Teachers’ Characteristics and Academic Performance of Pre-Primary School Pupils In Mathematics

Teachers’ Characteristics and Academic Performance of Pre-Primary School Pupils In Mathematics

ABSTRACT

The study examined teachers’ characteristics and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area. The population for the study was all the pre-primary school pupils in Nsit Atai Local Education Authority in the 2016/2017 academic year which number stood at eight hundred and twenty eight (828). Simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred (100) pupils. Three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) and a structured questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using independent t-test statistics. The findings revealed that pupils taught by university degree teachers, pupils with adequate instructional materials and pupils taught by teachers with many years of teaching experience performed significantly better than their counterparts taught by NCE teachers, without instructional materials and less years of teaching experience respective in pre-primary schools in Mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area. Based on the outcome of the statistical analysis, the null hypotheses were rejected. It was therefore recommended among others that teachers with higher academic qualification should be employed to teach in Early Childhood Education centres as this will ensure higher academic content in the teacher for effective knowledge transfer to learners. It was then concluded that pupils taught by university degree teachers, pupils taught with adequate instructional materials and pupils taught by teachers with many years of teaching experience performed significantly better than their counterparts taught by NCE teachers, without instructional materials and less years of teaching experience respectively in pre-primary schools in Mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents                                                                                 Pages

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study          -        -        -        -        -        1

1.2     Statement of the Problem         -        -        -        -        -        2

1.3     Purpose of the Study                -        -        -        -        -        4

1.4     Significance of the Study          -        -        -        -        -        5

1.5     Research Questions                  -        -        -        -        -        6

1.6     Research Hypotheses               -        -        -        -        -        6

1.7     Limitation of the Study              -        -        -        -        -        7

1.8     Delimitation of the Study          -        -        -        -        -        8

1.9     Definition of Terms                   -        -        -        -        -        9

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1     The Concept of Teachers’ characteristics      -        -        -        11

2.2     Teachers’ Qualification and academic performance of

Pupils in Mathematics               -        -        -        -        -        14

2.3     Teachers’ Use of Instructional Materials and

academic performance of Pupils in Mathematics     -        -        17

2.4     Teachers’ Years of Teaching Experience and

Academic Performance of Pupils in Mathematics     -        -        20

2.5     Summary of Literature Review            -        -        -        -        23

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.1     Area of the Study                      -        -        -        -        -        25

3.2     Research Design                       -        -        -        -        -        27

3.3     Population of the Study             -        -        -        -        -        27

3.4     Sample and Sampling Technique        -        -        -        -        27

3.5     Instrument                               -        -        -        -        -        28

3.6     Validation of Instrument           -        -        -        -        -        28

3.7     Reliability of the Instrument      -        -        -        -        -        29

3.8     Administration of the Instrument        -        -        -        -        29

3.9     Method of Data Analysis           -        -        -        -        -        30

CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF DATA AND DISCUSSION

OF FINDINGS

4.1     Data Analysis and Results         -        -        -        -        -        31

4.2     Discussion of Findings              -        -        -        -        -        36

CHAPTER FIVE:   SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND

CONCLUSION

5.1     Summary                        -        -        -        -        -        -        39

5.2     Recommendations           -        -        -        -        -        -        40

5.3     Conclusion                      -        -        -        -        -        -        42

5.4     Suggestions for Further Studies          -        -        -        -        42

          References                      -        -        -        -        -        -        44

          Appendices                     -        -        -        -        -        -        46

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background of the Study

        It is an incontestable fact that the success of any instructional process in school lies in the hands of the teachers who are the implementers of the curriculum contents of any subject or discipline. Therefore, the role, behaviour and attitude of teachers toward the teaching of any school subject have a lot of academic consequences on the learners.   

However, there are prescribed rules of conducts in Nigeria which those is the teaching profession are expected to adhere strictly to and organize their behavioural dispositions around those values (FRN, 2013). The school as an institution of the society cannot function effectively without individuals imbued with the pre-requisite social responsibilities needed to lubricate the system. Odunsi (2008) added that what transpires in the school and indeed the classroom are determined by the teacher who has the most direct, close and determining influence on the learners. The author further maintained that teachers have to be trained and exposed to the principles that would guide their future actions. This is because, the way and individual behaves tends to be consistent with his/her own beliefs. It is essential that would be educators purge themselves of all negative characters as they get into the school system to enable them work with colleagues and pupils in the school. This must be given serious attention if high academic performance by pupils is to be fully achieved.

        It has therefore become necessary to examine teachers’ characteristics and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area. However, this presents an area for investigation.

1.2   Statement of the Problem

        The issue of poor academic performance of pre-primary school pupils especially in mathematics has attracted serious criticisms by many patriotic citizens of our society. However, pupils academic performance in the subject have been faced with series of challenges such as large class size, location of the school, poor attitude towards the subject and parental background. These among others have accounted for the dwindling nature of pre-primary school pupils’ performance in the subject. Measures to remedy this unpleasant situation have long been proffered by researchers and scholars, yet the poor performance of pupils in the subject has become a recurring feature in examinations.

        Moreover, there is no doubt therefore that apart from the aforementioned factors, teachers’ characteristics could also contribute to pupils’ poor performance in mathematics. It is as a result of the above reasons that the researcher is motivated to conduct a study on teachers’ characteristics and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ characteristics and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Mathematics in Nsit Atai Local Government Area. 

Specifically, the study sought to:

(i)     Examine the difference in academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by NCE graduates and their university degree holders’ counterparts.

(ii)    Assess the difference in academic performance in mathematics between pupils taught with instructional materials and their counterparts taught without instructional materials.

(iii)    Find out the difference in academic performance in Mathematics between pupils taught by teachers with many years of teaching experience and their counterparts taught by teachers with less years of teaching experience.