Factor Affecting The Teaching And Learning Of English Language In Primary School
[ILORIN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KWARA STATE]

Lack of Qualified Teacher
E.ack of qualified and competent teachers is one of the factors that contribute to the poor teaching and learning of English Language Education is the main access to national development and teachers constitute a very vital component of Branharn (2002) stressed that a high quality building brings an atmosphere of high quality students’ performance School infrastructure has a great influence on teaching and learning Schools with leaking roofs, temporary buildings and understaffed custodial services provided an environment where students were less likely to attend school and more likely to drop out O’neil (2000) also stressed the relationship between infrastructure and the teaching and learning of English the system Teachers occupy significant position in the school system Though learners are the entra1 figure in the rocess but without teachers, teaching and learning activiti s cannot take place Mkpa (2002) believed tht teachers are the heart and the soul of the educational enterprise wire of the school system.
Otu (2006) considered teachers as the prime mover in the development of optimum condition for learning Mayei, Mullens and Moore (2000) in their research confirmed that capable teachers are the essential link between public aspirations for high quality schooling and students’ academic performance. Johnson and Immeruhan (1994) informed that America ranked good teacher as the most important thing schools need in order to do a good job.
Contributing to the issue, Dada (2000) however affirmed that teachers need some basic education and training to equip them for their job He believed that the !ck of sufficient knowledge and the know-how will adversely affect the teaching- learning process This lack of knowledge he believed will not help them to understand what is expected of them and as such will lead to unsatisfactory execution of the teaching.
The shortage of teachers: The shortage of teachers is another crucial factor that affects teaching and learning In situations where there are not enough qualified teachers to teach the subject, the workload is often beyond their ability Dada (2000) said that the number of available qualified teachers is far below the required number Some schools have just two teachers to teach six classes.
Another factor negatively affecting the teaching and learning of English language in primary schools is the increasing linguistic deficiency and incompetence of teachers in English language Okonkwo (1984) said that the mistaken confidence in teachers’ effectiveness will militate against their improvement. Thorough knowledge of the content of the subject matter and quality of teaching depends on teacher preparedness (Cyril & Poster 1993). However, there are qualified teachers who are incompetent. This arises as a result of inadequate preparation to be conversant with the lesson content.
Methodology of Teaching
Teaching is a process of imparting knowledge ideas and beliefs on a person or a group of persons and so teaching cannot be effective unless the right method is applied. Teaching method is an important factor in teaching and learning activity, it is an important instrument that teacher employs in performing his basic function of teaching.
There are various methods of teaching that are employed to make the teaching- learning situation effective Some methods are teacher-centered while some are learner-centered, still some attempt to combine both Methods used also differ from place to place Methods that worked m one speech community, may not work in another community Supporting this, William (1990) stressed on relevance
He went further to say that strategies that are practicable in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia may not work m second and or foreign language learning context like Nigeria In the same vein, Ubahakwe agreed that the methods appropriate to the needs of one group of learners may not be appropriate to the needs of another. Some teachers hold strongly to the teacher centered approach which gives little or no opportunity for the students to contribute in the teaching - learning process. This makes the students become passive and lose concentration (William 1990). Lack of concentration arises in most cases where the teacher uses words above the level of the students, and where he talks to the board rather than to the students.
Availability of Instructional Materials
There is the need to use appropriate teaching aids! instructional materials to facilitate students’ understanding. Instructional materials or equipment serve as good means of supplementing or complementing mere verbalization of factual knowledge and invariably shift to practical application when used appropriately in the process of teaching and learning.
Abiri (1980) affirmed that instructional materials or teaching aids make learning meaningful by relating language to more concrete objects and situati through the use of visual or audio visual aids He said further that they are of various types and are of tremendous importance in the teaching of language at any level Instructional materials help to arouse students’ interest, motivate and make learning easier for them.