CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Reading as an intellectual activity is undertaken in literate society for obtaining information, acquiring and expanding knowledge. It is an important activity in the life of an individual because it motivates the individual interest towards the achievement of more knowledge. It also affords the individual to derive pleasure and entertainments in sharing from the experiences of others communicated through print or test materials. It is also a process by which printed words are assimilated, interpreted and transmitted into spoken words to understand the meaning and apply it on a daily basis.
Reading habits are well-planned and deliberate pattern of study which has attained a form of consistency on the part of students toward understanding academic subjects and passing at examinations. Reading habits determine the academic achievements of students to a great extent. Both reading and academic achievements are interrelated and dependent on each other. Students often come from different environments and localities with different levels of academic achievement. Therefore, they differ in the pattern of reading habits. While some students have good reading habits, others tend to exhibit poor reading habits. Academic achievement means how much knowledge the individual has acquired from the school (Bashir & Mattoo, 2012).
Reading is a receptive skill like listening and vocalizing what was stimulated, it also productive when it is done aloud. However, it is a mental process involving the interpretation of signs perceived through the sense organs. According to Longe and Ojo (2016) reading is the ability to transform the visual representation of language into meaning. According to Walker (2008) reading is an active process (not a product like history) in which readers shift between sources of information (what they know and what the text says) elaborate meaning and strategies, check their interpretation (receiving when appropriate and use social context to focus their responses). The Interpretation Reading Association (2005) says reading is a complete system of deriving meaning from print that requires all the following: the development and maintenance of a motivation to read, the development of appropriate active strategies to contrast meaning from prints, sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension, the ability to decode unfamiliar word and the ability to read fluently.
From this definition of reading, we can deduce the reading is a complex activity that requires good mastery and personal interest for sound effectiveness, consequently most students lost interest and concentration thereby leading to poor reading habits among students. A creative and pragmatic education involves the habit of personal investigation. The act of personal investigation requires self-study to be followed by self-thinking and analysis. Self-study, otherwise referred to as reading at one’s own accord, requires a habit, which is known as reading habit. Reading makes way for a better understanding of one’s own experiences and it can be an exciting voyage to self-discovery. “Reading habit is best formed at a young impressionable age in school, but once formed it can last one’s life time (Green, 2011).
Reading and academic achievement are essential for research workers and educationists to know that every child whether he or she is gifted, average, normal or backward etc, should be educated in his or her own way but if he or she possesses good study habits, he or she can perform well in academics and in every situation. It is the reading habits which help the learner in obtaining meaningful and desirable knowledge. Good reading habits act as a strong weapon for the students to excel in life (Bashir & Mattoo, 2012).
Reading culture is the process of building up positive reading attitude among students and children over a period of time. When an individual habitually and regularly read books and other information materials that are not necessarily required for him to advance in his profession or carrier, he is said to have a reading culture (Gbadamosi, 2007). Reading lecture in essence therefore is the kind of culture that imbibes reading and studding as the basis of growth and development. It is the type that sees continuous and dedicated reading of information resources by pupils, children, students and adults for knowledge acquisition, which will be equipped and applied practically for development. Reading sharpens the mind, makes one reason rationally and objectively as well as projects one for greatness in life. That is why scholastic in describes readers as leaders.
According to Palani (2012), reading habit is an essential and important aspect for creating a literate society in this world. It shapes the personality of individuals and it helps them to develop proper thinking methods, and creates new ideas. However, the developments in the Mass Media, had continued to influence interest in reading (hard copy of literatures such as…) books, magazines and journals, among others. Palani (2012) is of the opinion that, effective reading is important avenue of effective learning and reading is interrelated with the total educational process and hence, educational success requires successful reading habit. He believes reading is the identification of the symbols and the association of appropriate meaning with them. It requires identification and comprehension. Comprehension skills help the learner to understand the meaning of words in isolation and in context. Before the advent of the television, both the young and the old found enough time to read.
Apart from teachers, other professionals used to spend their leisure time in reading both English and vernacular literature. English medium schools almost always demanded extra reading from their students. But all these have become a thing of the past. Palani (2012) further added that, nowadays, reading habit has lost its importance as both the young and the old are glued to the television. As far as educational institutions are concerned, coaching students for the examinations seems to be the be-all and end-all of our educational system. A lot of researchers like Ogbodo (2002), Bhan & Gupta (2010), and Singh (2011) have done work on reading, especially how it affects the academic performance of students. However, most of these works pertain to the international community. Few ones such as Ward, (1997), Agbezree, (2001) conducted in Ghana were limited to primary and secondary levels of education. It is against this backdrop that it has become necessary to conduct similar study in Lagos State to examine the effect of reading on the performance of students in Office Technology and Management in College of Education, Lagos State.
Statement of Problem
From early time to the present, Nigeria has attached much importance to reading starting from primary school through the tertiary level. It is important to note that there exist many complex problems that may result to the problem of poor reading habits and its consequences on the academic performance of a child in school system. This made the researcher to dive into possible effects encountered by College of Education students in Lagos State of Lagos State State.
The problem most students have that contributes to their poor performance in tests and examinations is lack of proper reading habits. For an excellent performance, there is the need for the student to form good reading and study habits. At present, due to the influence of the mass media, people do not show much interest in reading books; magazines and journals, among others (Palani, 2012). Even the cankerworm of examination malpractices may be traceable to the prevalent poor reading interests and habits among the wide spectrum of students. In addition, the by-products of scientific and technological inventions and innovations have also contributed greatly to the dwindling fortunes of the good practice of reading among majority of the students. Today, many students prefer to watch movies and other shows on the television, listening to audio-CDs, watching video-CDs, among others (Issa, 2012). Many parents and teachers complain about students of our generation who have not developed reading habits among themselves.
It is of great interest to note that most students especially in College of Education students in Lagos State is faced with the problem of poor reading habits and this problem has taken deep roots in the part of the students either as a result of lack of qualified lecturers, ill- health of students, bad method of teaching, outdated textbooks, family background and psychological factors and teachers poor attitude towards reading and teaching students the proper reading skills. The net result is the poor performance of many students in final examinations. One of the many issues confronting students nowadays is perhaps, not their inability to read but their lack of interest.
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is to examine the effect of reading on the performance of students in Office Technology and Management in College of Education, Lagos State. The study intends to specifically;
i. assess the reading habits among Office Technology and Management students.
ii. determine effect reading on their academic performance.
iii. find out the relationship between (Students’) reading habits and academic performance.
iv. examine kind of materials do students read when they visit the library.
Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the study;
i. What are the reading habits among students?
ii. Does reading habit have effect on academic performance?
iii. Is there a relationship between (Students’) reading habits and academic performance?
iv. What kind of materials do students read when they visit the library?
Significance of the Study
This research work would be useful to students, as they will have first-hand information of the causes, effect and lasting solution on the problems of poor reading habits. Also, this research will make government, lecturers of tertiary institutions and students to update themselves with new method of teaching reading and the provision of educational facilities.
It will serve as an eye opener to the government on the role of library in schools; the negative impact of poverty on education in Nigeria. Our nation decrepit educational infrastructure is crying for an urgent and holistic overhaul. The learning environment needs to be safe, neat, creative and functional.
The awareness of the consequences of poor reading habit will make students improve on the suggested solution and this will serve as a channel to students as regard their reading in and outside their tertiary level and this will motivate them to provide the necessary school materials for themselves. It will also enhance the standard of education because the study will equip students to master some key words and techniques or reading. This will lead to success and self-reliance during their exams and in the society.
Scope of the Study
This study is limited to College of Education, Lagos State. It covers students offering Office Technology and Management as a course of study. It cut across both male and female students. The independent variable of the study is reading while that of dependent variable is performance of students in Office Technology and Management.
Definition of Terms
Academic Performance: This is the realization of Learning measured after a learning process has taken place. Performance relates to the level of achievement of a person (student) given tracts or characteristics.
Academy: A school or college for special training
Comprehension: The power of understanding and exercise aimed at improving or testing ones understanding of language.
Concentration: The ability to focus ones attention.
Effect: The way in which an event, action, or person changes someone or something.
Reading Culture: The attitudes and beliefs about reading that are shared by a particular group of people or in a particular organization.
Reading: It is the ability to attach meaning to printed symbols.
Skills: The ability to do something well
Student: A person usually under the age of 16 who students in secondary school.
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