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INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

1.1 Introduction

English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and
eventually became a global lingua franca. It is named after the Angles, one of the Germanic
tribes that migrated to the area of Great Britain that later took their name, as England. Both
names derive from Anglia, a peninsula in the Baltic Sea. English as a Second Language also
refers to specialized approaches to language teaching designed for those whose primary language
is not English.

For a long time, Namibia at large, has been experiencing high failure rate in the most important
subject which is English, especially in the northern parts of the country. English is taken as a
second language in Namibia in most parts of the country, and the struggle of learning a foreign
language has been and still is a great threat to the Namibian child as their performance is always
below satisfactory.

According to Hanna, (2014), hindering factors are considered to be things or actions that
interrupts or stop something or an action from happening or taking place. Factors on its own is a
circumstance, fact or an influence that contributes to a result, in short these are the circumstances
that contributes to the less effective learning of English as a second language.

It has been identified that there are certain factors that hinders and unable the learning process to
be a success at this selected school. Though these factors remain the main threat and unknown,
they were never examined and assessed to see clearly what these factors are and how they hinder
the effective learning of English as a second language. Therefore, this research’s aim is to make
a deep investigation and point out the factors hindering the effective learning of English as a
second language.

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 1.2 Background of the study

The researcher has selected a specific school in the Okalongo Circuit, Omusati Education
Directorate (OED). This school is a Combined School and a public combined school, it is a state-
owned institution situated in Onandjaba, Okalongo. This school is one of the schools that were
selected by the millennium challenge (a Europe organization in corporation with Namibia that
has built schools Namibia).

The selected school runs from pre-primary to junior secondary (grade 8-9) and offers
Mathematics, Physical Science, Agriculture, History, Geography, Life Science,
Entrepreneurship, Oshikwanyama as a first Language and English as a second Language to their
grade 9 learners. In addition, this combined school has more than ten grade 9 teachers to offer
these subjects, the school is also one of the schools that takes their native language
(Oshikwanyama) as the first language and English as the second language. As a result, grade 9
learners at this school have been experiencing difficulties in the effective learning of English as a
second language for many years now which leads to repetition of grades in most cases and this
affects mostly the learners, teachers and the community (society) at large. Furthermore, how to
overcome this huge challenge remains the big unanswered question up to today, which is why
the researcher took this opportunity to investigate these factors and unfold possible solutions and
answers to how these factors can be minimized so that learners’ learning can be maximized and
made effective.

1.3 Statement of the problem

The problem was experienced at a selected school in Okalongo circuit, Omusati Education
Directorate, since learners performance in English were reported to be so poor. English is the
subject which enables the nation to achieve their academic goals, as the Namibian curriculum
requires learners to have a better symbol in English so they proceed to the next grade. Due to
English, many learners are in streets, NAMCOL improving English, plus most learners didn't
make it to university due to poor grades in English and many students who are at universities
opted others courses because the one they wished to study requires a better symbol in English.
During teaching practice, as an English teacher, the researcher have observed that learners fail

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English due to poor grammar, spelling errors, too much speaking of their mother tongue,
misinterpretation of English questions, learners failing to construct sentences correctly, and
mostly that these learners were and are still being taught in English as their medium of
instruction. Due to these observations, the researcher then took a decision to do this investigation
so that answers could be found to how and why these hinders the effective learning and also
unfold measures that can be taken to improve and optimize the learning of English.

1.4 Purpose of the study

In general, according to Hanna, (2014), a purpose is a goal of something or what something is
aiming to achieve. The purpose of the study is to investigate into factors that are hindering the
effective learning of English as second language at a selected school in Okalongo circuit. Its
purpose is to find out the factors hindering the effective learning of English as a second language
among the grade 9 learners at a selected school in Okalongo circuit and establish the relationship
between the hindering factors and the learning of English as a second language among the grade
9 learners at a selected school in Okalongo circuit.

1.5 Objectives of the study

The research main objective is to help the educational office gain an insight on how to overcome
the current challenge facing the grade 9 English learners at the selected school. This research
objectives are:
 To investigate into the factors hindering the effective learning of English as a second
language among the grade 9 learners at a selected school in Okalongo circuit.

 To establish the relationship between the hindering factors and the learning of English as
a second language among the grade 9 learners at a selected school in Okalongo circuit.

 To find out factors hindering the effective learning and strategies which will be used to
improve the effective learning of English as a second language among the grade 9
learners at a selected school in Okalongo circuit.

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 1.6 Research questions

The nature of every research is to investigate and dig for answers to unanswered everyday
questions. This study sought to unearth the answers to the following questions:

 What are the factors hindering the effective leaning of English as a second
language among the grade 9 learners at a selected school in Okalongo circuit?
 What is the relationship between the hindering factors and the learning of
English as a second language among grade 9 learners at a selected school in
Okalongo circuit?
 What are the learning and strategies that can be used to improve the factors
hindering the effective learning of English as a second language among grade
9 learners at a selected school in Okalongo circuit?

With these questions, clear answers will be developed. Answers to be concluded from this
research will help in the improvement of the situation being experienced at the selected school.

1.7 Significance of the study

Research aims to unfold folded facts that brings light and solutions to any obstacles at hand. This
study is very important because it aims to investigate the factors hindering the effective learning
of English as a second language among grade 9 learners at a selected school in the Okalongo
circuit. It seeks to answer questions of what are the factors and how these learners can or may
overcome this main challenge. Its other importance is that the study will also answer why grade
9 learners need to pass English as a second language question, so that these learners may get the
main aim of putting more concentration in the second language being offered in the country.

This study is not only important to the department of education, learners, school management
teams of the selected school, and the society to improve their level of performance in English as
a second language, but it would also provide strategies to guide the educators of grade and 9

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learners at different schools in the Okalongo circuit and how to improve performance of learners
to excel to the next grade without being held back by English as a second language.

1.8 Research hypotheses

Due to Lisa, (2011) a research hypothesis is a tentative preposition suggested as a solution to a

problem. Hypotheses are most important for research in which causal relationship between
variables are being investigated.

From the stated study objectives and research questions developed, the following null hypotheses
have been formulated:

 There is a negative relationship between hindering factors and the learning of English
as a second language.
 Hindering factors affect learner’s performance in English as a subject.

1.9 Delimitation of the study

According to Liu, (2003), delimitations are the characteristics that limit the scope and describe
the boundaries of the study, such as the sample size, geographical location or setting in which
the study takes place, population traits, one can also explain delimitation as a study that explains
the extent to which the research area will be explored in the work and specifies the parameters
within which the study will be operating.

The study will only concentrate on one school in the whole Okalongo Circuit. Moreover, the
sample will be drawn from one circuit in the region, therefore, cannot claim to be representative
of Omusati, considering the diversity of schools and the population groups in Omusati region.
The research validity may be questioned as the results and conclusions of this research cannot be
used or generalized to the whole Okalongo circuit and Omusati region.

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In addition to that, this study will only be focusing on a specific school because it is more
affected and has the highest number of learners that failed or still failing English as a second
language. This will be so because, Okalongo circuit is a large circuit with a high number of
combined and secondary schools which will give the researcher difficulties in investigating the
whole circuit as it is a large circuit. The researcher will only have two teachers and 20 learners as
partici
2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

According to Olivia, (2009), a literature review summarizes and synthesizes the existing
scholarly research on a topic. Literature reviews are a form of academic writing commonly used
in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. However, unlike research papers, which
establish new arguments and make original contributions, literature reviews organize and present
existing research.

Both acquiring and learning a language requires much time and effort from not only the learners,
but from the teacher as well. Nowadays, when English is considered as an international
language, the activity of teaching and learning English as a foreign or second language is also
examined and discussed widely all over the world. These are reviews on English as a Second
Language:

2.2 Factors hindering the effective learning of English as a second Language

2.2.1 No good understanding of Language Teaching and Learning

In discussion about language teaching and learning, Brown (2007a) points out that, there is a
depending and subordinating relationship between teaching and learning. Teaching plays roles as
guiding, facilitating learning, and encouraging the learner and setting the conditions for learning.
Having a good understanding of how the learner learns will help teachers determine their
philosophy of education, their teaching style, approach, methods, and classroom techniques.
According to Cook (2001), “The proof of teaching is in the learning”, and “all successful

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teaching depends upon learning” (p. 9). Cook also states that there is no point in providing
interesting, well prepared language lessons if students do not learn from them.

2.2.2 Lack of understanding the goal of Language Teaching and Learning

It is important for teachers and learners to understand the goal of language teaching and learning,
as well as how to achieve it. It is pointed out that the goal of language teaching is to develop
learners’ communicative competence. (Liu, 2003; Rivers, 1978). As advised in Rivers (1978),
“when selecting learning activities, we must always remember that our goal is for the students to
be able to interact freely with others: to understand what others wish to communicate in the
broadest sense, and to be able to convey to others what they themselves wish to share” (Rivers,
1978, pp. 3-4). Following this point, Liu (2003) believes that the ultimate goal of language
instruction is to equip learners with the ability to use the language for their communication. This
reasonably explains why the four macro language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing)
fall into the two categories: vocal and written communication. Listening and speaking are the
most important forms of vocal communication, whereas reading and writing are the most
important forms of written communication.

2.2.3 Not knowing the major methods in Language Teaching

To understand the current methods for English language teaching, the reasons for the dominance
of several teaching methods in language classrooms, as well as the challenges that teachers and
learners encounter, it is necessary to understand the major methods for language teaching. These
methods are summarized below.

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The grammar-translation method is “a way of studying a language that approaches the language
first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules, followed by application of this knowledge to
the task of translating sentences and texts into and out of the target language” (Richards, 2001, p.
5). According to the grammar-translation method, reading and writing are the main focus, while
listening and speaking are not emphasized. Vocabulary is taught using bilingual word lists,
grammar is taught deductively, and the student’s native language is the medium for instruction
(Richards, 2001).

The direct method proposes that a foreign language should be learned the way children learn
their first language, or the way children being transferred to another country acquire a second
language naturally and without great difficulty (Rivers, 1968). Foreign language learning,
therefore, must be natural, and language should be taught without translation and without the use
of the learner’s native language. Instead, it should be taught through demonstration and action.
Grammar should be taught inductively and speaking and listening should be developed in small
and intensive classes (Richards, 2001).

The audio-lingual method is a language teaching method that originated from the intensive
language training courses of the US military and focuses on aural and oral skills. These courses
were also known as the army method. Later, in its variations and adaptations, this method was
renamed the audio-lingual method in the 1950s (Brown, 2007a). The audio-lingual method is
described by Brown (2007a) as follows:

New material is presented in dialogue form, little or no grammatical explanation is used,

grammar is taught inductively, structural patterns are taught using repetitive skills, vocabulary is
strictly limited and learned in context, there is much use of tapes, language labs and visual aids,
very little use of the mother tongue by teachers is permitted (p. 111).

Communicative language teaching aims to develop the learner’s communicative competence. As

pointed out by Richards (2001), in communicative language teaching classes, tasks and activities
are designed to enable learners to achieve communicative objectives by participating in
communicative processes such as exchanging information, negotiation of meaning, and
interaction. In communicative language teaching, learner-centered learning is emphasized.

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Characteristics of communicative language teaching are summarized by Brown (2007a) as
follows:

Classroom goals are focused on all of the components of communicative competence and not
restricted to grammatical or linguistic competence, language techniques are designed to engage
learners in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purposes, fluency
and accuracy are seen as complementary principles underlying communicative techniques,
students ultimately have to use the language, productively and receptively, in unrehearsed
contexts (p. 241).

2.2.4 Teachers and Learners not knowing their roles.

According to Lochana and Deb (2006), teachers have recently realized the importance of using a
student-centered approach to teaching where teachers can help students to learn the target
language in context and to use it in real situations both inside and outside the language
classroom. Collaborative or cooperative learning is described by Richards (2001) as a student-
centered approach in which learners use cooperative activities, such as pair work or group work,
to: express their viewpoints and opinions; share their ideas, information and experience; and
discuss and debate with each other. Jacobs and Hall (2002) point out that, when using
cooperative learning activities in language classrooms, teacher talk should be reduced and
students’ talk should be increased, with a focus on negotiation of meaning and a greater amount
of comprehensible input. In addition, a relaxed classroom atmosphere and motivation for
learning should be emphasized. Collaborative learning aims to provide learners with interactive
tasks that can help them develop communicative competence (Richards, 2001).

Student-centered collaborative approaches require teachers and learners to play roles that are
different from the traditional approaches. According to Brown (2007b), teachers play five main
roles when using collaborative activities involving pair work and group work for students in
language classrooms. Teachers should help students build up enough classroom language so that

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they can understand the teachers’ instructions, choose group techniques appropriate for students,
plan group work, monitor tasks, and help debrief students to start the activity.

Littlewood (1981) advises that, while students are involved in communicative activities such as
pair work or group work, teachers should act as observers who walk around the class to give
students guidance to start their discussions, give students advice when necessary, and help them
to solve disagreements within pairs or groups. However, before learner-centered activities are
undertaken, teachers should ensure that all students are clear about the tasks and instructions so
that the students are able to start their work independently and confidently.

Besides the teachers’ roles, the learners’ roles in student-centered collaborative learning
approaches are described by (Breen & Candlin, 1980) as follows:

The role of learner as negotiator between the self, the learning process, and the object of learning
emerges from and interacts with the role of joint negotiator within the group and within the
classroom procedures and activities which the group undertakes. The implication for the learner
is that he should contribute as much as he gains, and thereby learn in an interdependent way (p.
110).

Students’ interdependence is considered important in student-centered learning approaches.

Students are expected to interact with each other, rather than with teachers (Richards, 2001). To
acquire this capacity, students need to have confidence, high motivation and positive attitudes
toward their study (Liu & Zhang, 2007). Therefore, learner autonomy and motivation are
important factors for successful teaching and learning.

In relation to the roles of teachers and learners in Vietnam, while teachers play the role of
controllers and knowledge providers, the students’ role is quite passive. This is because
Vietnamese people are generally still influenced by Confucianism). However, some Vietnamese
learners are no longer completely passive (Mai & Iwashita, 2012; Nguyen, 2002), and instead of
enjoying traditional whole-class settings, they prefer to participate in activities such as pair work
and group work that help them to use the language and enable them to explore problems
themselves as well as co-operate with their friends to acquire knowledge effectively (Mai &
Iwashita, 2012). In classroom communication activities, many students have the desire to express

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their thoughts orally, provide discussion topics and share their experiences with the class
(Tomlinson & Dat, 2004).

2.2.5 Shortage of teaching materials

Teaching materials play an important role in promoting communicative language use. There are
three kinds of teaching materials: text-based, task-based, and regalia. These can be textbooks,
games, role plays, simulations, and task-based communication activities designed to support
communicative language teaching. Different kinds of authentic objects can be used in a
communicative language teaching class to support communicative activities, from language-
based realia such as signs, magazines, and newspapers to graphic and visual sources such as
maps, pictures, symbols, graphs, and charts (Richards, 2001).

The use of teaching materials has a major impact on the activity of language teaching. Abebe and
Davidson (2012) point out that students are eager to learn vocabulary with the assistance of
visual materials, and that the use of visual materials enhances the students’ ability and
opportunity to use language to express their ideas and feelings. However, Abebe and Davidson
(2012) also found that teachers rarely use visual materials such as cards, charts, and real objects
in teaching, despite the majority of teachers and students admitting that visual materials help
students learn language effectively. Mathew and Alidmat (2013) agree that teacher’s use of
audio-visual aids helps students to understand lessons more and improves their English language
skills, such as pronunciation skills or conversational skills, through listening to native speakers.
In addition, the use of audio-visual materials also helps to make classroom activities more
interesting and helps the students to remember the lessons longer. A study conducted by Aduwa-
Ogiegbaen and Iyamu (2006) found that textbooks, workbooks, dictionaries, chalkboards, and
posters are dominant in English classrooms, whereas modern media such as audio and video,
programmed texts, language laboratories, flashcards, computers, magazines, and newspapers are
rarely used.

2.3 The effects of hindering factors on the effective learning of English as a second
Language.

2.3.1 Learners

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Learners are usually depressed seeing other peers continuing to the tertiaries, this is usually a big
challenge, sometimes learners are bullied, being laughed at, blamed at because of failing English.
Learners seeing other learners who have lower points than them but are not affected by English
is the biggest challenge. Some learners may no longer receive enough care, financial care and
some may turn into household workers, bar tenders just to have a living, and some have turned
into drunkards after school. Learners have low-self-esteem, and if they don’t receive enough
encouragements, they won’t likely have any intentions to continue or improve, they are
discouraged. More learners in the streets, have a negative mindset and doubt in themselves,
thinking it is so difficult to pass from NAMCOL, as part time, that they could have done this in
school (full-time).

2.3.2 Parents
Parents will spend, more money on learners in order to improve English, they may need a
qualified person in the family, but there is no one to take care of the family. Some parents’
failure to them means the child has embarrassed them. There is always a parent that struggles to
help their children, to go receive some better education, for example finding a tutor for them, so
the child receives some best advice. Having someone down who they have been helping at
school, is sometimes difficult to start giving help when home.

2.3.3 School community and subject teachers

A school doesn’t support failures, since when the results are hold, the school ranks at the bottom,
the competition and aims of teaching is not reached, so in most cases, when evaluation comes,
giving analysis they usually award the best teacher according to the performance of the children.

2.4 Strategies to overcome the factors hindering the effective learning of English as a
second language

2.4.1 Teacher factors -Quality and shortage of teachers

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For learners to perform well there is need for quality teachers who are well trained, well behaved
and well-motivated (Bonnie, 2012). Clarke believes that teachers are the driving force in schools.
He furthermore added that to be able to drive schools in the right direction, teachers need to be
well trained, competent, knowledgeable and highly motivated. Good teachers are those who are
knowledgeable in their subjects and know how to explain the subject matters to learners and vary
ways they teach to suit learners in their classes. They also indicates that good teachers present
work in a way that interests and motivates pupils, making sure that pupils understand the work
and helping pupils with learning difficulties.

2.4.2 Parental involvement in the education of their children

According to Olivia (2007) “parental involvement in their children’s education is multi-
dimensional, ranging from parents directly helping their children’s with homework to parents
establishing high expectations for their children’s learning in schools.” Quality parental
involvement in the education of their children is an important factor in determining the
performance of the learners. This is consistent with the observation by Olivia (2007) that
parental involvement is rooted in the belief that in order for schools to educate all youth
effectively, parents and families should become fully involved in the process of educating
learners.

2.4.3 School factors- School environment

According to Rivers (1968), an environment is a living and changing system and it conditions
how we feel, think and behave, as well as affects the quality of our lives. The school
environment may be perceived as having a direct influence on the academic performance of
learners

2.4.4 Improved school management and leadership

Effective school management and leadership are necessary ingredients for poor performing
schools to improve their academic performance in English second language. According to Liu
(2007), the fundamental roles of leadership are to bring people to work as a team, to inspire their
loyalty toward the group and to make a meaningful contribution to the achievement of school
goals. Liu adds that school managers and leaders need to be visionary and innovative so that they

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can turn their schools into centers of excellence. Lochana (2006) supports Liu’s view and adds
that quality managers and leaders are those who can identify the potential of the subordinates and
encourage them to translate the potential into something tangible. Quality managers always
motivate their followers not to settle for the average but to produce excellent work.

2.4.5 Resources
According to Breen, (2016), the availability of education resources is believed by educationists
to influence learners’ performance Learners with access to more English second language
resources are likely to perform better than their counterparts who are in a less resourced
environment.

3. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction
The researcher opted for survey as the research method to be used. According to Oxford
dictionary, a survey is defined as a research method used for collecting data from a pre-defined
group of respondents to gain information and insights on various topics of interest. Survey have a
variety of purpose and can be carried out in many ways (either in person, using interviews, or on
paper, using questionnaires) depending on the methodology chosen and the objectives to be
achieved.

The data is usually obtained through the use of standardized procedures whose purpose is to
ensure that each respondent is able to answer the questions at level playing field to avoid biased
opinions. Survey method can be used in both, quantitative, as well as, qualitative studies. It also

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pursues two main purposes: describing certain aspects or characteristics of population and or
testing hypotheses about nature of relationships within a population.

3.2 Research design

According to Ackoff, (1989), a research design refers to the overall strategy that one chooses to
integrate the different components of the study in a coherent and logical way, thereby, ensuring
that the researcher will effectively address the research problem, it constitutes the b lueprint for
the collection, measurement and analysis of data. The purpose of this study is to investigate into
factors that are hindering the effective learning of English as a second Language at a selected
school in the Okalongo circuit and the researcher will have twenty grade 9 learners and two
English teachers as her participants.

The researcher will use mixed approach research design. Due to Ackoff (1989), mixed approach
is an approach to inquiry that combines or associates both qualitative and quantitative forms.
Mixed approach design will provide the researcher with a rigorous approach to answering
research questions.

Furthermore, Ackoff, 1989, defines qualitative research as the research that produces findings
not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or any means of quantification, but it is a
systematic, interactive and subjective approach used to describe life experiences and give them
meaning and he defined quantitative research as the research that presents statistical results
represented by numbers, it lends itself more to scientific method. Quantitative research is a
systemic process that describes relationships and examines cause and effect among variables.

With mixed approach, the researcher will be able to use a convergent design to compare findings
from qualitative and quantitative data sources. According to Ackoff (1989), it involves collecting
both types of data at roughly the same time.

3.3 Data collection

3.3.1 Study population

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According to Cook, (2001), in research, a population is a complete set of persons or object that
possess some common characteristics that is of interest to the researcher, it is a selected group
from whom the data will be collected from. The targeted and ideal population for this study are
all the grade 9 English teachers and grade 9 English learners in Okalongo circuit but due to the
higher number of grade 9 English teachers and grade 9 learners, the researcher will only sample
one school, whereby two teachers and 20 learners will be the participants of the study.

3.3.2 Sample Size

The research sample attempts to find out whom the data will be collected from. According to
The Hillington Hospital, (2006), sampling process is a method used to select a given number of
people from a population. The strategy for selecting the sample influences the quality of data and
the inferences that a researcher can make from it. The quality of the research study does not only
depend on the appropriateness of the methodology and instrumentation but on the suitability of
the sampling strategy chose

The researcher will consider systematic simple sampling, this technique involves selecting
subjects from a population list in a systematic fashion, and whereby all grade 9 English learners
will be grouped in groups of 5, and each learner in the group will be given a card ranging from 1
to 6. This will make it easier for the researcher to pick every individual with the 1 st and 5th card
number from each group, five learners from each class will be chosen using the systematic
random sampling. The researcher will also use purposive sampling whereby she will use her own
judgment and knowledge to choose the sample of two grade 9 English teachers from the school
because they best serve the purpose of the study. The main advantage is that the researcher can
reach a targeted sample quickly, these teachers will participate by default in gathering data,
teachers are targeted because they are the ones that teaches English and can provide relevant data
to the study.

3.3.3 Research instruments

Ger, (2009), describes research instruments as measurement tools (for example, questionnaires or
scales) designed to obtain data on a topic of interest from research subjects.

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The researcher will use a mixed approach of questionnaires, both open-ended for teachers and
close-ended questionnaires for learners, to obtain information. Open-ended questionnaires will
be issued to teachers while closed-ended questionnaires will be issued to the learners.

Oxford dictionary describes an open-ended questionnaire as a free form survey questions that
allow respondents to answer open text format so that they can answer based on their complete
knowledge, feeling and understanding and the responds to these questions are not limited to a set
of options.

Oxford also defines closed-ended questions as questions that can only be answered by selecting
from a limited number of options, usually multiple choice, yes or no, or a rating scale. Closed-
ended questions give limited insight but can easily be analyzed for quantitative data.

3.3.4 Procedures

Data gathering is the process of collecting raw data depending not only on research questions,
but on the actual research situation and what will work most effectively in that situation to give
the data you need as a means of answering your research questions.

As Lisa, (2011), investigates that questionnaires are also best research instrument, this study will
draft questionnaires and dispatched to the two teachers and twenty grade 9 learners randomly
selected from within the school.

According to Littlewood, (1981), the advantages of questionnaires are that they are a cheap and
effective way of collecting huge amount of information from a large sample of people. Data can
be collected relatively quickly because the researcher would not need to be present when the
questionnaires are being completed.

3.3.5 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

According to Christopher (1994), validity is the state of being valid, logical or factually sound.
Christopher further continues to explain reliability as the quality or state of being reliable, the
extent to which an experiment, test, or study yields the same results on repeated trials. He
explains a pilot study as a small study to test research protocols, data collection instruments,

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sample strategies and other techniques in preparation for a larger study. A pilot study is said to
be very important in stages in research and is conducted to identify possible problem areas.

To ensure the validity in this study and deal with validity threats, the researcher will conduct the
study at a nearby combined school in Okalongo circuit, where one teacher and five learners will
be given questionnaires to complete.

Purposes of the pilot study

According to Christopher, (1994), mentioned the importance of pilot study, as follows:

Process: where the feasibility of the key steps in the main study is assessed

Resources: assessing problems with time and resources that may occur during the main study
(e.g. how much time the main study will take to be completed

Management: problems with data management and with the team involved in the study (e.g.
whether there were problems with collecting all the data needed for future analysis.

Data analysis and presentation

Bonnie, (2012), describes data analysis as the process of transforming collected data into
findings and it involves reducing the amount of raw information, identifying significant patterns
and constructing a frame work. Bonnie (2012), further describes the process of data analysis as
unlocking information hidden in the data and transforming it into meaningful and useful
information. Data analysis is most crucial in any action research and other types of researches
elsewhere because it gives answers to the investigation questions.

Data analysis will be an ongoing process and will start concurrently with data collection. Data
collected through recorded interviews will first be transcribed. There will then be comparing and
contrasting of data collected through questionnaires and develop themes. Topic categories will
also be identified, naming topics and classifying them. Proper comparison and contrasting will
help to do the coding. Coding is the process of dividing data into parts by a classification
system.

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 3.3.7 Ethical consideration

According to Hannah (2014),

1. Asses to site
Participants will be assured of confidentiality, and their right to decline participation. In
addition, they are offered the opportunity to receive a report about the results and
conclusions of the research project if they so require to.

2. Informed consent
Informed consent means that the person participating in the evaluation is fully informed
about the evaluation being conducted. Participants need to be made aware of the purpose
of the project, how the findings will be used, and who will have access to the findings.
The main purpose of informed consent is that the participant is able to make an informed
decision as to whether they will participate in the evaluation or not. Additional
information should also be provided in the event that the participant becomes distressed
in any way during their participation. It is against this background that the participants
will be told about the general nature of the study as well as about any potential harm or
risk that the study may cause.

3. Confidentiality
Confidentiality means that any identifying information is not made available to, or
accessed by anyone but the program coordinator. Confidentiality also ensures such
identifying information is excluded from any reports or published documents. Subjects
will be rest assured of anonymity in their participation and that whatever findings will be
obtained shall be by any means treated in a privacy manner and no names and identity
shall be used.

4. Deception
The researcher will give out the correct and true information about the study to her
subjects and no deceiving will be involved in the whole process.

5. Protection from harm

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 Harm can be both physical and/or psychological and therefore can be in the form of:
stress, pain, anxiety, diminishing self-esteem or an invasion of privacy. It is imperative
that the evaluation process does not in any way harm (unintended or otherwise)
participants. The subjects will be highly protected by the researcher from any harm by
producing a conducive environment and keeping the information confidential.

6. Privacy
The participants will not be forced to share personal and sensitive information with the
researcher and are objected to keep their personal information to themselves.

7. Right to withdraw
The subjects will be given the freedom and right to withdraw and decline their
participation anytime they want.

3.4 Structure of chapters

If the researcher’s proposal get approved she will do a research project which will include
these five chapters:
Chapter one
It is the introdction of the study this first chapter gives the framework of the research
topic, which will include: the introducton, background of the study, statement of the
problem,purpose of the study objectives of the study, research questions, significance of
the study, research hypothesis, as well as delimitation of the study.
Chapter two
This chapter is the heart of the research which consists of about 6 to 8 pags, it is called
the literature review, whereby the researcher will link the topic to other scholars.
Chapter three
Research design and methodology that runs from the introduction, research design, data
collection, study population,,sample size and techniques, research instruments,
procedures, validity and reliability, data analysis and resentation and ethical
considerations.
Chapter four

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 This chaper will include presesntation, interpretation and discussion of findings.
Chapter five
This is the final chapter which will iclude the summmary, conclusion and
reccomendations.

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Olivia, V. Update august 2009

Oxford English Dictionary 1884

Richards, J. C. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge,
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