Perception of Teachers on the Strategies and Challenges on the Low Academic Performance in English Language in Senior Secondary Schools

This study investigates the perceptions of English language teachers regarding the factors contributing to low academic performance among senior secondary school students. The study aims to examine the causes of low academic performance of senior secondary school students in English language, the strategies put in place to solve the problem of low academic performance faced by senior secondary school students, the effectiveness of the strategies that have been put in place, as well as the previous and present efforts made on the challenges faced in the teaching and learning of English language in senior secondary schools. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, four (4) research questions were formulated. Through a descriptive research design which employed the survey technique of data collection, ten (10) English teachers were randomly selected from five (5) secondary schools within Eredo Local Council Development Area, Epe, Lagos State. Data collected was analyzed using the descriptive statistics of frequency counts and simple percentages. The study identifies several key challenges of low academic performance in senior secondary schools, including negative student attitudes, insufficient resources, inadequate teacher qualifications, large class sizes, and a lack of continuous assessment and effective feedback. The findings also reveal that schools have implemented various strategies to address these issues, such as collaborative learning, regular monitoring and evaluation of English language teaching and learning processes, and the use of ICT tools. However, the study indicates that these strategies have not been fully effective in solving the problem of low academic performance faced by senior secondary school students in English language. The study concludes that addressing the challenges of low academic performance in English language requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders. Recommendations include improving teacher qualifications, providing adequate resources, promoting a positive learning environment, and implementing effective teaching and assessment strategies. Future research could expand the sample size and explore the generalizability of these findings across different educational contexts.