Theses and Dissertations

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Theses and Dissertations (Department of English)

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Author "Afolahan, Adebisi"

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    English Language Testing: An Evaluation of the West African School Certificate English Language Objective Test.
    (Obafemi Awolowo University, 1987) Adejare, Roseline Abonego; Afolahan, Adebisi
    This thesis evaluates the West African School Certificate English Language Objective Test, using the 1982, 1983 and 1984 tests as data. The tests were administered on three groups of subjects made up of fifth formers as the experimental group, first formers and first year undergraduates as control groups. The tests' content was analysed within the framework of Systemic Grammar to ascertain its comprehensiveness and adequacy. The tests were then evaluated from the perspective of the syllabus, the relevant linguistic models and the objective technique. A statistical analysis of subjects' scores, using the Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test, was undertaken followed by a comparison of the performance of the undergraduate group in the tests with their performance in a set essay. The research leads to four major findings. Firstly the West African School Certificate English Language objective test does not cover all the necessary grammatical categories. Secondly, the content of the test reflects the content of the syllabus but not its specifications. Thirdly, the objective technique is suitable for testing the recognition of form and meaning but not necessarily the ability to use the English Language. Fourthly, the subjects' scores indicate that-the tests are of a moderate level of difficulty. It concludes that the test is only of average validity though an extremely high validity is expected. It therefore recommends that the test should be improved.
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    Register Range in the West African School Certificate English Language Examination (1974-1983).
    (Obafemi Awolowo University, 1986) Osisanwo, Isaac Adewale; Afolahan, Adebisi
    The English Language in the Nigerian educational system functions as a School subject as well as a medium of instruction especially from the fourth year (in some States). Since it is the predominant medium of receiving lectures, finding out facts through reading and communicating knowledge required, through writing, in higher education, it is then necessary that the new entrants to higher education should have attained a reasonable level of proficiency in the use of the English language. With this assumption a pilot study was carried out to find out the writing competence of the freshmen of Adeyemi College of Education. The study showed a very low level of lexical acquisition and use in spite of their entry qualifications in the English language. This discovery led to the major investigation of finding out the content validity of the WAEC, WASC/GCE English Language examination which they all had passed before their admission. The content validity which was in relation to Lexis had to be investigated through register, a valid means of researching into Lexis. The findings showed a very low correlation between syllabus specifications and examination questions on register, thus supporting the fact that there was lack of content validity and power of discrimination in this aspect of the English language examination. The investigation was concluded with recommendations on how to improve the whole of the WASC English language programme and examination.