PEER GROUP TUTORING AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BUSINESS STUDIES IN IKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background to the Study

The teaching process is generally, regarded as an activity undertaken to bring about learning or desirable change in the behavior of the learners. Thus, learning cannot be said to have taking place it at the end of a lesson, the learners’ behavior is not changed in line with the instruction given.

However, the instructional process in school involves systematic approach of imparting knowledge either by oral speech or written language or any way appropriate to the content presented. According the success of the teaching- process depends to a large extent on not only the available of instructional materials but equally teaching methods and their right application. Therefore, it is an incontestable face that the realization of the objectives of any teaching- learning encounter will be an illusion f the methods adopted by teachers area ineffective (Abdulwahab, 2008).

         Educators are daily engaged in the task of improving students’ academic performance. For academic achievement to improve an atmosphere effective teaching approach are vital. The teacher does not only give the most relevant and meaningful concept  he must also adopted a good and well researched method of teaching that will guarantee better understanding of instruction, motivates the leaner’s and improve their academic achievement. One of the innovative methods of teaching Business studies which most researchers believe that it well applied will improved their academic performance or achievement in Business studies is the peer tutoring techniques. It is an instructional method that a use paring of high-performing student’s to tutor lower-performing students’ in a class-wide setting or in a common venue outside of school under the supervision of a teacher. It consists of two or more students working together; teaching comes handy where the teacher may not be able to give individualized attention to the learners or opportunity to deal directly with the teacher especially in large classes. In peers tutoring, the brighter students or taste learner on particular concept. It may be extremely difficult for one teacher to meet the individual needs of all students in any one lesson. There is simply not enough time on the sufficient individualized attention that allows students the opportunity for active interaction among themselves and by so doing learn from their peers (Chambers, 2004, Horvath, 2011, Topping 2005).

         However unlike traditional instructional methods where in it is expected that teacher present information and students are passive listeners, peer tutoring technique actively engage all students in the process of teaching and learning by creating opportunity for social interaction among students as they try to help each other learn ( Romano and Walker, 2010). Currently, there is sufficient research that documents the benefits of peer tutoring as a supplement to traditional method of instruction. Peer tutoring has been use across academic subjects, academic performance. The technique facilitates both cognitive and social gains in both higher performing mentors an individualized and positive way. Hence, the need for peer tutoring technique is boasting student’s academic performance or achievement is Business studies cannot be over emphasized.

1.2      Statement of the Problem

Several research reports indicate that subject achieve poorly in many school subjects in including Business studies. A number of factors have been identified as militating against student attainment of the objective of Business studies instruction. The isolated factors among researchers are the in appropriate and uninspiring teaching methods, technique and strategies adopted by teachers of the subject. Accordingly, a number of teaching and learning Business Studies for the past two decades, finding out the effectiveness of these instructional approaches.

Apparently, available records stills show that there is trend of poor performance of students in the subject. This has been subject of concern to the researcher. It is against this background therefore, that study “Peer Group Tutoring and Academic Achievement of students in Business studies in Ika Local Government Area”.

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