Comparative Study of Writing Errors of Science Students in Special Science Secondary Schools in Kaduna State.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to compare the written errors made by SS II Science students in English and chemistry subjects.
This is to see if there was any significant difference in the type and frequency of errors made by the students in the two subject areas.
The population covers SS II science students from special science secondary schools in Kaduna state, with total population of 960.10% of this population was the sample size.
Data were collected using written test. The study used quantitative analysis to arrive at percentage to determine the frequency of errors committed by the students in English and chemistry subjects.
It also employed chi-square to test all the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Hypothesis one which stated that there as no significant difference in the type of lexical errors made by the students in English and Chemistry was retained. Hypothesis two was also retained.
Hypothesis three which was used to find the difference in the frequency of errors made by the students in the two subject areas was also retained.
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Science students‟ competence in written English is critical because English is the language of formal education as enshrined in the National Policy on Education (2004).
It is written medium the dominant aspect used to test and determine knowledge (Shuaibu, 2008).The importance of Science in technological development cannot be over-emphasized.
The National Policy on Education (1981), under secondary education section, stressed the teaching and learning of science subjects in Nigerian schools.
One of the aims of the policy is to “equip students to live effectively in the modern age of Science and technology…” In line with this, science subjects are among the core subjects being taught at the senior secondary schools.
Writing is a purposeful selection and organization of thoughts, facts, opinion and ideas. A high proficiency is required from the science students in writing tasks.
They should be able to express themselves fluently make inquiries, understand concepts and state findings in clear terms without ambiguity.
REFERENCES
Avoaja, D.A. (1999) Relationships between students academic self concept and achievements in chemistrysubject journal of chemistrytechnology and mathematics education (JOSTMEDD), 2(1), 77-82.
Ayodele, S.O. (2004). The Language Question and Nigeria Education. Ibadan, Nigeria. Pp. 20-35.
Baba, L.N (2006): “Essence of Language in Literacy for Sustainable Development”. A Paper Presented at the 1st Annual Conference of the School of Languages, FCE, Zaria.
Balogun T.A. (1979) “Sentence Patterns in the Language of Chemistryand Technology”. In Ubahakwe B (Ed). The Teaching of English Studies. Ibadan : University press.
Banjo, A. (1974). On the state of English language in Nigeria, journal of the Nigerian English studies association. 6/pp.5-13.
Bill, K. and Betsy, M.A (1995): Writing Across the Curriculum in College Chemistry. University of Missouri, St. Louis, Michigan University of Technology.
Be the first to comment