CAUSES OF POOR PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMMON ENTRANCE AMONG PRIMARY PUPILS IN ILORIN METROPOLIS 

BY

ISAH LIMATA
KWCOED/IL/22/1125

BEING RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES, KWARA STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ILORIN.

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF NIGARIA CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION [NCE]

JULY, 2025

CERTIFICATION 
This is to certify that this project was carried out by Isah Limata of English and Islamic Studies Department, Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin. 

_______________		________________		____________
Mrs. Adekanyin O.F.		Signature				Date
Project Supervisor  

_______________		_____________			____________
Head of Department		Signature				Date
Olanrewaju R.F

_______________		_____________			____________
Project coordinator 		Signature				Date

	

DEDICATION 
This  research project is dedicated  to Almighty God and  also to my parent Mr. and Mrs. ISAH Ibrahim and to all  Araoyo family. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am grateful to Almighty Allah for His protection over me and my families. 
My immense gratitude will firstly go to my able supervisor Mrs. Adekanyi O.F. for her full support advice and guidance the offered to me on this research work. May the lord Almighty continue to enrich your knowledge.
My appreciation goes to my lovely parent and Mr. and Mrs. ISAH IBRAHIM for giving me the opportunity to school their moral and financial support during my course and made my dream come true. You gave me life to live and made me know the important of parent to their children my you live long to eat the fruits of your labour (Amen).
To my lovely husband ABDULRAHEEM ABDULRASHEED and my mother in-law for their great Support especially my sister in-law. Hon. Nafisat Abdulraheem Akanke, the honourable Vice Chairman Ilorin  East Local Government. Thank you.
I appreciate my grandfather Alhaji JImoh Ibrahim and my guardian Mallam Abdullahi Olukade right from my junior and senior secondary school you are blesses thank you all  may God reward you all.

ABSTRACT
This study investigated causes of poor performance in English language common entrance examination among primary schools in Ilorin Kwara state. A self designed questionnaire was used to elecit relevant data from the sampled respondents. The data collected through the administered questionnaire was subjected to descriptive statistics of frequency counts and simple percentages. The finding of the study revealed that causes of poor performance in English language common entrance examination among primary schools in Ilorin included no good teaching strategies and aids and effectively; individual attention to pupil by organizing lessons and making correction of mistakes; teachers don’t teach with past papers.  It was therefore recommended among others that teaching facilities should be provided for effective teaching and learning of English Language. More qualified teachers of English language should be provided that should be encouraged to undertake professional teaching course, workshops and seminar to update their knowledge. Pupils should be encouraged to communicate in English language in and outside the classroom. Facilities like language laboratory should be provided to assist in proper teaching and learning of English language.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Front page									i	
Certification 								ii
Dedication 									iii
Acknowledgement								iv
Abstract 									vi
Table of contents 								vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study							1
Statement of the Problem							2
Purpose of the Study							4
Research Questions							4
Scope of the Study								5
Significance of the Study							6
Operational Definition of Terms					7	

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Definition, Nature and Scope of English Language				8
Performance of Pupils in Common Entrance Examination in Ilorin	14
Causes of Poor Performance in English Language among Primary School Pupils									17
Factors Affecting the Teaching of English Language in 
Primary Schools									21
Appraisal of the Literature Reviewed						27
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design									29
Population, Sample and Sampling Techniques30
Instrumentation									31
Validation of the Instrument							31
Reliability of the Instrument							32
Procedure for Data Collection							32
Data Analysis Techniques							32

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULT AND DISCUSSION 
Result 										34
Discussion										37
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary										39
Conclusion										40
Recommendation									41
References										42
Appendix										45

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
English is a second language in Nigeria. It is the official language - the only common language of communication among the multi ethnic group which covers two hundred indigenous languages, (Adekunle, 2000). Adekunle (2000) asserts that until Nigeria is able to choose an indigenous official language which will be learnt and used for cross examination, the present position of English in the country cannot be over looked, no matter how sound a researcher proposes idea.
 Alabi (2003) asserts that Nigeria's first contact with the English language dates back to the periods before the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. This gave rise to the English based "pidgin" - a common medium of communication in the Nigeria coast; of course came in different mode. It was also used by the slave traders in the 18th century. Probably that is why some people regard it as a language of the slave but on the contrary, during this period desire to learn and spread the English language even after slave trade was abolished.
According to French (1993) English is result of slave trade, religion, and colonization brought by the European. The multi-lingual nature of Nigeria makes English as the official language inevitable. This language is not only required for business purpose, but as a medium of expression in education beyond the lower level of primary school. It serves as an alternative to a variable language and learners require it for their future careers. It is a core subject in the school time table. English language plays a vital role yet, there is a concern that, there are many problems associated with the teaching and learning of English language among primary school pupils.
Lack of proficiency in the acquisition of the language led to learners' poor performance in the final common entrance examination. The fundamental aim of teaching English in the school is for purpose of obtaining practical skills in speaking and understanding the clearly expressed thought of others’ written text. Hence, learners' imaginative potential can be developed through the use of language making learner to be very fluent and perfect in their spoken and written English, (Lakoff, 1973).
Statement of the Problem
English language being a foreign language posses a problem to learner especially in the common entrance examination. This problem emanated from improper organization of word, improper usage of tenses, mechanical errors, etc. 
The problem to be discussed is easily identified by highlighting the following: It is discovered that most schools lack adequate materials in teaching English language which makes it impossible for English language teachers to teach it effectively. Another problem identified is incompetence on the part of the teacher to teach English language effectively. This leads to learner’s poor performance and thereby affects their written and spoken English. The teaching and learning of English language can be effective when there are adequate materials to facilitate its teaching. Also the educational background of the parent and environment has great impact on teaching and learning. The learners also, have important roles to play in the effectiveness of the teaching and earning of English language.

Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this research work is to find out the causes of poor performance in Common Entrance English language Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin, metropolis. In specific terms, the study aimed to:
i.	Investigate the causes of poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils Ilorin?  
ii.	Determine the strategies for improving the academy performance of pupils in English language Common Entrance Examination in the primary school in Ilorin?  
iii.	 Proper solution to the problems  of poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination among Primary school Pupils in Ilorin?
Research Questions
1.	What are the causes of poor performances in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin?
2.	What are the strategies used for improving the academic performance of pupils in English language Common Entrance Examination in the primary schools in Ilorin?
3.	What are the solutions to the problems of poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin?
Scope of the Study
The study focused on the causes of poor performance in English Language Common Entrance Examination among  primary school pupils; meaning, nature and scope of English language: performance of pupils in Common Entrance Examination, causes of poor performance in English language, examinations and factors affecting the teaching of English language in primary schools in Ilorin Metropolis only. Time and financial constraints led to the random selection of the following schools in Ilorin Metropolis:
Pakata L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Kuntu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Shiekh Alimi L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Alore L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Iwanu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Eruda L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Ecwa LG.E.A Primary School, Ilorin
Adeta LG.E.A Primary.School, Ilorin
Anifowose L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Ansarul Islam Kuntu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Mount Camel L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin.
Baboko L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Significance of the Study
The result of this study will be beneficial to teachers, parents, students, curriculum planner, school administration etc. It would bring to the notice of teachers how best to teach and how best to help the student. It would bring to the notice of parent how best to assist their children academically. The student and the teachers would be able to discover some problem areas in the learning and teaching of English and finding ways of improving their performance. The result of the study would help the teacher to find out the pitfalls which lead to the poor performance of students and to find ways of reducing the numbers of failure in English language.

Operational Definition of Terms
Causes: This refers to a reason for having particular feelings or behaving in a particular way.
Teaching Aids: This refers to the guided exercise prepared on a chalkboard or other materials
Interest: This refers to the feeling that one has when one wants to know more about something
Effective Teaching: This refers to the act of impacting knowledge to an individual with the object of bringing about a desired change in behavior.
Qualification: This refers to an examination that a student passes or a course of study that one has successfully completed.

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter contains the literature reviewed for this research work. This is discussed under the following sub heading:
-	Definition, Nature and Scope of English language
-	Performance of Pupils in Common Examination in Ilorin
-	Causes of Poor Performance in English Language among Primary School Pupils in Primary Schools
-	Factors Affecting the Teaching of English Language in Primary Schools
-	Appraisal of the Literature Reviewed.
Definition, Nature and Scope of English Language
English language is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and is now a global lingua franca; named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes that migrated to England. It ultimately derives its name from the Anglia (Angeln) peninsula in the Baltic Sea. It is closely related to the Frisian languages, but its vocabulary has been significantly influenced by other Germanic languages particularly Norse (a North Germanic language), as well as by Latin and Roman languages, particularly French (Afolabi, 2010).
English has developed over the course of more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian dialects brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the 5th century, are called Old English. Middle English began in the late 11th century with the Norman Conquest of England, and was a period in which the language was influenced by French. (Idris, 2015). Early Modern English began in the late 15th century with the introduction of the printing press to London and the King James Bible, and the start of the Great Power Shift. (Aitken et al, 1979). Through the worldwide influence of the British Empire, modern English spread around the world from the 17th to mid-20th centuries.
English is the third most widespread native language in the world, after Standard Chinese and Spanish. It is the most widely learned second language and is either the official language or one of the official languages in almost 60 sovereign states. There are more people who have learned it as a second language than there are native speakers. English is the most commonly spoken language in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, and it is widely spoken in some areas of the Caribbean, Africa and South Asia. It is co-official language of the United Nations, of the European Union and of many other world and regional international organizations. It is the most widely spoken Germanic language, accounting for at least 70% of speakers of the Indo-European branch. English has a vast vocabulary, and counting exactly how many words it has is impossible (Akande , 2014).
Modern English grammar is the result of a gradual change from a typical Indo-European dependent marking pattern with a rich inflectional morphology and relatively free word order, to a mostly analytic pattern with little inflection, a fairly fixed SVO word order and a complex syntax. Modern English relies more on auxiliary verbs and word order for the expression of complex tenses, aspect and mood, as well as passive constructions, interrogatives and some negation. Despite noticeable variation among the accents and dialects of English used in different countries and regions - in terms of phonetics and phonology, and sometimes also vocabulary, grammar and spelling - English-speakers from around the world are able to communicate with one another with relative ease (Akande , 2014).
English is classified as a Germanic language because it shares innovations with other Germanic languages such as Dutch, German, and Swedish. These shared innovations show that the languages have descended from a single common ancestor, which linguists call Proto-Germanic. Some shared features of Germanic languages are the use of modal verbs, the division of verbs. English, like the other insular Germanic languages, lcelandic and Faroese, developed independently of the continental Germanic languages and their influences. English is thus not mutually intelligible with any continental Germanic language, differing in vocabulary, syntax and phonology, although some, such as Dutch, do show strong affinities with English, especially with its earlier stages (Akande , 2014).
Because English through its history has changed considerably in response to contact with other languages, particularly Old Norse and Norman French, some scholars have argued that English can be considered a mixed language or a creole a theory called the Middle English creole hypothesis. Although the high degree of influence from these languages on the vocabulary and grammar of Modern English
is widely acknowledged, most specialists in language contactdo not consider English to be a true mixed language (Akande , 2014).
Through Grimm's Law, the word for foot begins with /f/ in Germanic languages, but its cognates in other Indo-European languages begin with /p/. A English is classified as an Anglo-Frisian language because Frisian and English share other features, such as the palatalization of consonants that were velar consonants in Proto-Germanic (Phonological History of Old English Palatalization) (Grimm's Law, No date).
English sing, sang, sung; Dutch zingen, zong, gezongen; German singen, sang, gesungen (strong verb).
English laugh, laughed; Dutch and German lachen, lachte(weak verb). English foot, Dutch voet, Germnan Fuß, Norwegian and Swedish fot (initial /f/ derived from n Proto-Indo-European through Grimm's Law. Latin pes, stemped-; Modern Greek rröõpódi; Russiannorpod; Sanskritcpád (original Proto-Indo-European). English cheese, Frisian tsiis (ch and ts from palatalisation). German Käse and Dutch kaas (k without palatalisation) (Grimm's Law, No date).
As of 2016, 400 million people spoke English as their first language, and 1.1 million spoke it as a secondary language. English is probably the third largest language by number of native speakers, after Mandarin and Spanish. However, when combining native and non-native speakers it may, depending on the estimate used, be the most commonly spoken language in the world. English is spoken by communities on every continent and on oceanic islands in all the major oceans (Akande , 2014).
The countries in which English is spoken can be grouped into different categories by how English is used in each country. The "inner circle" countries with many native speakers of English share an international standard of written English and jointly influence speech norms of English around the world. English does not belong to just one country, and it does not belong solely to descendants of English settlers. English is an official language of countries populated by few descendants of native speakers of English. It has also become by far the most important language of international communication when people who share non native language meet anywhere in the world (Akande , 2014).
Performance of Pupils in Common Entrance Examination in Ilorin
Common Entrance Examinations are taken by some children in Nigeria as part of the admissions process for academically selective secondary schools at age 13 or 11. They are set by the Independent Schools Examinations Board. Common Entrance Examination is used by public and private schools for admission. The secondary schools concerned agree to use a common set of examination papers. However, the marking of the scripts is done by the education body in charge of it and all other aspects of the admissions process is still done independently by each secondary school (Abdullahi, 2016).
Children often have to attend interviews at their preferred secondary schools, in addition to taking the Common Entrance Examination. Head teachers' reports are also considered. In practice, the Common Entrance exam rarely determines admission and failure should be an exceptional event. It is in the interest of neither the schools nor the pupil for a candidate to either be admitted to a 'too- demanding' school, or to fail an exam (Abdullahi, 2016).
Some primary schools, particularly the most competitive, base their admission decision primarily on an 11+ pretest. The format of these tests varies, but they tend to consist of IQ style tests as well assessments of mathematics and English. A successful  11+ pre-test is therefore conditional offer, subject to satisfactory performance at Common Entrance, the pre-testing is however designed to identify children who are likely to succeed at Common Entrance, and it is normally not intended that children offered places following pre-test will be rejected at 13+, barring a calamitous performance at that age ((Abdullahi, 2016).
Common Entrance Examination is not a regulated qualification, and the results, unlike the GCSEs or A Levels taken several years later, are not granted in form of a certificate. The examination will help the senior school with admissions, and also with possible streaming / subject setting. The Common Entrance allows preparatory schools to teach almost all pupils to a common syllabus, and provides common basis on which a public school can compare candidate from different prep schools. . There is no standardization in marking and every senior school has its own mark scheme and own 'pass' threshold. This varies considerably between schools and therefore no reliable comparisons can be made between results achieved at different schools (Abdullahi, 2016).
Agboola (2015) reported that the performance of Kwara State primary schools pupils in English language have not been good thus this has called for the intervention of the stakeholders involved to look into it in order to find a lasting solution to the problem. Ayande (2016) argued that the performance of pupils in English language in Ilorin metropolis has been fair compared to other pupils in other areas of the state. David (2016) opined that all hands must be on desk for the performance of the pupils in Ilorin metropolis to improve. Abdullahi (2016) reported that critical analysis of the results of primary school pupils in Ilorin have been poor in recent years and that a state of emergency should be declared in primary schools in Ilorin both private and public schools to improve the performance of the pupils.
Causes of Poor Performance in English Language among Primary School Pupils
There are many causes of poor performance in English language among primary school pupils in Ilorin metropolis.The dominance of mother tongue is regarded as one of the causes of poor performance in English language. Usman (2012) was of the view that pupils are surrounded by a complex language situation that force them to learn their first indigenous language and they are required to have a good command of the English language. The Nigerian policy on education stressed the use of the immediate language of the community in instruction at the lower level of primary education and combination of English and language of the immediate community at the upper part of primary education. In other words, the policy recommended the use of mother tongue in teaching at primary level.
This situation contributes immensely to poor learning of English language right from primary school and it extends to secondary school. Fema, (2003) was of the view that the major cause of the errors in English used by primary school pupils in Ilorin can be attributed to the interference of mother tongue with English language. He added that pupils often use their native language or mother tongue in all their interactions in which, English is only used within the fourwalls of the classrooms and ends there. The above situation clearly shows that dominance of mother tongue in Ilorin metropolis contributed immensely in poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination.
In some school’s other subject teachers are forced to teach English language and some who even read it exhibit poor abilities in oral and written expression of it. Therefore, with this kind of situation these teachers can never teach effectively and hence poor performances from their products. Adedokun, (2011) was of the view that poorly trained English and untrained teachers (of English) were employed to teach and prepare primary school pupils for the school certificate examinations in English language. This situation contributed immensely to poor performance in English language among primary school pupils. Therefore, inadequate qualified teachers in primary schools lead to poor performance in English language.
Inadequate infrastructural facilities and instructional media are regarded as another cause of poor performance in English language in our primary schools. Roger (2001) was of the view that instructional materials and facilities are important part of the process of learning as they provide practice and feedback in the causes of poor performance in English language among primary school pupils. In our present day primary schools pupils particularly those that attend public school in most cases sit on the floor and windows during lessons. In most cases pupils are found in a dilapidated classroom. In addition to that even where there are enough classes, they are overcrowded and language laboratories are lacking (Abdullahi, 2016).
Sa’ad (2007) was of the view that teaching and learning take place effectively when classes are moderate. But the present day Ilorin Primary school classes are overpopulated with pupils and this cannot allow for proper teaching and learning. On the other hand, in the area of instructional resources or media, there is dominance of textbooks, dictionaries, workbooks and posters in the teaching of English language in primary schools in Ilorin Kwara State. Modern media such as audio, Video tapes, language laboratories, programmed texts, flashcards; computers, magazines and newspapers rarely used.
Mohammed (2008) observed that the teaching of English language is bedeviled with many problems such as inadequate period of teaching, bad method of teaching and lack of adequate and useful resources. 
Therefore, it is clear to us that inadequate infrastructural facility leading to large class size and inadequate as well as to media lead to poor performance of English language in florin metropolis isthe teachers' attitude toward innovation and use of instructional media. Most Ilorin metropolis primary school English language teachers fail to take into account the dynamic nature of English curriculum but they continued to bore pupils with definitions and drills in grammar, vocabulary and speech work.
Therefore, it is clear to us that poor attitude of teachers toward innovation and use of instructional media or materials in teaching English language leads to poor performance among primary school pupils in Ilorin metropolis. Another important cause of poor performance in English language is the negative attitude of students toward the learning of English language. Pupils, particularly in primary schools mostly show negative attitude toward learning of English language because they consider it foreign or not theirs. Mohammed, (2002) was of the view that most pupils put a kind of negative attitude in learning and use of English language as well as making teachers task a difficult one indeed. Udumah, (1987) was of the view that teachers should device ways through which they can help the students to improve their learning, speech and their listening skills.
Factors Affecting the Teaching of English Language in Primary Schools
No matter if it is difficult or easy to master a language, it is a prolonged and consistent period. Acquiring or learning a language requires much time and effort from not only the learners, but from the teachers as well.
Nowadays, 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.
In discussion about language teaching and learning, Brown (2007) 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 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 teaching depends upon learning". Cook (2001) also states that there is no point in providing interesting, well prepared language lessonsif students do not learn from them.
It is important for teachers and learners to understand the goal of language teaching and learning, as well as how toachieve it. It is pointed out that the goal of language teaching is to develop learners' communicative competence. (Liu, 2003;
Rivers, 2004). 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 and to be able to convey to others what they themselves wish to share" (Rivers, 1978). 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 in essence, 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, where as reading and Writing are the most important forms of written communication.
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 summarized below. The methods are grammar-translation method is "a way of studying a language that approaches the language first through detailed analysis followed by application of this; of its grammar rules, knowledge of the task of translating sentences and texts into and out of the target language" (Richards, 2001).
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 students’ 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, 2004). 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). Pupils are expected to interact with each other, rather than with teachers (Richards, 2001). To acquire this capacity, pupils need to haveconfidence, high motivation and positive attitudes toward their study (Liu and Zhang, 2007). Therefore, learner autonomy and motivation are important factors for successful teaching and learning. In relation to the roles of teachers and learners while teachers play the role of controllers and knowledge providers, the students' role is quite passive in Nigeria (Hussain, 1999; Dayo and Ali, 2012; Nzagbi, 2010).
Teaching materials play an important role in promoting communicative language use. There are three kinds of teaching materials: text-based, task-based, and realia. 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 pupils are eager to learn vocabulary with the assistance of visual materials, and that the use of visual materials enhances the pupils' 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 pupils 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 and posters are workbooks, dictionaries, chalkboards, dominant in English classrooms, whereas modern mediaSuch as audio and video, programmed texts, language magazines, computers, and laboratories, flash cards, newspapers are rarely used. In brief, considerable research relating to English teaching has been conducted in a number of countries, including Nigeria (Ayinde, 2010). Ayinde (2010) suggests that delay and non-payment of teacher remuneration and other entitlement have worked against the realization of primary school education thus, resulting to poor performance of the pupils and negligence of duty to the teachers.
Appraisal of the Literature Reviewed
Teachers in Nigeria have been experiencing hard time for the few years, due to irregular payment of salary. The state under study (Kwara State) had been one of the victims. This has prompted the teachers to absent from school exercise, nonchalant attitude towards teaching and learning process, unable to go for professional course and also to take care of other responsibility that may come their way. These in turn have contributed to poor performance in English language.
It is against this general background that this study was conceived to investigate the causes of poor performance in English language common entrance examination of primary school pupils in Ilorin, looking at the various findings and assertion made by the above scholars, it is quite obvious that all the review identified the following as causes of poor performance in English Language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin.
Fema (2003) was of the view that the major causes of the errors in English used by primary school pupils in Ilorin can be attributed to the interference of mothers tongue with English language thus, contributing immensely to poor performance in English language common entrance examination. 
Adedokun (2011) was of the view that poorly trained English and untrained teachers (of English) were employed to teach and prepare primary school pupils for Common Entrance Examination in English language. Mohammed (2008) observed that the teaching of English language bedeviled with many problems such as inadequate period of teaching, method of teaching and lack of adequate useful
facilities and resources.

CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter is presented under the following sub-headings:
-	Research Design
-	Population, Sample and Sampling Techniques
-	Instrumentation
-	Validity of the Instrument
-	Reliability of the Instrument
-	Procedure for Data Collection
-	Data Analysis Techniques
Research Design
This research is a non-experimental in the sense that it does not involve any experiment. It is a correlational research that studies a relationship that exists between two variables (dependent and independent variables). This research work used questionnaire method in gathering data and data collection.

Population, Sample and Sampling Techniques
Population is defined as the set of all possible cases of interest in a given research work. It could be people, thing or event. Rasaq and Ajayi (2000) defined population as a collection of elements about which the researcher wishes to make an inference work. 
The sample and sampling techniques employed in this research work were random sampling. There are many primary schools in Ilorin Metropolis out of these primary schools under review, twelve (12) primary schools were randomly chosen in this research work. This reduced the problem of going round all the primary schools in Ilorin; since all the schools took the same examination taken by the sampled twelve (12) primary schools. This would serve as a basis for generalization in the schools. The schools selected were:
Pakata L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Kuntu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Shiekh Alimi L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Alore L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Iwanu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Eruda L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Ecwa LG.E.A Primary School, Ilorin
Adeta LG.E.A Primary. School, Ilorin
Anifowose L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Ansarul Islam Kuntu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Mount Camel L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin.
Baboko L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Instrumentation
The instrument used for collecting the data for this research work is questionnaire. The questionnaire contains twelve (12) items; seven (7) questions were for the learners while five (5) questions were for the teachers. The questionnaire was distributed to both teachers and pupils from twelve purposely selected primary schools in Ilorin.
Validation of the Instrument
Validation of the instrument was done by research supervisor after prior correction which was effected by the researcher. Contents of the instrument was considered useful and relevant because the headmasters and the English language teachers of the selected schools ascertained that the instrument employed during this research work were appropriate for the learners and should be properly administered.
Reliability of the Instrument
Test and retest was conducted on small sample out of the research sample in interval of two weeks. The correlation revealed 0.72 which was considered high enough for reliability.
Procedure for Data Collection
The sets of questionnaire drawn in this research work were distributed to the pupils and teachers by their headmasters.
A total of one hundred and forty-four (144) copies of the questionnaire were given to ten (10) each of the one hundred and twenty (120) pupils selected randomly from each school; twenty four (24) copies of questionnaire were also given to the teachers. They were given two days to read before they respond to the questions in other to give objective and accurate response on the issues raised.
Data Analysis Techniques
The method used in analyzing the data for this research work is frequency count and percentage. This method was used in comparing response of the respondents and for testing each of the research question postulated for this research work.

CHAPTER FOUR 
RESULT AND DISCUSSION 
Result 
	In this chapter results are presented in the tables with explanation on causes of poor performances in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin: strategies used for improving the academic performance and solutions to the problems of poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination among the primary school pupils. After this, detailed discussion of the entire result takes place. 
Table 4.1	Student Variable Questionnaire (STQ)
S/N	Item	Yes	No	
1.		Does your teacher use teaching aids?	20(16.7)	100(83.3)	
2.		Do you have enough textbooks to study English language effectively?	25(20.8)	95(79.2)	
3.		Does your teacher teach English language effectively? 	21 (17.5)	99(82.5)	
4.		Do you do your assignment?	80(66.7)	40 (33.3)	
5.		Do you feel happy during English? Language lessons. 	33 (27.5)	37(72.5) 	
6.		Do your culture and tradition affect the study of English language?	30 (25)	90 (75)	
Source: field survey, 2024.
	From the table above 16.7% of the respondents agree that their teacher use teaching aids, while 83. % of the pupils disagree that there teacher use teaching aids. Item 2 on the table above shows that 20.8% of the pupils agree that there is no enough textbook to study English language effectively, while 79.2% of the pupils disagree that there is enough textbook to study English language effectively. Item 3 on the table above shows that 17.5% of the pupils agree that there teacher teach English language effectively, while 82.5% of the pupils disagree that teacher teach English language effectively. Item 4 on the table above shows that 66.7% of the pupils agree they do their assignment. Item 5 on the table above shows that 27.5% of the pupils agree that they feel happy during English language lesson, while 72.5% of the pupils disagree that they feel happy during English language lesson. Item 6 on the table above show that 25% of the pupils agree that there culture and tradition affect the study of English language, while 75% of the pupils disagree that there culture and tradition affect the study of English language
Table 4.2	Questionnaire for the Teachers	
S/NO	Item	Yes	No 	
1.		Do you attend to pupils individually 	4 (16.7)	20 (83.3)	
2.		Do you organize lesson for pupils?	8 (33.3)	16 (66.7)	
3.		Do you teach with past common entrance question papers?	10 (41.7)	14 (58.3)	
4.		Do you mark scripts and return to the pupils to correct it?	7(29.2)	17(70.8)	
5.		Do you make correction with pupils? After given exercise?	16(66.7) 	8(33.3)	
Source: field survey, 2024

Table 4.2 reveals the response of the teachers (Respondent).
Item one on the table above shows that 16.7% of the teachers attend to pupils individually, 83.3% of the teachers don't attend to the pupils individually. Item 2 on the table above shows that 33.3% of the teachers organize lesson for the pupils, while 66.7% of the teachers don't organize lesson for pupils. Item 3 on the table above show that 41.7% of the teacher teach with past common entrance question paper, while 53.3% of the teacher don't teach with past common entrance papers. Item 4 on the table above shows that 29.2% of the teachers mark scripts and return to the pupils to correct their mistake, why 70.8% of the teacher don't return script to the pupils to correct their mistake, Item 5 on the table above shows that 66.7% of the teachers make correction with pupils after given exercise, While 33.3% of the teachers don't make correction with pupils after given exercise
Discussion
From the analysis of the questionnaire it can be deduce that causes of poor performances in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin strategies used for improving the academic performance and solutions to the problems, are because teachers have not been using teaching aids, insufficient textbook to study English language effectively and teachers don’t teach English language effectively. Others include; pupils are not happy when been taught English language as a subject, culture and tradition level of effect on the study of English language, that pupils not attended to individually, no extra lesson organized for pupils, teachers don't teach with past common entrance papers, as well as scripts when marked by teachers are not return to the pupils to correct their mistake though correction are done with pupils after given exercise. This results to poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin. A situation Abdullahi (2016) reported that critical analysis of the results of primary school pupils in Ilorin have been poor in recent years, that a state of emergency should be declared in primary schools in Ilorin both private and public schools to improve the performance of the pupils.

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary
The main focus of the research work was to investigate the causes of poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination in Primary School in Ilorin. Towards this need, twelve primary schools were selected by means of random sampling techniques. Also, 144 research subjects were randomly selected to respond to the research instrument titled; Causes of Poor Performance in English Language Common Entrance Examination in Primary School in Ilorin.
The instrument which items is classified into three categories; each category corresponds to each research question. Frequency counts and simple percentage were the statistical tools used for data analysis.
In specific terms, the result shows that causes of poor performances in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin viz a viz strategies used for improving the academic performance and solutions to the problems, are because teachers have not been using teaching aids; insufficient textbook to study English language effectively, teachers don't teach English language effectively, pupils are not happy when been taught English language as a subject, culture and tradition do not affect the study of English language, it is also revealed that pupils are not attended to individually, lesson are not organize for pupils, teachers don't teach with past common entrance papers, scripts when marked by teachers are not return to the pupils to correct their mistake though correction are done with pupils after given exercise.
The results of this research work largely agree with those of Agboola (2005), David (2016) and Abdullahi (2016). The only difference lie in the area of sample used as well as the type of instrument utilize for data collection
Conclusion
From this research work it can rightly be concluded that insufficient learning materials and teachers, inadequate infrastructural facilities and instructional materials and negative response of teachers to teaching and learning process of English language are the causes of poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin. 
Recommendation
Pupils should be taught correct pronunciation in English language in order to minimize the effect of mother tongue in English language. Infrastructural materials and facilities should be provided for effective teaching and learning of English language. More qualified teachers of English language should be provided that should be encouraged to undertake professional teaching course, workshops and seminar to update their knowledge. Pupils should be encouraged to communicate in English language in and outside the classroom. Facilities like language laboratory should be provided to assist in proper teaching and learning of English language.

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APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE
KWARA STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ILORIN
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES

CAUSE OF POOR PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
COMMON ENTRANCE EXAMINATION AMONG PRIMARY
SCHOOLS PUPILS IN ILORIN 
Student Variable Questionnaire (STQ)
This questionnaire is designed to find out the cause of poor performance in English Language Common Entrance Examination among Primary Schools Pupils in Ilorin Kwara State. The exercise is principally for research purposes. You are kindly requested to respond in sincerity. The information given will be treated confidentially.
Section A: Personal Information
Name of School: ……………………….…………………
Sex: Male (   )   Female   (   )     
Age: 10yrs (   )   11yrs   (   ) 12yrs (   )   13yrs   (   ) Others, Pls. specify………...
Class: Semi finalist (   )   Finalist   (   ) Others, Pls. specify………...

Section B:
1. Does your teacher use teaching aids? Yes ( ) No ( )
2. Do you have enough textbooks to study English Language effectively? Yes (  ) No (  )
3. Does your teacher teach English Language effectively? Yes (  ) No (  )
4. Do you do your assignments? Yes (  ) No (  )
5. Do you feel happy during English language lessons? Yes (  ) No (  )
6. Do your culture, custom and tradition affect the study of English Language? Yes (  ) No (  )
Questionnaire for the Teachers
1. Do you attend to pupils individually? Yes (  ) No (  )
2. Do you organize extra English lesson for pupils? Yes (  ) No (  )
3. Do you teach with past common entrance question papers? Yes ( ) No ( )
4. Do you mark scripts and return to the pupils to correct their mistakes? 
Yes (  ) No (  )
5. Do you make correction with pupils after given exercise? Yes () No ( )

academic performance of primary school pupils and offer solution to the problems caused by poor performance in the Common Entrance English language Examination among the primary school pupils.
Research Questions
The following questions are raised in the study:
4.	causes of poor performances in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin?
5.	strategies used for improving the academic performance of pupils in English language Common Entrance Examination in the primary schools in Ilorin?
6.	solutions to the problems of poor performance in English language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils in Ilorin?
Scope of the Study
The study focused on the causes of poor performance in English Language Common Entrance Examination among primary school pupils; meaning, nature and scope of English language: performance of pupils in Common Entrance Examination, causes of poor performance in English language, examinations and factors affecting the teaching of English language in primary schools in Ilorin Metropolis only. Time and financial constraints led to the random selection of the following schools in Ilorin Metropolis:
Pakata L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Kuntu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Shiekh Alimi L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Alore L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Iwanu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Eruda L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Ecwa LG.E.A Primary School, Ilorin
Adeta LG.E.A Primary.School, Ilorin
Anifowose L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Ansarul Islam Kuntu L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Mount Camel L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin.
Baboko L.G.E.A. Primary School, Ilorin
Significance of the Study
The result of this study will be beneficial to teachers, parents, students, curriculum planner, school administration etc. It would bring to the notice of teachers how best to teach and how best to help the student. It would bring to the notice of parent how best to assist their children academically. The student and the teachers would be able to discover some problem areas in the learning and teaching of English and finding ways of improving their performance. The result of the study would help the teacher to find out the pitfalls which lead to the poor performance of students and to find ways of reducing the numbers of failure in English language.
Operational Definition of Terms
Causes: This refers to a reason for having particular feelings or behaving in a particular way.
Teaching Aids: This refers to the guided exercise prepared on a chalkboard or other materials
Interest: This refers to the feeling that one has when one wants to know more about something
Effective Teaching: This refers to the act of impacting knowledge to an individual with the object of bringing about a desired change in behavior.
Qualification: This refers to an examination that a student passes or a course of study that one has successfully completed.