Assessment of Learners’ Preference in English Language Learning among Junior Secondary School Students in Selected Educational Zones of Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

In spite of the benefits that are attached to effective reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills; recent reports from the West African Examination Council on students’ performance in English Language Studies in Sokoto State revealed an unimpressive performance by students at public examination. This study carried out an assessment of learners’ preferences in English language learning among junior secondary school students in selected educational zones of Sokoto State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was used in the study. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select a total of 300 respondents from three educational zones in Sokoto State. A self-developed questionnaire with a reliability value of 0.73 was used as the instrument for data collection. The data was analyzed using simple percentages. The finding revealed that there were preferences for English language learning among JSS students in Sokoto State. It was established that learners' preference for English language skills in JSS was due to memorization of lines, memorization of lines and difficulty of grammar. It was recommended, among others, that learners need to be given clear and constant guidance on why they need to prefer all the language skills.