EFFECTS OF NIGERIAN PIDGIN ENGLISH ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SS2 ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS: A STUDY OF THE PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN EMOHUA LGA, RIVERS STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. Background to the Study:

The term pidgin is used to refer to a language which develops in a situation where speakers of different languages have a need to communicate but do not share a common language. Once a pidgin has emerged, it is generally learned as a second language and used for communication among people who speak differently.

Language is the most creative and unlimited instrument for social communication and it helps us to understand the deep seated social relevance, cultural involvements and human relatedness of language. Having said this, we can therefore agree that pidgin is a language of its own and not just a supplementary tongue as some people see it, it is a language that serves as an unlimited instrument of social communication especially in a multilingual community as Emohua LGA of Rivers State.

According to R. Linton(2000) he states that “the culture of a society is the way of life of its members, the collection of ideas and habits which they learn, share and transmit from generation to generation” (12). These cultures, ideas and habits can only be transmitted from generation to generation through language. Every language is considered adequate to represent the communicative needs of its people and as such should not be made to suffer any biases.

This cannot be said of Nigerian Pidgin – even though it is a language – because various attempts have been made by different factions to eradicate the use of Nigerian Pidgin English. These attempts have, however, been unsuccessful because of the significant value the language has to its users. It is a language that has brought people together in spite of their differences in ancestral culture and language by creating a local culture for itself which blends ideas from different cultures. Being such a powerful language, it is necessary to investigate it’s impacts on our young students. This is the aim of this work

1. 1. Statement of the Problem:

Nigerian Pidgin is a language just as English language and there is enough room for both languages to co-exist and be mutually enriching. Despite this – and the fact that Nigerian Pidgin English appears to be the most popular means of communication among diverse groups and of course easier to learn than any other language in the country today – it is generally asserted that it is not the suitable language for use in formal settings, consequently, and its use in such settings is usually frowned at.

This research work will explore the potentials of Nigerian Pidgin English as a language. If Nigerian Pidgin English does have this potential, why is its usage and status denigrated? Also, does the speaking of Nigerian Pidgin affect the student’s academic performance? Answers to these questions will enable us make useful recommendations for future studies.

1. 1. Purpose of the Study:

This work intends to look into the effectiveness and status of Nigerian Pidgin English. It is obvious that for a long period of time, Nigerian Pidgin English has been the means of communication among students in the higher institutions. This research investigates whether the use of Nigeria Pidgin English has any effects on students and their academic performances. The findings will be regarded to be generic, affecting students in other institutions who equally exalt Nigerian Pidgin English above Standard English.

1. 1. Hypothesis of the Study

Ho: The Use of Pidgin English does not negatively affect academic performance of Students.

Hi: The use of Pidgin English Affects Academic Performance of Students.

1. 1. Significance of the Study:

This study is important because its results will go a long way inexplaining causes of students’ poor and good academic performances. It explains to students, teachers and the public whether Nigerian Pidgin English has contributed negatively or positively to the students.

This work will in no doubt contribute to the knowledge of the managers of the secondary schools inEmohua LGA of Rivers State.It highlights some issues on educational planning and therefore will be a guide for state and federal governments in planning for effective educational systems.

1. 1. Scope and Limitations:

This project is on the effects of Nigerian Pidgin English on the academic performance of SS2 English language students in Emohua LGA of Rivers state. An assessment of its use in various forms will be carried out. It is limited to Emohua LGA of Rivers State, though the findings might be generic. Because of its nature, some of the constraints encountered in the course of the study included shortness of time allowed for the work, high cost of project materials, pancity of relevant books-on Pidgin English and the unwillingness of some respondents to volunteer information.

1. 1. Research Methodology:

Questionnaires were distributed to hundred (100) SS2 English language students in Emohua LGA of Rivers State, and all this questionnaires were filled and collected and returned.

The collection of data involved both secondary and primary sources. The primary source was the questionnaire while the secondary sources included textbooks and journals.

1. 1. Operational definition of terms

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: Academic achievement refers to a student's success in meeting short- or long-term goals in education. In the big picture, academic achievement means completing high school or earning a college degree. In a given semester, high academic achievement may mean a student is on the honor roll.

PIDGIN: a language that is formed from a mixture of several languages when speakers of different languages need to talk to each other

CULTURE: Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving.

COMMUNICATION: the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else