Writing is a tool for communication and learning.However, students’ performance in essay writing in Nigeria has been poor. This under-achievement has been traced to ineffective methods and strategies. Literature reveals that most studies focused on innovative ways to improve students’ achievement in essay writing without attention to essay structure-based instructional strategies. This study, therefore, determined the effects of two modes of Essay Structure-Based Instructional Strategies (ESBIS) on students’ achievement in argumentative and expository (cause/effect) essays. The moderating effects of vocabulary knowledge and attitude to essay writing were also examined. The study adopted a pretest-posttest, control group, quasi-experimental design using a 3×2×3 factorial matrix. Two Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Benin City were randomly selected. Three public secondary schools from each LGA were purposively selected while two intact SS II classes were randomly assigned to each of the treatment and control groups. The instruments used include: Achievement Testsin Argumentative (r=.79) and Expository Essays (r=.80), Vocabulary Knowledge Test (r=.83), Questionnaire on Students’ Attitude to Essay Writing (r=.73). Data were analysed using ANCOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test at 0.05 alpha level.There was significant main effect of treatment on students’ achievement in each of argumentative (F (2, 284) = 9.78;.064) and expository (F (2, 284) = 55.26;.28) essays and in both combined (F (2, 284) = 4.80;.033). The two-way interaction effect of treatment and the moderator variables on students’ achievement in each of argumentative and expository essays as well as in both combined was not significant.

Performance in school examinations has remained one of the reliable indices of the quality of education in many countries. For over two decades in Nigeria, students' performance in most subjects on the school curriculum including Literature-in-English has been persistently declining. A number of explanations are offered for this unsatisfactory situation. Many students experience frustration in their efforts to study Literature due to poor proficiency in the English language as well as non-facilitative methods and strategies adopted by teachers. Studies on the teaching of Literature further revealed that the focus of research was on such issues as methods, strategies and problems of teaching Literature in the secondary school. Only a few studies centered on text possession while little or none seem available on whether the teacher's methods and pedagogical practices were sensitive to students' extent of text possession. The study, therefore, investigated the extent of prescribed text possession by Literature-in-English students as well as whether the level of text possession by students influenced the teacher's methods and pedagogical practices. The descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. Participants in the study comprised 100 Senior Secondary School II teachers of Literature-in-English and their 500 students in Ibadan metropolis. The participants were selected using purposive random sampling techniques. Three instruments used for the collection of data were: Questionnaire on Students' Possession of Prescribed Prose Literature Texts (r= .76), Questionnaire on Teachers' Organization of the Teaching of Literature (r= .75) and Classroom Observation Schedule for the Teaching of Prose Literature (r= .84). Four research questions were answered. Data analysis involved the use of frequency counts and percentages. Results revealed that a majority of the students do not possess the prescribed Literature texts (60.2% and 65.5%) for African and non-African novels respectively. Teachers generally adopted the read aloud and explain method of teaching Literature (61%).This is followed by the teacher assigning chapters to be read from home and discussed in class (37%). There is also the use of the lecture method (27.18%). Results further indicate that when a majority or all the students possessed the prescribed texts, teachers used read aloud and explain method (43.1%) as well as the lecture method (25.8%) and discussion method (1.8%). Similarly, when either a few or none of the students possessed the prescribed texts, teachers used read aloud and explain methods (36.4%) followed by the lecture method (28%). It was concluded that lack of text possession by the students and teachers' inflexible use of methods in spite of varying contexts of teaching and learning are strong pointers to students declining performance in prose Literature. Government and parents should take realistic measures to provide prescribed texts for students while teachers should be encouraged to use innovative methods that are c...

This study investigated the effects of two methods of instruction on secondary school students ' critical response to Prose Literature text. The study adopted a pretest, posttest, control group quasi experimental design. The participants in the study were 84 Senior Secondary II students of Literature-in-English purposively selected from four Schools in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. Two intact classes were randomly assigned to each of the treatment and control groups. Three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level. The instruments used were: Critical Response to Prose Literature Test (r = .75), Questionnaire on Home Background of Students (r = .82), and Critical Response to Prose Literature Test Marking Guide. Data obtained were subjected to Analysis of Covariance and graph. The results showed significant main effect of treatment on students' critical response to Prose Literature (F (1, 77) = 44.731; p < .05). Students exposed to Engagement Strategies Method performed better than those exposed to the Conventional Method of instruction. Further, home background of students had no significant effect on students' critical response to Prose Literature text (F (2, 77) = 4.902; p < .05). There was significant interaction effect of treatment and home background of students on students' critical response to Prose Literature text (F (2, 77) = 3.508; p < .05). It was concluded that Engagement Strategies Method is effective in promoting students' critical response to Prose Literature text. Teachers of Literature-in-English should employ Engagement Strategies Method in teaching Prose Literature to students in Senior Secondary Schools.