INNOVATIVE METHOD OF TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS, USING THE VISUAL-BASED METHOD: THE CASE OF DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the effectiveness of an innovative method of teaching English language in selected primary schools in Delta state using the Visual-based method. The persistent high rate of failure in the subject in school examinations, which has its root from the foundation level, that is the primary school, provided justification for the study. One research question and two hypotheses were formulated. The mixed method of survey and pretest-posttest control group quasi experimental design was adopted. Using the purposive sampling method, two public primary schools, with 100 pupils randomly selected from both, were randomized into experimental and control groups. The instruments for the study included the Visual-based Method Academic Performance of Primary School Pupils Questionnaire (VBMAPPSPQ), Achievement Test on Reading and Spelling (ATRS), and the Key Informant Interview (KII). The reliability of the instruments was tested by the test-retest method and a coefficient value of 0.78 and 0.80 were obtained. The experimental group was exposed to a pretest and a teaching/learning activity using the visual-based method, while the control group was exposed to a pretest and the same teaching
learning activity using the traditional method of teaching. The posttest was carried out after the duration of the teaching exercise among the remaining 82 participants. Data were analysed with simple percentages and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) method at 0.05 level of significance, while the KII was content-analysed. Findings revealed significant main effects of treatment on academic achievement of pupils in reading comprehension, (F(164); = 20.853, p<.05, ?2=.246), and spelling of words (F(1;64); = 11.895, p<.05, ?2=.157), in English language in Delta primary schools. Findings from the key informant interview also supported that the visual-based method is effective in enhancing better performance among primary school pupils particularly in English language. Based on the findings, the study therefore recommended the incorporation of visualbased method in teaching primary school pupils, not only in English language but other core subject areas for better performance.