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- ItemOpen AccessThe Teaching of Language Skills as a Sequential Bilingual Education Process: An Assessment of Basic Primary School Language Coursebooks in Nigeria(Centre for Language in Education and Development, 1994) Adegbite, WaleIn this paper Wale Adegbite assesses the adequacy of the language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing - content of some Yoruba and English coursebooks for pupils in early primary education in some Yoruba states of Nigeria. Using certain principles of Sequential Bilingual Teaching of Language Skills (SBTLS) as parameters, he examines whether the coursebooks present these skills in such a way that can enhance efficient acquisition and learning of Yoruba and English by pupils. He later observes that although most of the textbooks recognise some of the SBTLS principles of presentation of language skills, they are characterized by certain limitations which prevent them from promoting efficient bilingualism. He then suggests that coursebooks of Yoruba and English should present language skills in a way in which skills learnt earlier will facilitate the learning of later ones.
- ItemOpen AccessEnglish Idioms: A Review of Recognition Criteria(Centre for Language in Education and Development, 1994) Jowitt, DavidIn this paper David Jowitt attempts to review the characteristics by which an idiom may be recognised. After exploring the various ways in which the term 'idiom' has been used by scholars and in dictionaries, he observes that the set of properties often used to define the idiom are insufficient. However drawing inspiration from the various terms, descriptions and classification of previous works, Jowitt goes on to list four necessary properties of idioms. These should form the basis for the compilation of a new dictionary of idioms, including particularly the dictionary that would meet the special needs of teachers and learners of English in Nigeria.
- ItemOpen AccessDetermining the Determiners(Centre for Language in Education and Development, 1994) Cook, DavidDavid cook in his paper seeks to unravel the mystery behind the deep-seated problems for second language speakers of English in finally grasping the subtleties in usage of the basic English determiners - 'the', 'a'/'an' and 'zero'. His reasons for these problems are attributed to certain linguistic and non-linguistic sources, but certainly not to their level of intelligence. Having identified the problems, Cook tries to find a way of remedying them. his suggestions of solutions pertain to both linguistic and applied linguistic areas based on certain requirements; an adequate pedagogical grammar of English determiners for ESL learners, an appropriate textbook, a well-trained teacher, an appropriate learning environment, a superabundant supply of rich examples of data in different apt contexts, and an appropriate methodology.
- ItemOpen AccessToward a New English Language Education Programme in Nigeria(Centre for Language in Education and Development., 1994) Atoye, R. O.Atoye in this paper draws attention to the primacy of speech in language learning and use. He however regrets that in Nigerian education, the written form of language is given more emphasis. He draws attention to the inherent danger in giving primacy to the written instead of the spoken medium of language. Atoye also examines the status of English in Nigeria, especially as postulated by the National Policy on Education (NPE). Based on the observed defect of the NPE, he advocates an English language programme which he feels should reflect the status of English as an alternative language used by a large number of Nigerians for conducting their everyday activities. If his position is accepted, more attention will be given to the learning of spoken English in the curriculum.
- ItemOpen AccessFifteen Years of the National Policy on Education: How far has language fared?(Centre for Language in Education and Development., 1994) Bamgbose, AyoThe role of language in education is usually taken for granted by linguists. Since acquisition of knowledge is most effectively carried out through the mediation of language, it comes naturally to linguists to assume that any educational policy must devote a substantial part to language.