Nigeria

From International research correspondent Chukwuemeka Eze Onukaogu

Chukwuemeka Onukaogu identified a large number of studies in his report on literacy in West Africa. These studies examined various aspects of literacy and reflected a paradigm shift from previous ones. In his review, Onukaogu found that the research emphasis is no longer on determining problems encountered by learners, or with comparing skills and teaching approaches, but is on finding ways to solve problems rather than to catalog them. Further, he identified two action research projects that he noted were of particular importance. In this report, those two studies are detailed.

The first study, conducted by Isaac Adetunji Olaofe, examined public schools and illiteracy in Zaria, northern Nigeria. This action research was undertaken to get first-hand information about literacy teaching in five primary schools. The researchers set out to study teachers and students of English and aimed at better understanding the constraints each group faces.

To achieve these goals, inventory schedules were designed to record the materials and equipment in each classroom. In addition, an observation schedule through one school year allowed the research team to code activities during lesson presentations and to record classroom actions. In part, the researchers' findings revealed the following information: (a) All of the primary schools were deficient in the basic infrastructural facilities that make learning conducive, such as access roads, buildings, furniture, and toilets. Many classrooms lacked window covers, doors, ceilings, and basic items such as tables and chairs, and children generally sat on the floor. (b) The schools had very little in common in terms of ideas for teaching literacy. Working more in isolation, teachers did not share teaching experiences with one another. (c) Literacy materials were almost nonexistent. Copies of the sole text that was used were in short supply, and children were not allowed to take them home. (d) The schools lacked libraries and other teaching materials. (e) Lead teachers, inspectors, and supervisors saw themselves as administrative heads of a top-down administration and were less concerned about literacy development than with handing down directives. (f) Parental or home support was found to be extremely limited. (g) High absenteeism rates, especially during the planting and harvesting seasons (when student attendance fell below 50%) were credited to parental dissatisfaction with student progress. (h) Corruption was widespread, and most of the resources allocated for education did not reach the classrooms.

The second action research project reported was one conducted by Onukaogu and his colleague M. Adelabu. The research involved Nigerian second-language students, who faced the challenges of learning in English-language classrooms, and their teachers. The study was based on the assumption that a child's mother tongue is the only natural medium of communication that can easily connect the child with his or her home, and thus it eliminates the cultural shock children learning a second language have during their first encounters within the formal school environment. This study aimed at finding out how a child's mother tongue can best be used to empower the child to read and write. It also sought to find ways that teachers can best acquire knowledge about teaching literacy and how they might be empowered to become more effective literacy teachers through an intervention.

Before the intervention, attitude assessments and reading achievement tests were administered to the classroom teachers and pupils to determine their attitudes and skills. Observations took place in the schools for three weeks to examine and record various aspects of school life. These assessments revealed, among other things, that the teachers (a) were deficient in classroom management skills, (b) had negative attitudes about teaching reading comprehension, (c) led their classrooms in a teacher-centered manner, (d) had no developed knowledge in teaching reading strategies and skills, and (e) were not familiar with information sources that could enhance their teaching of reading and writing in the mother tongue.

Following the collection of these data, a week was spent with the teachers to discuss the deficiencies the researchers had observed earlier. Subsequently, teachers were given a set of resource materials to read over two weeks to become aware of current trends in literacy facilitation through the use of the mother tongue. Later, the research team modeled some of the methods that the teachers had read in these resource materials, and at the teachers' requests a series of workshops were organized in order for them to learn more about how to improve their instruction and attitudes. Workshop topics included (a) the role of talk, especially during story telling and story retelling; (b) the importance of reading aloud, role playing, singing, and dance in preparing the child to read and write; (c) the use of big books in stimulating the children's interests in reading and writing; (d) the use of literature—fiction, informational texts, content area texts and newspapers or magazines, and periodicals—in facilitating reading and writing; (e) the importance of a print-rich environment in assisting beginning reading and in enhancing reading to learn; and (f) the involvement and coalition of home, school, and the wider public to create a community-based reading culture.

Onukaogu reported that the workshops provided opportunities for the teachers to have hands-on experiences with the practices the research team had modeled earlier. After six months, the teacher-attitude assessment checklist and reading achievement test were readministered as a posttest to the teachers and pupils. The posttest performances of the teachers and pupils improved more than 100% of what they were before the commencement of the intervention. In addition, the classroom-teacher management checklist showed a significant shift in the type of class interactions; the classes had become more student centered.

To be more specific, teacher confidence grew as a result of interactions among themselves. It was also found that when teachers adopted proven approaches and were willing to take risks and be innovative in their lessons, positive results occurred. Further, this study opened new opportunities for teachers to be inquisitive and try various kinds of materials within their environments to see which ones could be easily adopted and adapted for their lessons. This was especially important given the limited resources available to the schools.

The students also benefited from the intervention. The docility that characterized the pupils when they had first come to school and were confronted with an unknown language had changed. The children became active again because they were able to communicate with their home language. Further, because interactions with their peers and teachers had increased, the children were better able to enjoy learning to read and write. This action research study demonstrated that even in poor and fledgling economies like Nigeria's, it is possible to positively affect teachers and their students.

(M. Adelabu can be reached through the Department of Educational Planning and Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.)

Reading Online, www.readingonline.org, ISSN 1096-1232
Posted January 2004
© 2004 International Reading Association, Inc.