Abstract:
Learners’ attitude towards the study of English Language and Literature in English is
very important for effective teaching and learning in ESL settings. Numerous
researches at various settings on learners’ attitude had come out with various causes
or factors that contributes to learners’ attitude formation. This thesis investigated the
attitude of Senior High Students towards the study of Literature in English in some
selected schools in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The aim of this research was to
explore how Senior High students’ perception of literature had affected their attitude
towards the subject. The data for the research were collected through qualitative and
quantitative means by using questionnaire and interview as the research instruments.
The data were analysed through SPSS. It came out from the findings that the attitude
of most Senior High students in the Eastern Region of Ghana towards literature was
negative. This was as a result of either their home background, textbooks that are
selected for the students to read, or the teaching approach adopted by their teachers.
Majority of the students had negative attitude towards literature as an aspect of
English language because of the above factors. The findings indicated that most of the
respondents do not like the way literature is taught in their schools. Additionally, the
textbooks or literature materials that were selected for the students had been identified
as one of the problems the students had about the subject. Most of the students
preferred to have literature materials of African background. In summary, although
some senior high students believe literature can help them to be proficient in the
English language, majority of them had shown negative attitude towards it and would
not like to pursue any literature course at the tertiary level.
Description:
A dissertation in the Department of Applied Linguistics, Faculty of Foreign Languages Education and communication, submitted to the school of graduate studies, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy
(Teaching English as a second language) in the University of Education, Winneba
SEPTEMBER, 2019