CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The quality of education is directly related to the quality of instruction in the classrooms. It is a fact that the academic qualifications, knowledge of the subject matter, competence, and skills of teaching and the commitment of the teacher have effective impact on the teaching learning process (National Education Policy 1998-2010). Quality improvement in education depends upon proper training of teachers. The teachers cannot play any of the roles unless properly trained (Yadved and Singh, 1988). The performance of students especially in external examinations goes a long way to show the level of preparedness of the student definitely by qualified teachers. Teaching is an art. It can be refined by training and practice. The availability of competent teachers is central in the reconstruction of the educational system. English has acquired the status of a global language (Crystal, 1997). Keeping in view the growing need and importance of English language in every walk of life, English is made a compulsory subject in Nigeria from the very beginning of the academic career.
Increasingly necessitates good quality initial preparation for non-native speaker teachers in the school system (Cullen, 1994). English is taught as a compulsory subject and also the whole teaching learning process is carried out in English language. In other words, English is also the medium of instruction in Nigerian schools. This enables the students of these schools to learn English in an environment where most of the interaction between the teacher and the students is in English (Fuller & Clark, 1994). As a result, the students of these schools are more proficient in English and perform well in the external examinations. In some schools, however, the teaching of English is done somewhat differently and the proficiency in the language is somewhat inadequate. The traditional grammar translation method is favorite with the teachers and there is hardly any exposure to English language inside or outside the class. Most of the activities in the class are done in the vernacular or the mother tongue. Even English language is explained through Urdu or the vernaculars (Al-mutawa & Kailani, 1989). The students resort to memorization and cramming. The teacher is the facilitator of examinations rather than of learning. The students memorize, translate and retranslate and, finally reproduce the crammed information or knowledge in the external examinations.