ESL Oral Proficiency Inapt in Senior Secondary School Learners

Abstract

This study aims at determining sociolinguistic strategies that effectively correct ESL oral proficiency inapt in senior secondary school learners. The objectives are: ascertaining speaker’s L1 background and L2 proficiency level connection and how sociocultural sensitivity affects L2 learning. A random sampling technique was used to ensure that the sample is representative of the overall population of the respondents which is a systematic random sampling in a mixed research method to select respondents with questionnaires and interviews used to collect data from 100 students. The data were analyzed and presented in percentages and tables as against the study variables. Results showed that over 70% students during speaking exercises made conspicuous errors in pronouncing English words. However, the findings validated how the use of traditional teaching methods (grammar translation and rote learning) contributed to the decline in English Language fluency and proficiency among learners. Conclusively, students in cites relatively performed better than the interiors, denoting students do not employ good English sentences (spellings, pronunciations, subject verb agreements and similar ailments) when speaking or writing is alarming. These methods prioritized the teacher over students and largely relied on textbooks to transfer knowledge. Teachers involving ESL learners in classroom participation, interactions, and public speaking activities are recommended.