Abstract:
The English Language Teacher Preparation Programme (ELTPP) at Faculties of Education (FoE)
in universities aims to produce quality English Language Teachers (ELTs) for senior secondary
level. However, this objective is hardly met as many graduates of FoEs in public universities in
southwestern Nigeria perform below expectation in their various places of works. Previous studies
have concentrated more on interventions to improve the quality of ELTPP than on evaluation of
ELTPP in universities. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate Pre-service English
Language Teacher Preparation Programme (ELTPP) in public universities in southwestern
Nigeria, with a view to determining its strength and weaknesses.
The framework was provided by Kelly’s Theory and ATO Evaluation Model, while the mixed
methods design was adopted .The multistage sampling procedure was used. Three(3) states (Ekiti,
Osun, Lagos) containing both federal and state universities were purposively selected. Six (three
federal, three state) public universities running programmes in ELTPP were purposively selected.
The purposive sampling technique was used to select 360 final year English Language students
who were in 400 level (60 from each university). Thirty lecturers of ELTPP(5 per university) were
randomly selected. The instruments used were Lecturers’ Perception of ELTPP(r=0.75), Students’
Perception of ELTPP(r=0.76) questionnaires, Inventory of Availability of Human Resources for
ELTPP (r=0.78), Teaching Methods of ELLs (r=0.89) and Classroom Teaching Observation
Schedule (r=0.81). Two sessions of focuse group discussion were held with principals and Heads
of Department of English Language in their schools of practice. The quantitative data were
analysed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data were content-analysed.
The majority (93.0%) of the lecturers had Ph.D degree, and 52.8% had 11-20 years teaching
experience. The admission requirements and the profile of lecturers conformed with the National
University Commission Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (NUC, BMAS). The
prescribed material resources were not sufficient (𝑥̅ =1.49) and human resources were inadequate
(𝑥̅=1.38), against the threshold of (1.50). Lecturers had a positive perception of the programme
(𝑥̅= 3.0), against 2.50 threshold. Students had a good perception of the preparation programe(𝑥̅=
2.80) and the objectives of the preparation programme were relevant and adequate (𝑥̅=4.00) against
the threshold of 2.50. The teaching methods (𝑥̅=3.02),lesson preparation(𝑥̅=3.19),
delivery(𝑥̅=3.04), assessment practices(𝑥̅=2.87), content knowledge(𝑥̅=3.04), classroom
management(𝑥̅=3.06) and communication skills(𝑥̅=3.00) of the respondents were good, against
the threshold of 2.50. Many of them had high content knowledge of English Language.The
principals and head teachers agreed that the human and material resources were not sufficient,
however, communication skills, preparation of lesson note and delivery and classroom
management were good.
The pre-service English Language teacher preparation programme in public universities in
Southwestern Nigeria was good. High content knowledge, communication skills, good classroom
management, good lesson preparation and lesson delivery of graduates were the strengths of the
programme, while inadequate human and material resources were their deficiencies. These
deficiencies should be addressed by faculties of education.
