-four (64), University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 86 representing 36% of the trainees disagreed that trainees make studies at school difficult for pupils. Eleven (11), representing 6% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Twenty-one (21), representing 12% of the trainees agreed and the remaining seven (7), representing 4% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees make studies at school difficult for pupils. Research Question 2: What are the Causes of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education? This research question sought to gather responses on the causes of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English language at the S.D.A. College of Education. Table 4.8 and Table 4.9 present responses gathered on this question. Table 4.8 presents responses gathered from tutors of S.D.A. College of Education on the causes of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English language. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 87 Table 4.8: The Causes of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % School factor The school has limited teaching and learning materials. 1 08 0 00 0 00 6 46 6 46 The school has inadequate reference materials. 2 15 0 00 0 00 3 23 8 62 The school has limited number of professionally trained teachers 7 54 3 23 0 00 2 15 1 08 The school‟s environment is not friendly. 3 23 7 54 1 08 2 15 0 00 Teacher factor Teachers often go to class late 3 23 1 08 3 23 6 46 0 00 Teachers often absent themselves from class. 3 23 3 23 2 15 5 39 0 00 Teachers are unable to complete syllabi 1 08 5 39 2 15 5 39 0 00 Teachers use local language to teach in class. 5 39 4 30 1 08 2 15 1 08 Teachers show less interest in children understanding of lesson. 5 39 4 30 1 08 3 23 0 00 Trainee factor Trainees do not attend classes regularly. 0 00 3 23 1 08 5 39 4 30 Trainees often play truant. 1 08 5 38 1 08 6 46 0 00 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 88 Trainees use local language in the classroom. 1 08 2 15 2 15 5 39 3 23 Trainees lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 1 08 8 61 0 00 4 31 0 00 Trainees are not motivated to study after regular school hours. 2 15 4 31 1 08 4 31 2 15 From Table 4.8, one (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed that the college has limited teaching and learning materials but six (6), representing 46% of the tutors agreed and the remaining six (6), representing 46% of them strongly agreed that the college has limited teaching and learning materials. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors strongly disagreed that the college has inadequate reference materials. On the other hand, three (3), representing 23% of the tutors agreed and the remaining eight (8), representing 62% of them strongly agreed that the college has inadequate reference materials. Seven (7), representing 54% of the tutors strongly disagreed and three (3), representing 23% of the tutors disagreed that the college has limited number of professionally trained teachers. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors agreed and the remaining one (1), representing 8% of them strongly agreed that the college has limited number of professionally trained teachers. Three (3), representing 23% University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 89 of the tutors strongly disagreed and seven (7), representing 54% of the tutors disagreed that the school‟s environment is not friendly. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give and the remaining two (2), representing 15% of them agreed that the school‟s environment is not friendly. Three (3), representing 23% of the tutors strongly disagreed and one (1), representing 8% of the tutors disagreed that teachers often go to class late. Three (23%) of the tutors did not know the response to give and the remaining six (6), representing 46% of the tutors agreed that teachers often go to class late. Three (3), representing 23% of the tutors strongly disagreed and three (3), representing 23% of them disagreed that teachers often absent themselves from class. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors did not know the response to give and the remaining five (5), representing 39% of the tutors agreed that teachers often absent themselves from class. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and five (5), representing 39% of the tutors disagreed that teachers are unable to complete syllabi. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors did not know the response to give and the remaining five (5), representing 39% of the tutors agreed that teachers are unable to complete syllabi. Five (5), representing 39% University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 90 of the tutors strongly disagreed and four (4), representing 30% of the tutors disagreed that teachers use local language to teach in class. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors agreed and the remaining one (1), representing 8% of them strongly agreed that teachers use local language to teach in class. Five (5), representing 39% of the tutors strongly disagreed and four (4), representing 30% of the tutors disagreed that teachers show less interest in their learners understanding of lesson. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give and the remaining three (3), representing 23% of the tutors agreed that teachers show less interest in students understanding of the lesson. Three (3), representing 23% of the teachers strongly disagreed that trainees do not attend classes regularly. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Five (5), representing 39% of the tutors agreed and the remaining four (4), represesnting 30% of them strongly agreed that trainees do not attend classes regularly. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and five (5), representing 38% of the tutors disagreed that trainees often play truant. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 91 response to give and the remaining six (6), reprsenting 46% of the tutors agreed that trainees play truant. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and two (2), representing 15% of the tutors disagreed that trainees use local language in the classroom. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Five (5), representing 39% of the tutors agreed and the remaining three (3), representing 23% of them strongly agreed that trainees use local language in the classroom. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and eight (8), representing 61% of the tutors agreed that trainee‟s lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons however, the remaining four (4), representing 31% of the tutors agreed that trainees lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors strongly disagreed and four (4), representing 31% of the tutors disagreed that trainees are not motivated to study after regular school hours. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Four (4), representing 31% of the tutors agreed and the remaining two (2), representing 15% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainees are not motivated to study after regular school hours. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 92 Table 4.9 presents responses gathered from trainee teachers of S.D.A. College of Education on the causes of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English language examination. Table 4.9: Causes of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % School factor The school has limited teaching and learning materials. 17 09 15 08 3 02 77 43 68 38 The school has inadequate reference materials. 19 11 34 19 10 06 68 38 49 27 The school has limited number of professionally trained teachers. 60 33 70 39 8 04 24 13 18 11 The school‟s environment is not friendly. 33 18 59 33 4 02 54 30 30 17 Teacher factor Teachers often go to class late. 50 28 70 39 6 03 39 22 15 08 Teachers often absent themselves from class. 45 25 80 44 3 02 33 18 19 11 Teachers are unable to complete syllabi. 36 20 44 24 6 03 62 34 32 19 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 93 Teachers use local language to teach in class. 68 38 77 43 4 02 23 13 8 04 Teachers show less interest in children understanding of lesson. 47 26 80 44 5 03 34 19 14 08 Trainee factor Trainees do not attend classes regularly. 45 25 57 32 6 03 49 27 23 13 Trainees often play truant. 49 27 60 33 8 04 43 25 20 11 Trainees use local language in the classroom. 27 15 44 24 10 06 48 27 51 28 Trainees lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 40 22 63 35 22 12 38 22 17 09 Trainees are not motivated to study after regular school hours. 40 22 62 34 10 06 41 23 27 15 From Table 4.9, seventeen (17), representing 9% of the trainees strongly disagreed and fifteen (15), representing 8% of the trainees disagreed that the college has limited teaching and learning materials. Three (3), representing 2% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Seventy-seven (77), representing 43% of the trainees agreed and the remaining sixty-eight (68), representing 38% of the trainees strongly agreed that the college has limited teaching and learning materials. Nineteen (19), representing 11% of the trainees strongly disagreed and thirty-four (34), representing 19% of the trainees University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 94 disagreed that the college has inadequate reference materials. Ten (10), representing 6% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Sixty-eight (68), representing 38% of the trainees agreed and the remaining forty-nine (49), representing 27% of the trainees strongly agreed that the college has inadequate reference materials. Sixty (60), representing 33% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seventy (70), representing 39% of the trainees disagreed that the school has limited number of professionally trained teachers. Eight (8), representing 4% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Twenty-four (24), representing 13% of the trainees agreed and the remaining eighteen (18), representing 11% of the trainee strongly agreed that the college has limited number of professionally trained teachers. Thirty-three (33), representing 18% of the trainees strongly disagreed and fifty-nine (59), representing 33% of the trainees disagreed that the school‟s environment is not friendly. Four (4), representing 2% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Fifty-four (54) representing 30% of the trainees agreed and the remaining thirty (30), representing 17% of the trainees strongly agreed that the school‟s environment is not friendly. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 95 Fifty (50), representing 28% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seventy (70), representing 39% of the trainees disagreed that teachers often go to class late. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Thirty-nine (39), representing 22% of the trainees agreed and the remaining fifteen (15), representing 8% of them strongly agreed that teachers often go to class late. Forty-five (45), representing 25% of the trainees strongly disagreed and eighty (80), representing 44% of the trainees disagreed that teachers often absent themselves from class. Three (3), representing 2% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Thirty-three (33), representing 18% of the trainees agreed and the remaining nineteen (19), representing 11% of the trainees strongly agreed that teachers often absent themselves from class. Thirty-six (36), representing 20% of the trainees strongly disagreed and forty-four (44), representing 24% of the trainees disagreed that teachers are unable to complete syllabi. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Sixty-two (62), representing 34% of the trainees agreed and the remaining thirty-two (32), representing 19% of the trainees strongly agreed that teachers are unable to complete syllabi. Sixty-eight (68), representing 38% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seventy-seven (77), representing 43% of the trainees University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 96 disagreed that teachers use local language to teach in class. Four (4), representing 2% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Twenty-three (23), representing 13% of the trainees agreed and the remaining eight (8), representing 4% of the trainees strongly agreed that teachers use local language to teach in class. Forty-seven (47), representing 26% of the trainees strongly disagreed and eighty (80), representing 44% of the trainees disagreed that teachers show less interest in students‟ understanding of lessons. Five (5), representing 3% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Thirty-four (34), representing 19% of the trainees agreed and the remaining fourteen (14), representing 8% of the trainees strongly agreed that teachers show less interest in students‟ understanding of lesson. Forty-five (45), representing 25% of the trainees strongly disagreed and fifty- seven (57), representing 32% of the trainees disagreed that trainees do not attend classes regularly. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Forty-nine (49), representing 27% of the trainees agreed and the remaining twenty-three (23), representing 13% of them strongly agreed that trainees do not attend classes regularly. Forty-nine (49), representing 27% of the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 97 trainees strongly disagreed and sixty (60), representing 33% of the trainees disagreed that trainees often play truant. Eight (8), representing 4% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Forty-three (43), representing 25% of the trainees agreed and twenty (20), representing 11% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees often play truant. Twenty-seven (27), representing 15% of the trainees strongly disagreed and forty-four (44), representing 24% of the trainees disagreed that trainees use local language in the classroom. Ten (10) representing 6% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Forty-eight (48), representing 27% of the trainees agreed and the remaining fifty-one (51), representing 28% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees use local language in the classroom. Forty (40), representing 22% of the trainees strongly disagreed and sixty-three (63), representing 35% of the trainees disagreed that trainees lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons. Twenty-two (22), representing 12% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Thirty-eight (38), representing 22% of the trainees agreed and the remaining seventeen (17), representing 9% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons. Forty (40), representing 22% of the trainees strongly disagreed and sixty-two (62), representing 34% of the trainees disagreed that trainees are not motivated University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 98 to study after regular school hours. Ten (10), representing 6% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Forty-one (41), representing 23% of the trainees agreed and the remaining twenty-seven (27), representing 15% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees are not motivated to study after regular school hours. Research Question 3: What are the effects of students‟ poor performance in English on teaching and learning in the basic school(s) where they practised? This research question sought to find out whether trainee‟s poor performance impact on teaching and learning in the basic schools or not. Table 4.10 and Table 4.11 present responses gathered from the respondents. Table 4.10 presents responses gathered from tutors on whether trainee teachers‟ poor performance is affecting teaching and learning at the basic school or not. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 99 Table 4.10: The Effects of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English on Teaching and Learning in the Basic School(s) where they Practised S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % Trainee teachers have low self esteem in the classroom. 5 39 4 31 0 00 3 23 1 08 Trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons. 1 07 1 07 1 08 9 70 1 08 Trainee teachers create the impression that English Language is too technical. 2 15 7 54 0 00 3 23 1 08 Trainee teachers lack basic knowledge in the subject they teach. 4 31 3 23 0 00 4 31 2 15 From Table 4.10, five (5), representing 39% of the tutors strongly disagreed and four (4), representing 31% of the tutors disagreed that trainee teachers have low self esteem in the classroom. Three (3), representing 23% of the tutors agreed and the remaining one (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainee teachers have low self esteem in the classroom. One (1), representing 7% of the tutors strongly disagreed and one (1), representing 7% of the trainees disagreed that trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Nine (9) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 100 representing 70% of the tutors agreed and the remaining one (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainees have little time to prepare for their lessons. Two (2), representing 15% of the tutors strongly disagreed and seven (7) representing 54% of the tutors disagreed that trainee teachers create the impression that English language is too technical. On the other hand, three (3), representing 23% of the tutors agreed and the remaining one (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainee teachers create the impression that English language is too technical. Four (4), representing 31% of the tutors strongly disagreed and three (3), representing 23% of them disagreed that trainee teachers lack basic knowledge in the English language they teach. However, four (4), representing 31% of the tutors agreed and the remaining (2), representing (15%) of them strongly agreed that trainee teachers lack basic knowledge in the English language they teach. Table 4.11 presents responses gathered from trainee teachers on whether trainee teachers‟ poor performance is affecting teaching and learning at the basic schools or not. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 101 Table 4.11: What are the effects of students‟ poor performance in English on teaching and learning in the basic school(s) where they practised? S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % Trainee teachers have low self esteem in the classroom. 86 48 70 39 4 02 16 09 4 02 Trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons. 54 30 62 34 9 05 43 24 12 07 Trainee teachers create the impression that English Language is too technical. 75 42 52 29 19 11 31 17 3 02 Trainee teachers lack basic knowledge in the subject they teach. 94 52 60 33 1 01 20 11 5 03 From Table 4.11, eighty-six (86), representing 48% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seventy (70), representing 39% of the trainees disagreed that trainee teachers have low self esteem in the classroom. Four (4), representing 2% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Sixteen (16), representing 9% of the trainees agreed and the remaining four (4), representing 2% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees have low self esteem in the classroom. Fifty-four (54), representing 30% of the trainees strongly disagreed and sixty- two (62), representing 34% of the trainees disagreed that trainee teachers have University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 102 little time to prepare for their lessons. Nine (9), representing 5% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Forty-three (43), representing 24% of the trainees agreed and the remaining twelve (12), representing 7% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons. Seventy-five (75), representing 42% of the trainees disagreed and fifty-two (52), representing 29% of the trainees disagreed that trainee teachers create the impression that English language is too technical. Nineteen (19), representing 11% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Thirty-one (31), representing 17% of the trainees agreed and the remaining three (3), representing 2% of them strongly agreed that trainee teachers create the impression that English language is too technical. Ninety-four (94), representing 52% of the trainees strongly disagreed and sixty (60), representing 33% of the trainees disagreed that trainees lack basic knowledge in the English language they teach. One (1), representing 1% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Twenty (20), representing 11% of the trainees agreed and the remaining five (5), representing (3%) of the trainees strongly agreed that trainee teachers lack basic knowledge in the English language they teach. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 103 Research Question 4: How can trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English be improved at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua? This research question sought to gather responses on the measures to adopt to improve upon the performance of trainee teachers of S.D.A. College of Education. Responses gathered from the respondents are presented on Table 4.12 and Table 4.13. Table 4.12 presents the responses gathered from tutors of S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua on the measures to improve upon the performance of trainee teachers in English language examinations. Table 4.12: Measures to Improve Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % School factor The school should have enough teaching and learning materials. 1 08 1 08 0 00 7 53 4 31 The school should have adequate number of reference materials. 1 08 1 08 0 00 6 46 5 39 The school needs a number of University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 104 professionally trained teachers. 0 00 5 39 1 08 4 31 3 23 The school‟s environment should be friendly to the learners. 1 08 0 00 0 00 9 69 3 23 Teacher factor Teachers should go to class on time. 0 00 0 00 0 00 9 69 4 31 Teachers should not absent themselves from class. 0 00 0 00 0 00 6 46 7 54 Teachers should be able to complete the syllabi. 0 00 0 00 0 00 8 62 5 38 Teachers should not use local language to teach in class. 0 00 1 08 1 08 6 46 5 39 Teachers should show interest in children understanding lessons. 0 00 0 00 1 08 7 54 5 38 Trainee factor Trainees should attend classes regularly. 0 00 0 00 0 00 5 39 8 61 Trainees should not play truant. 0 00 0 00 1 08 4 31 8 61 Trainee‟s use of local language in the classroom should be discouraged. 0 00 0 00 1 08 7 54 5 38 Trainees should show interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 0 00 0 00 0 00 6 46 7 54 Trainees should be motivated to study after regular school hours. 0 00 0 00 0 00 6 46 7 54 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 105 From Table 4.12, one (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and another one (1), representing 8% of the tutors disagreed that the school should have enough teaching and learning materials. On the other hand, seven (7), representing 53% of the tutors agreed and the remaining four (4), representing 31% of them strongly agreed that the school needs enough stock of teaching and learning materials to improve upon the performance of trainee teachers in English language examinations. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed and another one (1), representing 8% of the tutors disagreed that the school should have adequate number of reference materials. However, six (6), representing 46% of the tutors agreed and the remaining five (5), representing 39% of the tutors strongly agreed that the school needs adequate number of reference materials to improve upon trainee teachers‟ performance in English language examinations. Five (5), representing 39% of the tutors disagreed that the school needs a number of professionally trained teachers and one (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Four (4), representing 31% of the tutors agreed and the remaining three (23%) of the tutors strongly agreed that the school needs a number of professionally trained teachers to improve the performance of trainee teachers in English language University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 106 examinations. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors strongly disagreed but nine (9), representing 69% of the tutors agreed and the remaining three (3), representing 23% of the tutors strongly agreed that the school‟s environment should be friendly to the learners to help improve their performance in English language examinations. Nine (9), representing 69% of the tutors agreed and the remaining four (4), representing 31% of them strongly agreed that teachers need to go to class on time to improve trainee teachers‟ performance in English language. Six (6), representing 46% of the tutors agreed and the remaining seven (7), representing 54% of them strongly agreed that teachers should attend classes regularly to help improve trainee teachers‟ performance in English language. Eight (8), representing 62% of the tutors agreed and the remaining five (5), representing 38% of the tutors strongly agreed that teachers should be able to complete the English language syllabi to improve trainee teachers‟ performance in English language examinations. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors disagreed that teachers should not use local language to teach English in class and one (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give. Six (6), University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 107 representing 46% of the tutors agreed and the remaining five (5), representing 39% of the tutors strongly agreed that teachers should not use local language to teach English language in class. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give but seven (7), representing 54% of the tutors agreed and the remaining five (5), representing (38%) of the tutors strongly agreed that teachers need to show interest in trainees understanding of lessons to ensure improvement in their English language. Five (5), representing 39% of the tutors agreed and the remaining eight (8) representing 61% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainees need to attend classes regularly to improve their performance in English language. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give but four (4), representing 31% of the tutors and the remaining eight (8), representing 61% of them agreed and strongly agreed respectively that trainees should not play truant in order to improve their performance in English language examinations. One (1), representing 8% of the tutors did not know the response to give but seven (7), representing 54% of the tutors agreed and the remaining five (5), representing 38% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainee teachers should be University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 108 discouraged from using local language in the classroom. Six (6), representing 46% of the tutors agreed and the remaining seven (7), representing 54% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainees should show interest in their teacher‟s lessons to improve their performance in English language. Again, six (6), representing 46% of the tutors agreed and the remaining seven (7), representing 54% of the tutors strongly agreed that trainee teachers should be motivated to study after regular school hours to improve their performance in English language. Table 4.13 presents the responses gathered from trainee teachers of S.D.A. College of Education on the measures to improve upon the performance of trainee teachers in English language examinations. Table 4.13: Measures to Improve Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua S.D D D.K A S.A f % f % f % f % f % School factor The school should have enough teaching and learning materials. 5 03 7 04 0 00 59 33 109 61 The school should have adequate number of reference materials. 5 03 7 04 1 01 57 32 110 61 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 109 The school needs a number of professionally trained teachers. 10 06 9 05 6 03 69 38 86 48 The school‟s environment should be friendly to the learners. 3 02 6 03 5 03 66 37 100 56 Teacher factor Teachers should go to class on time. 5 03 5 03 2 01 66 37 102 57 Teachers should not absent themselves from class. 6 03 3 02 2 01 63 35 106 59 Teachers should be able to complete the syllabi. 1 01 11 06 1 01 64 36 103 57 Teachers should not use local language to teach in class. 22 12 43 24 3 02 56 31 56 31 Teachers should show interest in children understanding lessons. 3 02 6 03 3 02 65 36 103 57 Trainee factor Trainees should attend classes regularly. 6 03 3 02 4 02 48 27 119 66 Trainees should not play truant. 6 03 6 03 8 04 50 28 110 61 Trainee‟s use of local language in the classroom should be discouraged. 13 07 30 17 6 03 52 29 79 44 Trainees should show interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 6 03 11 06 5 03 71 39 87 48 Trainees should be motivated to study after regular school hours. 6 03 7 04 4 02 50 28 113 63 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 110 From Table 4.13, five (5), representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seven (7), representing 4% of the trainees disagreed that the school needs enough teaching and learning materials to improve trainees‟ performance in English language. Fifty-nine (59), representing 33% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and nine (109), representing 61% of the trainees strongly agreed that the school needs enough teaching and learning materials to improve trainees‟ performance in English language. Five (5), representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seven (7), representing 4% of the trainees disagreed that the school needs adequate number of reference materials to improve trainees‟ performance. One (1), representing 1% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Fifty-seven (57), representing 32% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and ten (110), representing 61% of them strongly agreed that the school needs adequate number of reference materials to improve trainee teachers‟ performance in English language. Ten (10), representing 6% of the trainees strongly disagreed and nine (9), representing 5% of the trainees disagreed that the school needs a number of professionally trained teachers. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Sixty-nine (69), representing 38% of the trainees agreed and the remaining University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 111 eighty-six (86), representing 48% of them strongly agreed that the school needs a number of professionally trained teachers to help improve trainee teachers‟ performance in English language. Three (3), representing 2% of the trainees strongly disagreed and six (6), representing 3% of the trainees disagreed that the school‟s environment should be friendly to the learners. Five (3%) of the trainees did not know the response to give. Sixty-six (66), representing 37% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred (100), representing 56% of the trainees strongly agreed that the school‟s environment should be friendly to enable the trainees to improve upon their performance in English language examinations. Five (5), representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and another five (5), representing 3% of them disagreed that teachers should go to class on time to improve trainee teachers‟ performance. Two (2) representing 1% of the trainees were not sure of the response to give. Sixty-six (66), representing 37% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and two (102), representing 57% of them strongly agreed that when the teachers go to class on time, trainee teaches‟ performance in English language will be improved. Six (6), University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 112 representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and three (3), representing 2% of them disagreed that teachers should not absent themselves from classes. Two (2), representing 1% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Sixty-three (63), representing 35% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and six (106), representing 59% of them strongly agreed that when teachers are regular in class trainee teachers‟ performance in English language will be improved. One (1), representing 1% of the trainees strongly disagreed and eleven (11), representing 6% of them disagreed that teachers should complete the syllabi to improve trainee teachers‟ performance. One (1%) of the trainees did not know the response to give. Sixty-four (64), representing 36% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and three (103), representing 57% of the trainees strongly agreed that teachers should complete the syllabi to improve trainee teachers‟ performance in English language examinations. Twenty-two (22), representing 12% of the trainees strongly disagreed and forty- three (43), representing 24% of the trainees disagreed that teachers should not use local language to teach in class. Three (3), representing 2% of the trainees were not sure of the response to give. Fifty-six (56), representing 31% of the trainees agreed and the remaining fifty-six (56), representing 31% of them University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 113 strongly agreed that teachers should not use local language to teach in class. Three (3), representing 2% of the trainees strongly disagreed and six (6), representing 3% of them disagreed that teachers should show interest in trainee teachers understanding of lessons. Three (3), representing 2% of the trainees were not sure of the response to give. Sixty-five (65), representing 36% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and three (103), representing 57% of the trainees strongly agreed that teachers should show interest in trainee teachers‟ understanding of English lessons to ensure improvement in their performance in examinations. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and three (3), representing 2% of them disagreed that trainees should attend classes regularly. Four (4), representing 2% of the trainees were not sure of the response to give. Forty-eight (48), representing 27% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and nineteen (119), representing 66% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees should attend classes regularly to improve the performance in English language. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and another six (6), representing 3% of the trainees disagreed that trainees should not University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 114 play truant. Eight (8), representing 4% of the trainees were not sure of the response to give. Fifty (50), representing 28% of the trainees agreed and the remaining one hundred and ten (110), representing 61% of them strongly agreed that when trainees stop playing truant, there will be improvement in their performance in English language examinations. Thirteen (13), representing 7% of the trainees strongly disagreed and thirty (30), representing 17% of them disagreed that the trainees should be discouraged from using local language in the classroom. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees were not sure of the response to give. Fifty-two (52), representing 29% of the trainees agreed and the remaining seventy-nine (79), representing 44% of the trainees strongly agreed that the trainees should be discouraged from using local language in the classroom to ensure improved performance in English language examinations. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and eleven (11), representing 6% of them disagreed that trainees should show interest in their teacher‟s lessons. Five (5), representing 3% of the trainees were not sure of the response to give. Seventy-one (71), representing 39% of the trainees agreed and the remaining eighty-seven (87), representing 48% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees should show interest in their teacher‟s lessons so as to University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 115 improve their performance in English language examinations. Six (6), representing 3% of the trainees strongly disagreed and seven (7), representing 4% of them disagreed that trainees need to be motivated to study. Four (4), representing 2% of the trainees did not know the response to give. Fifty (50), representing 28% of the trainees agreed and one hundred and thirteen (113), representing 63% of the trainees strongly agreed that trainees needed to be motivated to study after the regular school hours to improve their performance in English language examinations. 4.3 Findings of the Interview The researcher was interested in finding out the views of the tutors of the Seventh Day Adventist College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua on the performance of trainee teachers of SDA College of Education in the English Language. When the researcher posed the question to find out the views of the tutors as to whether the trainee teachers‟ performance in English Language is affecting pupils performance (ability of pupils to speak good English, write good essays, and perform credibly in examinations) at the basic school level, nine (9), representing (69%) of the tutors were of the view that the pupils cannot speak University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 116 good English but the remaining four (4), representing (31%) of the tutors were of a different opinion. Ten (10), representing (77%) of the tutors indicated that pupils in basic schools where the trainees practice cannot write good essays. However, the remaining three (3), representing (23%) of the tutors disagreed that the pupils cannot speak good English. Again, ten (10), representing (77%) of the tutors said that the pupils in the basic schools where the teacher trainees practice perform poorly in examinations but the remaining three (3), representing (23%) of the tutors had a different opinion. Also, the researcher posed a question to find out the causes of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language at the SDA College of Education. All thirteen (13), representing (100%) tutors agreed that the college lacked adequate stock of relevant teaching and learning resources. Nine (9), representing (69%) of the tutors attributed the trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language to the inability of tutors to complete the syllabus on time and have enough time to revise what had been taught but the remaining four (4), representing (31%) of the tutors disagreed. All the thirteen (100%) of the tutors University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 117 blamed the trainee teachers for not attending classes regularly and for using local language in class. In addition, when the researcher asked a question to find out how the trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language was affecting teaching and learning in the basic schools where the trainees are practicing, the tutors had this to say. Eight (8), representing (62%) of the tutors indicated that the trainees had high self-esteem in the classroom but the remaining five (5), representing (38%) of the tutors disagreed. Four (4), representing (31%) of the tutors were of the view that the trainee teachers‟ had enough time to prepare for lessons but the remaining nine (9), representing (69%) of the tutors indicated that the trainees had little or no time to prepare adequately for lessons. Seven (7), representing (54%) of the tutors indicated that the trainees did not exhibit enough knowledge of the subject matter thereby creating the impression that the subject is technical. On the other hand, the remaining six (6), representing (46%) of the tutors disagreed that the trainees did not exhibit enough knowledge of the English Language. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 118 The last segment of the interview sought to solicit tutors views on the measures to improve trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English Language at SDA College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. All thirteen (13), representing (100%) tutors pointed out that the college library needs to have adequate stocks of all relevant teaching and learning resources. Again, all the thirteen repesenting (100%) of the tutors observed that the tutors in SDA College of Education should be encouraged to complete their syllabus on time and have enough time to revise what they have taught the trainee teachers. In addition, all the tutors agreed that the trainee teachers needed to be encouraged to speak the English Language more often so that they become proficient with the language. 4.4 Discussion of Findings The findings from the study are discussed under the following headings based on the research questions and semi-structured interview that guided the study: trainee teachers‟ performance in English language and pupils‟ performance at the basic school, causes of trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua, trainee teachers‟ performance University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 119 in teaching and learning at the basic school, and measures to improve trainee teachers‟ performance at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua. Trainee Teachers‟ Performance in English Language and Pupils‟ Performance at the Basic School The tutors were of the view that the poor performance of trainee teachers was affecting pupils‟ performance at the basic school. The study also revealed that in most of the basic schools where the trainee teachers practice, the pupils cannot speak good English language, they cannot write good essays, and in the end the pupils fail their examinations (both internal and external). Krashen‟s (2007) theory provide support for the view that once the teacher knows the language well and is able to communicate meaningfully with students, learning will be achieved. On the other hand, the majority of the trainee teachers disagreed with the views of the tutors. This may be because the trainee teachers are attributing the pupils‟ poor performance to other factors such as lack of support from parents to study University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 120 at home, inadequate teaching learning materials at school, and the pupils own dislike for the subject. Causes of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English Language at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua The subjects of the study attributed the trainee teachers‟ poor performance in the English language at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua to limited teaching and learning materials, inadequate reference materials, irregular class attendance, non-completion of syllabi by tutors, and use of the local language in the classroom. These findings support a study by Etsey (2005) which concluded that limited teaching and learning materials, inadequate textbooks, incidence of absenteeism, the use of local language, and inability of teachers to complete the syllabi as the causes of poor academic performance of pupils. The findings however did not support the view of Asikhia (2010), that teachers‟ qualification influence students‟ academic performance. This is because S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua has highly trained teaching staff who have either M.A. or M. Phil in English teaching the English language; hence, teachers‟ qualification was not found to influence trainee teachers‟ poor performance. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 121 Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance and Teaching and Learning in the Basic Schools The tutors of S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua were of the view that trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons and this affected the quality of teaching and learning that went on in the classrooms where they practice. This is because the trainees were supposed to have in-depth knowledge of the subject they teach to ensure quality teaching and learning at the basic schools where they are practicing. This finding confirms the view of Anamuah- Mensah and Benneh (2004) that there is no formal assessment for the teacher after employment therefore some of them tend to be reluctant in their delivery in the classroom despite their level of education. On the other hand, the trainees disagreed with the view of their tutors because they argued that the teacher is not the only factor that contributes to poor academic performance of pupils in the basic schools. The study revealed that trainee teachers do not have low self esteem in the classroom, they do not create the impression that the English language is too technical, and trainee teachers do not lack the basic knowledge in the English language they teach. This implies University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 122 that the trainee teachers‟ inability to prepare for their lessons affected the quality of teaching and learning that went on in the schools. Studies by Lockheed (1991) indicated that lack of motivation and professional commitment produce poor attendance and unprofessional attitudes towards students which in turn affect the performance of students academically. Measures to Improve Trainee Teachers‟ Performance at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua According to the respondents the major measures to improve trainee teachers‟ performance included equipping the school library and resource rooms with adequate reference materials and teaching and learning materials respectively. This finding agrees with the assertion by Ausubel (1973) that the availability and use of teaching and learning resources affect the effectiveness of a teacher‟s lesson as it enables children to understand abstract ideas. The finding also agrees with the view of Broom (1973) that the creative use of a variety of media increases the probability that the students would learn more, retain better what they learn, and improve their performance on the skills that they are expected to develop. In addition, the study revealed the need for teachers to be punctual in University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 123 class and complete their syllabi on schedule. Trainee teachers need to attend classes regularly. Also, the use of local language by trainee teachers in the classroom should be discouraged. Again, tutors need to motivate the trainees to participate fully in class and study on their own after regular school hours. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 124 CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.0 Introduction This chapter considers the summary, conclusion, and recommendations of the study. In addition, the chapter will suggest areas for further study. 5.1 Summary of the Study The study sought to investigate the performance of students in Colleges of Education in the English language. In all, the study had a population of eight hundred and seventy three (873) respondents and a sample size of one hundred and ninety three (193) respondents, representing 22% of the population was selected for the study. The study was 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 trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English on teaching and learning in the basic school(s) where they practised? (4). How can trainee teachers‟ poor performance in English be improved at University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 125 S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua? The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyze the data gathered into tables, frequencies and percentages. The study revealed the following. 1. The tutors observed that pupils in basic schools where the trainee teachers practiced cannot speak good English language. 2. The tutors believed that pupils in basic schools where the trainee teachers practiced cannot write good essays. 3. The tutors reported that the pupils failed both the internal and external examinations. 4. The tutors and trainees reported that the college has limited teaching and learning materials, and inadequate reference materials. In addition, trainees do not attend classes regularly, tutors do not complete the syllabi, and trainees use local language in class. 5. The tutors observed that trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons and this affected the quality of teaching and learning at the basic schools where they practice. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 126 6. The tutors and trainee teachers reported that the trainees have high self- esteem in the classroom, they do not create the impression that English language is too technical, and they do not lack the basic knowledge in the English language they teach at the basic schools. 7. In the view of the tutors and the trainee teachers the school‟s administration should equip the college library with adequate copies of relevant and current reference materials and have enough quantities of teaching and learning materials; tutors should complete their syllabi on schedule; trainee teachers should attend classes regularly; and trainees should not use the local language in the classroom to ensure that there is improved performance by trainee teachers in the English language examinations. 5.2 Conclusion From the study it was seen that the poor performance of trainee teachers in English affect the ability of the pupils to speak good English, write good essays, and pass their examinations. It was also seen that the trainee teachers do not have enough time to prepare for their lessons and this affected the quality of University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 127 teaching and learning that took place in the schools. Eventually, the pupils perform poorly in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and this affects their ability to continue their education. Hence, the poor performance of trainee teachers in English in the various Colleges of Education must be of concern to all stakeholders especially parents who entrust the education of their wards into the hands of these trainee teachers. In light of the above, heads of the various Colleges of Education need to ensure that there is improvement in trainee teachers‟ performance by equipping the school 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 the trainee teachers to attend classes regularly and use the English language as the main medium of communication both in the classroom and outside the classroom to ensure that they become fluent in the language. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 128 In relation to Krashen‟s theory of second language acquisition, it can be concluded that when it comes to the teaching of language, the teacher cannot give what he/she does not have. Thus, for an English language teacher to teach the language effectively, he/she must have a thorough understanding of the language. 5.3 Recommendations The study revealed that pupils at the basic schools where trainees practice perform poorly in the English language. Hence the study recommends the following. 1. The basic school head teachers should ensure that trainee teachers are not overburdened with a lot of school activities that will take away much of trainee teachers‟ time. This is to ensure that the trainee teachers have ample time to prepare effectively for their lessons. 2. The Head of the S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua should ensure that the schools‟ library is well stocked with relevant and current reference materials on English language to enable trainee teachers have University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 129 access to the relevant information needed to prepare them adequately for English language examinations. 3. The Head of the English Department of S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua should ensure that English language tutors attend classes regularly and on time. This will ensure that tutors complete the English language syllabus on time and have extra time to take trainee teachers through tutorial sessions. 4. The Head of the S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua in collaboration with the Head of English Department and English language tutors should find ways of motivating trainee teachers to attend classes regularly and study after regular school sessions. 5.4 Area for further Study The S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua is one of the thirty eight Colleges of Education in Ghana that trains quality personnel for the educational sector therefore the following areas for further study are suggested.  Investigation into the methods of teaching English language at the Colleges of Education. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 130  Investigation into the methods teachers uses to teach English language at the basic school. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 131 REFERENCES Adesemowo, P. O. (2005). Premium on effective education; Panacea for scholastic malfunctioning and aberration 34th Inaugural lecture, Olabisi Onabanjo. Ago-Iwoye: Obabisi Onabanjo University Press. Adonis, P. 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The Dakar Framework for Action (1989) The Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York: United Nations. Urdan, T. & Graham, L. (1996). Reflecting on the purposes of education: The Total project. In Willey, D. L., (Ed.), GATEways to Teacher Education: The Journal of the Georgia Association of Teacher Educators (4-21). Waxman, H. C. & Padron, Y. N.(2002). Research-based teaching practices that improve the education of English Language Learners in Minaya-Rowe, L., (Ed.), Teacher Training and Effective Pedagogy in the Context of Student Diversity (3-38). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 140 APPENDIX A UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS TOPIC: INVESTIGATING THE PERFORMANCE OF TEACHER TRAINEES IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION. This questionnaire is to investigate the performance of teacher trainees in Colleges of Education English Language Examination. The information you provide will be kept confidential and be used solely for the purpose for this study. Please respond by ticking the appropriate box. For example, [ √ ] Section A: Background Information 1. Sex Male [ ] Female [ ] 2. Level of Academic Achievement 1st Degree [ ] Diploma [ ] Cert „A‟ [ ] Other: please specify ……………………….. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 141 3. Years of teaching experience at the school. 1 – 5 years [ ] 6 – 10 years [ ] 11 – 15 years [ ] 16 years and above [ ] 4. Academic Qualification ………………………………………………. 5. Professional Qualification ……………………………………………. Instruction: please select the appropriate box to answer each of the following items. For example, select Strongly Agree [√] if you strongly agree to the item. Section B: Are Trainee Teachers‟ Performance in English Language Affecting Pupils‟ Performance at the Basic School Level? Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree Home related factors 6. Basic school pupils cannot speak good English 7. Basic school pupils cannot write good essays 8. Basic school pupils are not motivated to learn on their own University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 142 9. Pupils fail their examinations 10. Trainee teachers make studies at school difficult for pupils. Section C: What are the Causes of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education? Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree School factor 11. The school has limited teaching and learning materials. 12. The school has inadequate reference materials. 13. The school has limited number of professionally trained teachers 14. The school‟s environment is not friendly. Teacher factor 15. Teachers often go to class late 16. Teachers often absent themselves from class. 17. Teachers are unable to complete University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 143 syllabi 18. Teachers use local language to teach in class. 19. Teachers show less interest in children understanding of lesson. Trainee factor 20. Trainees do not attend classes regularly. 21. Trainees often play truant. 22. Trainees use local language in the classroom. 23. Trainees lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 24. Trainees are not motivated to study after regular school hours. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 144 Section D: What are the effects of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English on Teaching and Learning in the Basic School(s) where they practised? Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree 25. Trainee teachers have low self esteem in the classroom. 26. Trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons. 27. Trainee teachers create the impression that English Language is too technical. 28. Trainee teachers lack basic knowledge in the subject they teach. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 145 Section E: How Can Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English be Improved at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua? Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree School factor 29. The school should have enough teaching and learning materials. 30. The school should have adequate number of reference materials. 31. The school needs a number of professionally trained teachers 32. The school‟s environment should be friendly to the learners. Teacher factor 33. Teachers should go to class on time. 34. Teachers should not absent themselves from class. 35. Teachers should be able to complete the syllabi. 36. Teachers should not use local language to teach in class. 37. Teachers should show interest in children understanding lessons. Trainee factor 38. Trainees should attend classes regularly. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 146 39. Trainees should not play truant. 40. Trainee‟s use of local language in the classroom should be discouraged. 41. Trainees should show interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 42. Trainees should be motivated to study after regular school hours. Thanks for your cooperation. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 147 APPENDIX B UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHER TRAINEES TOPIC: INVESTIGATING THE PERFORMANCE OF TEACHER TRAINEES IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION. This questionnaire is to investigate the performance of teacher trainees in Colleges of Education English Language Examination. The information you provide will be kept confidential and be used solely for the purpose for this study. Please respond by ticking the appropriate box. For example, [ √ ] Section A: Background Information 1. Sex Male [ ] Female [ ] 2. Current Level of Study Second year [ ] Third year [ ] University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 148 Instruction: please select the appropriate box to answer each of the following items. For example, select Strongly Agree [√] if you strongly agree to the item. Section B: Are Trainee Teachers‟ Performance in English Language Affecting Pupils‟ Performance at the Basic School Level? Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree Home related factors 1. Basic school pupils cannot speak good English 2. Basic school pupils cannot write good essays 3. Basic school pupils are not motivated to learn on their own 4. Pupils fail their examinations 5. Trainee teachers make studies at school difficult for pupils. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 149 Section C: What are the Causes of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English at S.D.A. College of Education? Factors Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree School factor 3. The school has limited teaching and learning materials. 4. The school has inadequate reference materials. 5. The school has limited number of professionally trained teachers 6. The school‟s environment is not friendly. Teacher factor 7. Teachers often go to class late 8. Teachers often absent themselves from class. 9. Teachers are unable to complete syllabi 10. Teachers use local language to teach in class. 11. Teachers show less interest in children‟s understands of lesson. Trainee factor 12. Trainees do not attend classes regularly. 13. Trainees often play truant. 14. Trainees use local language in University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 150 the classroom. 15. Trainees lack interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 16. Trainees are not motivated to study after regular school hours. Section D: What are the effects of Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English on Teaching and Learning in the Basic School(s) where they practised? Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree 17. Trainee teachers have low self esteem in the classroom. 18. Trainee teachers have little time to prepare for their lessons. 19. Trainee teachers create the impression that English Language is too technical. 20. Trainee teachers lack basic knowledge in the subject they teach. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 151 Section E: How Can Trainee Teachers‟ Poor Performance in English be Improved at S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua? Strongly Disagree Don‟t Agree Strongly Disagree Know Agree School factor 21. The school should have enough teaching and learning materials. 22. The school should have adequate number of reference materials. 23. The school needs a number of professionally trained teachers 24. The school‟s environment should be friendly to the learners. Teacher factor 25. Teachers should go to class on time. 26. Teachers should not absent themselves from class. 27. Teachers should be able to complete the syllabi. 28. Teachers should not use local language to teach in class. 29. Teachers should show interest in children understanding lessons. Trainee factor 30. Trainees should attend classes regularly. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 152 31. Trainees should not play truant. 32. Trainee‟s use of local language in the classroom should be discouraged. 33. Trainees should show interest in their teacher‟s lessons. 34. Trainees should be motivated to study after regular school hours. Thanks for your cooperation.