Teaching and learning objectives are targeted at producing students who are proficient in the use of the four language skills in English. Students’ perception of their learning competence and their teachers’ teaching methods is necessary feedback for the efficiency of the teaching and learning process. However, some teachers prefer to hold on to their old methods of teaching, while some students display negative attitude towards learning which adversely affect academic achievement. This study therefore, set out to examine students’ perception of their competence and their teachers’ teaching methods. Three research questions and two hypotheses were used, some of which include: What are students’ perception as regards their competence in the four language skills? What are students’ perception as regards the teaching methods used by their English teachers? Using simple random sampling techniques, a sample of eighty (80) pupils and eighty (80) students from primary and secondary schools from six (6) public schools (one from each of the six (6) states in Niger-Delta region in Nigeria was used. A 48 – item questionnaire called Students’ Perception Instrument (SPI) was used to obtain data for the study. Factor analysis was used to determine the content and construct validity and reliability of the instrument. Data were analysed using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis was used to answer the research questions. The result indicates that teachers make effort to represent the four language skills in teaching of English in class; Use of appropriate teaching methods aids students’ understanding. The study recommends that teachers should consider their class size, subject matter, students’ level and employ the appropriate method for the optimum benefits of their students.
Keywords: Competence, English Language, Students’ Perception, Teaching method
