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THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND READING PROBLEMS IN
THE NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
BY
DR OLADIMEJI HALIMA TOSIN
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA
[email p o ec ed]
DOI : h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17715346
Abs ac
This pape examines he ole o English Language in sol ing eading p oblems in he Nige ian
educa ional sys em o a sus ainable de elopmen in a changing wo ld. Being able o ead well is
c ucially impo an o language lea ne s. Success ul pe o mance a academic educa ion is pa ly
dependen on he abili y o ead. I is belie ed ha good lea ne s a e hose who a e p o icien in
eading. Howe e , building such a connec ion be ween a eade and he w i en in o ma ion is
complex and equi es he applica ion o a ious eading s a egies. This pape he e o e discusses
he indispensabili y o eading, he place and impo ance o he English language in Nige ian
educa ion sys em, essen ial skills o eading, common eading p oblems, s a egies o sol ing
he eading p oblems and possible ecommenda ions.
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In oduc ion
eading is a hallma k o li e acy in any language. I is he keelson upon which mic o and
mac o de elopmen s in di e en sphe es o human pu sui a e measu ed. Li e acy has been
and would con inue o be an impo an equisi e skill-se in de e mining indi idual’s social
s a us. In he wo ds o A ms ong (2003) om ancien ci iliza ion o he p esen ime, he balance o
powe esided in people who we e li e a e. Li e acy is he conce n o so many disciplines, na ions and
o ganiza ions. This conce n a he le el o academic disciplines has gi en ise o wha is now e e ed
o as academic li e acies, mul ili e acies, new li e acies o mul imodal li e acies (Kuce , 2014).
Reading can be silen (in ou head) o aloud (so ha o he people can hea ). Reading is a
ecep i e skill- h ough i we ecei e in o ma ion. Bu he complex p ocess o eading also equi es he
skill o speaking so ha we can p onounce he wo ds ha we ead. In his sense, eading is also a
p oduc i e skill in ha we a e bo h ecei ing in o ma ion and ansmi ing i (e en i only o ou sel es).
Reading is one o he ou language skills, which a e: Lis ening, Speaking, Reading and W i ing. Do
we need o ead in o de o speak English? The sho answe is ‘no’. Some na i e speake s canno ead
o w i e bu hey speak English luen ly. On he o he hand, eading is some hing ha one can do on
his o he own and ha g ea ly b oadens one’s ocabula y, hus helping in speaking (and in lis ening
and w i ing). Reading is he e o e a highly aluable skill and ac i i y and i is ecommended ha
English lea ne s y o ead as much as possible in English.
English language occupies a iable posi ion in Nige ia because i is he single mos impo an
language, as he lingua anca, he language o law, legisla i e, adminis a ion and educa ion. In he
Nige ian educa ional sys em, English is he mos impo an subjec in he p ima y and seconda y
school cu icula. As such, high pe o mance in he language deno ing adequa e p o iciency is he
conce n o e e y s akeholde in educa ion (Banjo, 1996; Olao e, 1997 and Bamgbose, 2000). The
ele ance o English language in Nige ia is he e o e seen in educa ion. English language is he
medium o ins uc ion i ually in all le els o Nige ian educa ion sys em igh om nu se y o e ia y
le els. This in-spi e o he p o isions o he NPE (2004) which p esc ibes he use o Nige ian
languages; he Mo he Tongue (MT) o Language o Immedia e Communi y (LIC) o ins uc ions in
nu se y and lowe p ima y school (P ima y 1-3) (Fa unwa, 1998; Emenanjo, 2000). This has no s ill
diminished he use o p e e ence o English medium (Bodunde, 2004).
R
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Since English is s ill being used as medium o ins uc ion, his pape he e o e seeks o explo e
he ole o English language educa ion in sol ing eading p oblems in he Nige ian educa ional sys em
and also o a sus ainable de elopmen in a changing wo ld.
The Indispensabili y o Reading
The concep o eading encompasses a b oad spec um o ac i i ies. To ead is o lea n and
g ow, o expe ience, o unde s and, o ma el, o wonde , o laugh and he likes. Reading has been
de ined in so many ways by schola s, all gea ing owa ds simila ideas. Reading is he
in e p e a ion o p in ed o w i en symbols in o speech o i s men al equi alen . The e is no doub
ha he g aphic symbols pe cei ed by he eyes a e a p oduc o some hing. I he e o e means ha
eading equi es a subjec ma e and he mind has o be ac i ely in ol ed in he business o
in e p e a ion.
Reading implies a silen p ocess o hea ing and lis ening o he w i e speak o you o alk
o you. Reading has been de ined as a uniquely human ac i i y closely linked o ma k-making and
eco d-keeping abili ies (Holde ness, 2003). I is an ac i i y cha ac e ized by he ansla ion o
symbols, o le e s, in o wo ds and sen ences ha communica e in o ma ion and mean some hing
o he eade .
Nwoke (2002) s a es ha :
Reading in ol es he de elopmen o men al skills. I is
mechanical p ocess in ol ing p in ecogni ion … o a
lea ne o show pe ec unde s anding o wha he eco ds; he
mus be in ol ed in he in ellec ual ac i i y o e alua ing and
syn hesizing.
Simila ly, eading is desc ibed by Amodu (2013) as a delibe a e and conscious ac o
engaging one’s eyes on w i en ma e ial o he pu poses o unde s anding, ob aining gene al
in o ma ion o pleasu e. In simila ein, Aliyu (2010) concei ed he e m as a way o building
up om wha has been pu down in he w i en o m … He con inued by saying ha i is a o m
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o communica ion du ing which he con en s, challenges and claims made by a w i e a e gone
o e by he eade who ies o cap u e he subs ance o he w i en ma e ial.
In consonance wi h he abo e de ini ions, eading in ol es a eade ’s abili y o choose
om he ex cues, p edic possible meanings, sel -connec whe e necessa y and in eg a e he
meaning gained om he ex wi h he exis ing knowledge and unde s anding. Hence, i
consis s o wo p ocesses- isual and men al o in ellec ual p ocess. Thus, eading is he
p ocess o looking a a se ies o w i en symbols and ge ing meaning om hem.
The place o eading in all sphe es o ou educa ional sys em, in ou daily in e ac ion
wi h people, and ma e ials canno be o e -emphasized. Reading plays undamen al oles, in ac ,
wo many o be enume a ed among which includes exposu e o new ideas, hings and places, sel -
imp o emen , enhancing unde s anding and comp ehension, an impo an ool o
communica ing wi h o he s and abo e all, a s ong weapon o c ea i i y and imagina ion. As
And e Mai ois (2017) obse es;
The a o eading is in g ea pa ha o acqui ing a
be e unde s anding o li e om one's encoun e
wi h i in a book.
Books play a undamen al ole in ou li es. The e is a p o ound s a emen abou books ha
me i s ou a en ion ha "when you open a book, you open a new wo ld". This s a emen canno
be dismissed by many since he e is a symbio ic ela ionship be ween books and mankind. Man
has o med an in ica e pa ne ship wi h books since he ad en o w i ing culmina ing in
documen ing ou pas his o ies, cul u es, adi ions, in en ions and ideas ha ha e o med pa o
ou con empo a y exis ence. The ole o books and eading is globally ecognized as he wo ld
celeb a es, Wo ld Book Day on he 23 d o Ap il, e e y yea . The day also ma ks he ecogni ion
o w i e s, illus a o s and impo an ly, eading. The signi icance o his day is ap ly desc ibed in
hese wo ds.
The eason o choosing his pa icula da e is in e es ing. The
23 d o Ap il is a symbolic da e o wo ld li e a u e because i is
he da e o dea h o many g ea au ho s and poe s such as
William Shakespea e, Miguel de Ce an es. William
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Wo dswo h and many o he s (h p://max.se// hough s/ heimpo an
o books in ou li e).
The publica ion o books p o ide he eading public an oppo uni y o a m hemsel es
wi h in o ma ion, skills, knowledge and, powe . Vic o ia (2017) a i ms his ole when she s a es
ha a book communica es knowledge, and no only knowledge bu wisdom o all kinds. They say
ha " he mo e you ead, he mo e well ead you a e. In simple e ms wha his means is ha , he
mo e you ead, he mo e exposed you a e; you a i udes, ideas and imagina ion changes". Many
expe s ha e also a es ed o he indispensable ole o eading in ou li es, socie y and u u e
su i al. Acco ding o En ikson (2017):
The e is an old saying, " he pen is migh ie han he swo d".
Ideas w i en down ha e changed he des iny o men and na ions
o be e o o wo se. The low o ideas canno be s opped. We
need o ead and esea ch o build on he good ideas and expose
he bad ideas be o e hey b ing des uc ion. Only by eading can
we be a med in his ne e ending li e and dea h s uggle.
Wi h eading comes li e acy. A li e a e people canno be nai e, manipula ed by hose in
au ho i y. They know whe e hei igh s lie and hey s uggle o pu sue and ge hem. I is in iew
o his ac ha En ikson (2017) s a es ha :
The ac o he powe o he w i en ideas communica ed
h ough eading is a undamen al eason why some
go e nmen s oppose ee and hones communica ion.
Illi e a e people a e easie o con ol and manipula ed. They
canno do hei esea ch and hinking, hey mus ely on wha
hey a e old and how hei emo ions a e swayed.
Besides, acco ding o Jenkins (2011), people who ead books egula ly a e on he a e age
a e mo e sa is ied wi h li e, happie and mo e likely o eel ha he hings hey do in li e a e
wo hwhile. In ac , he impo ance o eading a e inexhaus ible.
On he o he hand, he neglec o eading has g ie ous impac in he o e all educa ional
p ocess and a ainmen . Acco ding o Omo-Ojugo (2005) ci ed in I edi (2007):
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The Wo ld Bank in conjunc ion wi h Nige ia Ins i u e o
Social and Economic Resea ch, Ibadan p oduced a g im
epo in he Nige ian g adua e which has con i med he ea s
o educa o s, pa en s, employe s and he gene al public abou
he degene a ion o he coun y's educa ion. The epo
e ealed ha he a e age g adua es who lea e uni e si y o a
poly echnic wi h a deg ee o ce i ica e is no wo h he
quali ica ion, which he is supposed o ha e. The epo
concluded by saying ha he a e age Nige ian g adua e lacks
echnical skills, has a poo command o English... and la gely
unemployable. Ha old s a ed ha lack o ib an eading
cul u e has been a publishe s' nigh ma e. The
go e nmen e o in igh ing illi e acy is being hwa ed by
s uden s who do no ead nei he hei p esc ibed ex books
no o pleasu e.
Few global epo s emana ing om esea ches and su eys will su ice he e:
1. Low le el o li e acy cos he Uni ed Kingdom an es ima ed 8 billion (pounds) a yea in los
ea nings, and inc eased wel a e spending impac ing on he success o he economy as a whole.
2. Adul s wi h low le els o li e acy a e mo e likely o expe ience poo heal h and o
belie e ha hey ha e li le impac on poli ical p ocesses and a e less likely o
pa icipa e in olun ee ac i i ies.
3. Li e acy has been ound o ha e a ela ionship wi h dep ession. 36% o hose wi h low
li e acy we e ound o ha e dep essi e symp oms, compa ed o 20% o hose wi h highes
le els o li e acy.
Types o Reading Techniques
i. Skimming:
Skimming some imes e e ed o as gis eading, meaning going h ough he ex o g asp he
main idea. He e, he eade doesn’ p onounce each and e e y wo d o he ex bu ocuses hei
a en ion on he main heme o he co e o he ex . Examples o skimming a e eading magazines o
newspape s and sea ching o a name in a elephone di ec o y.
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ii. Scanning:
He e, he eade quickly scu les ac oss sen ences o ge a pa icula piece o in o ma ion.
Scanning in ol es he echniques o ejec ing o igno ing i ele an in o ma ion om he ex o loca e
a speci ic piece o in o ma ion.
iii. In ensi e Reading:
In ensi e eading is a mo e ime consuming han skimming and scanning as i needs he
eade ’s a en ion. I in ol es close eading ha aims a he accu acy o comp ehension. He e, he
eade has o unde s and he meaning o each and e e y wo d.
i . Ex ensi e Reading:
Ex ensi e eading lays mo e emphasis on luency and less on accu acy. I usually in ol es
eading o pleasu e and is mo e o an ou -o -class oom ac i i y. I is highly unlikely o eade s o
ake up he ex ensi e eading o ex hey do no like.
Impo ance o Reading
i. Reading Reduces S ess:
Reading has also been iden i ied as a eliable me hod o educing s ess. Fo example, a 2009
s udy comple ed by he Uni e si y o Sussex epo ed ha eading a book wo ked be e and as e
han going o a walk, lis ening o music and d inking a cup o ea. In ac , i educes s ess up o 60
pe cen .
ii. Reading S imula es he B ain:
Reading is a g ea men al s imula ion exe cise ha keeps he b ain busy so i would p ese e
i s men al powe . Like a muscle, he b ain needs o s ay i and s ong o be able o unc ion p ope ly.
So, eading becomes an in ense wo kou o i . A 2013 s udy ha appea ed in Neu ology jou nal ound
ou ha eading books can help o keep memo y and hinking skills in ac .
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iii. Reading Imp o es Memo y:
E e y new memo y c ea ed by he b ain imp o es sho e m memo y by gene a ing new
synapses and s eng hening new ones.
i . Reading Helps o App ecia es A and Engage in Social Wo k:
Acco ding o he Na ional Endowmen o he A s and o he o ganiza ions, people who ead
a lo a e se e al imes mo e likely o isi conce s and museums han hose who do no . Thus, book
eading encou ages people o ac i ely pa icipa e in he social wo k and imp o e he wo ld a ound
hem.
. Reading Imp o es Analy ic Thinking Skills:
Analy ic hinking is an essen ial skill o many p o essions. Reading is an e ec i e ool o
imp o ing i . Fo example, ha e one e e ead a book and guessed he ending co ec ly be o e he o
she inished i ? I one ha e, i migh be a p oo ha one’s analy ical skills a e good.
Essen ial Skills o Reading Success
i. Decoding
Decoding is he abili y o sound ou wo ds one has hea d be o e bu hasn’ seen i w i en ou .
This is a i al s ep in he eading p ocess as i o ms he ounda ion o o he eading skills. Decoding
hea ily elies on an ea ly language skill called phonemic awa eness. Phonemic awa eness is he abili y
o hea and manipula e di e en sounds in o wo ds. One de elops his awa eness when lea ning abou
syllables, wo ds and sounds (phonemes).
ii. Phonics
Phonics is he abili y o ecognize he connec ion be ween sounds and le e s hey make. This
p ocess o mapping he sounds in wo ds o w i en wo ds is a e y impo an eading skill. One i s
decodes in o sounds and encodes he sound in o wo ds as he o she w i es and spells.
iii. Vocabula y
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A good ocabula y is a undamen al pa o academic success. This eading skill is necessa y
o unde s anding he meaning o wo ds, hei de ini ions, and hei con ex . The mo e wo ds we know,
he be e ou eading and unde s anding o he ex s ead.
i . Fluency
Fluency is he abili y o ead aloud wi h unde s anding, accu acy and speed. I is a skill needed
o good eading comp ehension. Indi iduals luen in eading know how o ead smoo hly a a good
pace using p ope ime and wi hou making oo many e o s.
. Sen ence Cons uc ion and Cohesion
Sen ence cons uc ion and cohesion may seem like a w i ing skill. I ’s an essen ial eading
skill. Connec ing ideas be ween and wi hin he sen ences a e called cohesion, and hese skills a e
essen ial o eading comp ehension.
i. Reading Comp ehension
I has o do wi h unde s anding he meaning o ex s bo h in s o y books and in o ma ion books.
In ic ion books, one imagines he cha ac e s and sha e an emo ional and ad en u ous jou ney wi h
hem. In non- ic ion books, indi iduals gain new in o ma ion which deepens hei unde s anding o
new opics and concep s. Reading comp ehension is a complex skill ha equi es ime and p ac ice o
de elop ully.
ii. Reasoning and Backg ound Knowledge
This skill helps one use he backg ound knowledge o make in e ences and d aw conclusions.
Mos eade s can ela e wha hey ha e ead o wha hey know. They can also ead be ween lines o
pull ou he in o ma ion when i ’s no li e ally spelled ou in he ex .
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8. Exposing s uden s o di e en discou se pa e ns
Mos academic eading is in he o m o na a i e discou se, and i is wha mos s uden s a e
amilia and com o able wi h. To help expose hem o di e en ypes o ex and di e si y hei skills,
in oduce al e na i e discou se pa e ns in he o m o an a icle o a pe sonal le e . These a e
comp ehension abili ies hey will need o ha e and will suppo hei abili y o ead and unde s and
na a i e w i ing as well.
9. Allowing s uden s choose he books hey ead
S uden s a e much mo e likely o be exci ed o ead when hey ge he oppo uni y o ead abou
some hing hey a e in e es ed in. Cu a ing a sho lis o op ions o s uden s and le ing hem pick –
his will imp o e hei engagemen and c ea e en husiasm abou eading.
10. Making s uden s ead he same con en mul iple imes
As i is said, ha p ac ice makes pe ec and ha ings ue o eading ool. This p ac ice was
o mally known as Fluency-O ien ed Reading Ins uc ion (FORI) and calls o s uden s o ead he
same ex mul iple imes in di e en se ings – silen ly, ou loud, in pai s, in g oups, solo and so on.
This helps s uden s imp o e hei p onuncia ion and comp ehension and solidi ies he skills hey a e
lea ning in indi idualized eading ins uc ion.
Conclusion
Oppo uni ies o eaching and sol ing eading p oblems occu a all le els h oughou he
cu iculum. Good comp ehension d aws om bo h linguis ic knowledge and knowledge o he wo ld
we li e in. S uden s de elop skills in comp ehension h ough high-quali y discussion wi h eache s,
and om egula ly eading and discussing a ange o ex s ac oss gen es. The e o e, he eading
s a egies o sol ing eading p oblems discussed in his pape should be p ac iced, consolida ed and
expanded on as he s uden s’ p og ess h ough school.
G owing eade s mus lea n o ead on he lines, be ween he lines, and beyond he lines.
Reading will in ol e li e al, in e p e i e and in e en ial comp ehension as i deepens in complexi y.
As s uden s ge mo e ad anced, hey will lea n concep s such as ans e ing knowledge o con ex s
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and unde s anding an au ho ’s iew poin , pu pose and in ended audience. When hey acqui e hose
skills, hey will be able o c i ically analyze messages and in o ma ion in a ange o li e acy modes o
a ious pu poses.
Recommenda ions
i. S uden s should spend signi ican amoun s o ime eading engaging ex .
ii. Teache s should selec ex s o s uden s which suppo au hen ic lea ning. These could include
opic-based o in e es -based ex s.
iii. Teache s should gi e s uden s access o a ange o ex s in a ious gen es (mul imodal, p in -based,
images, anima ions, g aphic ep esen a ions, ideo, audio, diag ams/cha s, news-
pape s/magazines, ic ion and non- ic ion).
i . Teache s should gi e he s uden s ime o alk o each o he abou he ex hey ha e ead and
lis ened o.
. S uden s should be gi en ime o w i e and e lec on hei eading.
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