The Challenges of Teaching English Language and Literature in Tertiary institutions in Nigeria

Abstract

There are two fundamentally different ways of understanding teaching. The first sees teaching as an instructor-centered activity in which knowledge is transmitted from someone who has acquired that knowledge to a novice learner: Teaching as knowledge transmission. The second sees teaching as a learner centered activity in which the instructor ensures that learning is made possible for novice learners and supports, guides and encourages them in their active and independent creation of new knowledge: teaching assisted knowledge creation. Teaching is the activities involved in facilitating or educating to impart knowledge or skills to learners. For one to teach well, one must have mastered English language and literature in order to communicate well. Effective communication is made possible through English Language and Literature. It is really a fact that English language and Literature have made rapid and remarkable progress in the study of languages. As disciplines, they quickly gained recognition, popularity and acceptance in the country, Nigeria. This feat, however, could not escape distractions as it is confronted with certain challenges especially in Nigeria. This paper therefore, examines the challenges of teaching English language and literature in Nigeria. The article adopts a conceptual study method and was guided by three objectives which sought to know the status of English language and literature in Nigeria, the challenges that confront the teaching process and the effects of the challenges on the Nigerian learners. The paper adopts a qualitative descriptive method. The study also adopts the communicative competence theory propounded by Dell Hymes in 1966. The study finds out that teaching of the two disciplines had some challenges in Nigeria. Ways of improving the disciplines were recommended.