There are many causes of poor performance in English language among senior secondary school
students. These include the followings:
The dominance of mother tongue is regarded as one of the cause of poor performance in English
language. Usman, (2012) was of the view that Nigerian students are surrounded by a complex linguistic
situation that force them to learn their first indigenous language and they are required to have a good command
of the English language. The Nigerian policy on education stressed the use of the immediate language of the
community in instruction at the lower level of primary education and combination of English and language of
the immediate community at the upper part of primary education. In other words, the policy recommended the
use of mother tongue in teaching at primary level. This situation contributes immensely in poor learning of
English language right from primary school and it extends to secondary school. Fema, (2003) was of the view
that the major cause of the errors in English used by Nigerians can be attributed to the interference of mother
tongue with the English language. He added that students often use their native language or mother tongue in all
their interactions and English is only used within the four walls of the classrooms and ends there.
The above situation clearly shows that dominance of mother tongue in Azare metropolis contributed
immensely in poor performance in English language.
Inadequate qualified English language teachers also cause poor performance in English language in our
secondary schools. Due to the above mentioned cause, in some schools other subject teachers are forced to teach
English language and some who even read it exhibit poor abilities in oral and written expression of it. Therefore,
with this kind of situation these teachers can never teach effectively and hence poor performances from their
products. Adedokun, (2011) was of the view that poorly trained English and untrained teachers (of English)
were employed to teach and prepare secondary school students for the school certificate examinations in English
language. This situation contributed immensely in poor performance in English language among secondary
school students.
Therefore, is clear to us that inadequate qualified teachers in our secondary schools lead to poor
performance in English language