Factors Militating Against the Effective Teaching and Learning of Krio at the Junior Secondary School Level:

This study was aimed at investigating factors militating against the effective teaching and learning of Krio at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) Level in a sample of JSS pupils in selected schools in the Western Area of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Questionnaires were administered to both teachers of Krio and pupils offering the subject at the targeted level. These, alongside observation and focus group discussions, were used to determine the level of training and experience of the teachers; facilities which support the teaching and learning of Krio; attitudes of teachers, pupils and other stakeholders towards the teaching and learning of Krio; mode and frequency of assessment; provision of institutional support; and, the success rate of pupils at the Basic Educational Certificate Exams (BECE) in the selected schools. Three schools were targeted. In each of these schools, questionnaires were administered to 50 pupils, giving a total of 150 respondents.  A total of eleven teachers were sampled. The study revealed that: The teachers of Krio in the selected schools were and trained and qualified. However, none of them studied krio as a major and only about one third read it as a minor. Teaching and learning materials are inadequate, and time allocated to the teaching of krio is insufficient. Attitude is a major factor which militates against the teaching and learning of krio in the selected schools. Written assignments, tests and exams are the main assessment tools. Institutional support (in-service trainings/workshops/seminars) plays a great role in building teachers’ capacity to teach the subject as all the teachers sampled did not study krio as a major subject. BECE results (krio -2010 and 2011) indicate that only a small percentage of the pupils at JSSIII opted for krio


Introduction
The Krio language spoken in Sierra Leone is one of four core national languages taught at the JSS level. Krio is also a course of study in some tertiary institutions.
The Krio language spoken in Sierra Leone is closely connected to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade era during which Africans captured as slaves were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to work in mines and plantations in America. The slaves, captured from diverse locations, found themselves in a difficult situation; they could neither communicate among themselves nor with their slave masters. Initially, paralinguistic devices helped; with time, the slaves borrowed lexical items and structures from the language of their masters. These were combined with lexical items from their own native languages. Eventually, a functional language emerged. This was referred to as a pidgin language. It was not as developed as the English language or the native languages of the slaves. Nevertheless, it served the basic purpose of facilitating communication. Close to the end of the 18 th century, philanthropists and Christian missionaries fought for the abolition of the inhuman trade.
Their efforts led to the arrival of various groups of freed slaves in Freetown. The freed slaves spoke pidgins, which were mutually intelligible, to ease communication. The Recaptives, the last set of freed slaves to arrive, brought in the African element into Krio; unlike the other groups, they had not been exposed to Western civilization. Krio was born out of a situation of heightened linguistic complexity. There was great intermingling of the following: pioneer settlers (who had some command of English, they spoke pidgin languages they had acquired in the mines and plantations); Recaptives (who knew no English at allthey spoke just their African tongues, the most pervasive being Yoruba) and indigenes (Themnes, Limbas etc., who spoke their www.ijohmn.com 61 own mother tongues); they needed a common medium to communicate. That was how Krio started off -as a Pidgin (makeshift language). With the passage of time, it evolved into a Creole language, having a status that made it suitable to be used in formal and public spheres. This metamorphosis made Krio the native language of a new generation of speakers. With the inception of the 6-3-3-4 system of Education, Krio was introduced as one the subjects of instruction at JSS level; it then became necessary to introduce the language in tertiary institutions, as teachers were needed to teach the language in schools.
In the National Teaching Syllabus, JSS Krio -Years II & III, Palmer (1994: iii)  Krio is the lingua franca in Sierra Leone; the reason it was selected as one of the four core indigenous languages to be taught in schools and colleges.
The inclusion of Krio, however, seems to have little or no impact at all, both within the educational system and the society as a whole. The BECE results for Krio underscore the fact that little or no learning takes place. Internal examination scripts would show similar patterns, if tests are carefully structured. There seems to be no increase in the areas of competence and performance. A pupil who has been using the structure: "A de pan it." instead of: "A de it." (I am eating), still continues to use the same erroneous structure after having gone through the BECE.
To take it further, one could ask the following questions -How many of those who passed the BECE in Krio can really write satisfactory compositions in the language? How many of them really develop active interest in creative writing in the language afterwards? Had there not been is not likely to be exhaustive. There is need for this enterprise even if others had been undertaken before as the problem is still with us.

Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to determine the factors that militate against the effective teaching, learning of the Krio language at the JSS level in selected schools.
The objectives of the study include the following: • Determine the level of training and experience of the teachers of Krio in the selected schools • Identify facilities that exist in the selected schools that could enhance the effective teaching and learning of Krio.
• Determine the attitude of pupils, teachers, parents and other community members towards the teaching and learning of Krio in the selected schools.
• State the means teachers use to assess their pupils.
• Find out how frequent teachers assess their pupils.
• State any institutional support provided to enhance the effective teaching and learning of the Krio language in the selected schools would be useful not only to teachers and pupils but also policy makers and the nation as a whole.
The findings may help teachers of Krio and the other Sierra Leonean languages do selfevaluation, and tailor their methods accordingly; policy makers would also be guided in the formulation of their policies -for instance, what can be done to ensure high performance rate and to sustain the interest of pupils even after they have passed these languages at BECE?
According to Freeman and Freeman (2004: 200) "Children come to school knowing the language of their community. This is quite true but it does not mean that they are literate in that language they have need to learn the conventions of their standard written language." Research and material production contributes greatly in this respect. Similarly, Philipson (1992) holds the view that trained teachers, well-written textual materials and improved teaching methods are more important than the time for which a language is taught. Hiep (2005: 3) notes that: "Knowing a language involves more than knowing a set of phonological rules. Learners need to develop communicative competence which is the ability to use the target language appropriately in a given social encounter" It would have been ideal to have samples drawn from various schools in all the regions of the country, thus making the picture more representative and nationalistic in character. As one may be well aware, the impact of the teaching and learning process is not only felt in the selected schools but in the society as a whole. However, a relatively small group was chosen. The choice of this design was much influenced by time and financial constraints.
Teachers of Krio and JSS pupils offering the subject in the selected schools form the population of this study. The pupil sample size is one hundred and fifty (excluding JSS 1 pupils who are considered beginners). In each of the selected schools, questionnaires were administered to 50 pupils, giving a total of 150. Sampling was randomly done. A total of eleven (all the teachers of Krio in the selected schools) were sampled; six from the Annie Walsh, two from Laura Dove and three from Prince of Wales. The sample size of all respondents was 161(150 pupils and 11 teachers). Structured questionnaires were used as the main instruments of this research.
Observations and focus group discussions with teachers and pupils also formed part of the data collection process. Two separate sets of questionnaires were administeredone to the teachers and another to the pupils. Materials obtained from the library and internet were used as secondary sources.

Method of Data Analysis
The responses from pupils and teachers were analysed separately. Simple statistical calculations of means/averages were employed to determine the range of responses, and tables used to explain the analysis.

Results/Findings and Discussion
Teacher Profile -  Most of the teachers who teach Krio as a subject in the selected schools are native speakers of the language, a total of 9 (nine), 81.1%. Out of a total of 11 teachers, only two are non-native speakers, 18.1% Areas of specialization of the teachers According to the table above, all the teachers of Krio in the selected schools never studied Krio as a major subject in college. This means that it is not their area of specialization.  Facilities that exist to enhance teaching and learning of Krio in the selected schools Information collected from the teachers' questionnaires indicate that a higher percentage of the respondents support the claim that teaching and learning materials are inadequate (18% a population and there is also another 18% that remain neutral; no teacher strongly disagrees with the fact that teaching and learning materials are not available. This table shows the reactions of teachers to the view that classes are overcrowded and difficult to manage. Those who share this view constitute 27% (strongly agree) and 9 % (agree) respectively, the total of which will be relatively lower when compared with those who do not believe that is what obtains (27% disagree and 27% strongly disagree). A very small percentage of the respondents did not indicate their position on the issue. This indicates that teachers in the selected schools generally do not see overcrowding as a major factor that hinders the teaching and learning of Krio. This is represented by 27.23% who disagree and also 27.23% who strongly disagree.   Questionnaires were administered to eleven teachers, one did not respond to any of the questions in this section, leaving a total of ten respondents. Data collected shows that 70% (40% strongly agree, 30% agree) subscribe to the view that parents/community members think that Krio should be taught only by native speakers of the language as opposed to 30% (10% disagree and 20% strongly disagree) who do not share that opinion.
(ii) Krio contributes to the falling standard in the use of English  With regards to parents view on Krio being a criterion for employment, a high percentage of the respondents strongly do not believe that parents see Krio as a criterion for gainful employment (60% disagree and 10% strongly disagree. Only the remaining 30% support the view.  Table 14 illustrates that most of the teachers perceive their pupils as being enthusiastic towards the learning of the language (63.6%), but not very enthusiastic as only 9% of the respondents rate their pupils thus; 27% consider their pupils somewhat enthusiastic. However, findings show that none of the respondents think that his or her pupils completely lack enthusiasm.   All the respondents claimed that they assess their pupils twice a term, giving an overwhelming 100% as shown in the table above.   A total of one hundred and fifty pupils (50 from each school) were given questionnaires. Annie

Institutional support
Walsh School is for girls, Prince of Wales is for boys whilst Laura Dove comprises both sexes.
Even though these schools were chosen for gender parity, results indicate that more boys offer Krio at Laura Dove making the overall percentage of boys (53%) a bit higher than those of girls.
However both sexes are well represented.    As can be seen from the table above, over half of the respondents (56.66%) claim they want to learn the correct form of the language and ultimately be in a position to correct others who may use it wrongly; 16.66% are interested in learning Krio so that they can use it as a medium for creative writing, 14.66% consider it an easy option which requires less studying and 12% said that they want to learn the language because they are interested in learning about the Krio culture. Those who differ in their opinion constitute 42% (20.66% disagree and 20.66% strongly disagree). As far as most parents are concerned, Krio contributes to the falling standards of English. Interaction with pupils further revealed that majority of them think their parents and many community members view Krio as irrelevant in terms of job opportunities and therefore learning in school is a sheer waste of time. According to them one's time is better spent learning maths and English which are core subjects; krio on the other hand for them is rather insignificant.   The number of those who had credits (1-4) is more than that of those with ordinary passes and failing grades (5-7) 62% of the candidates who took the exams scored 1-4 and 38% fell under the 5-7 grades. in the selected schools. 30 % got passes (7.25% got 5 and 23.25% got 6). The remaining 17% failed the Krio exams. phenomenon is that all the teachers of Krio in the selected schools never studied the language as their major subject. Those with well over 16 years' experience may claim that it was not a part of the curriculum at the time when they went through their tertiary education. Others whose teaching experience fall under the one to five or six to ten years range cannot make the same claim as the 6-3-3-4 system of education came into being over 15 years ago (1994). The fact that there is a 100% negative response in this area triggers some degree of apprehension. This becomes further heightened when one learns that only 36% of these teachers studied the language as a minor option, a figure considerably lower than the 64% of those who studied other subjects.

Assessment
However, when one learnt from discussions with the teachers that most of them studied Language Arts, (and in a few cases French), that helped to allay the fears. This is because background knowledge in any language subject could serve as a guide in the teaching of Krio. Another point that is also encouraging is the teaching experience (length of service) of the teachers. A greater percentage of the teachers have taught for over ten years (9.09%, 11-15 years), 45.45% above 16 years; total 55). The remaining 45% fall under the one to five years range. Teachers who have been in the field for a relatively longer period may be in a better position to overcome challenges and therefore be more successful.
Facilities that support the teaching and learning of Krio in the Selected schools Results generally indicate that most teachers are of the opinion that teaching and learning materials are inadequate. An average of 64% are on the strongly agree/ agree side (18.8% and 45.45% respectively). Two of the teachers (18.2%) disagree and two remain neutral. The inadequacy of materials should not however be a hindrance altogether. In the review of related literature, it came out clearly that the teacher makes all the difference. A dedicated and creative teacher can be successful even amidst difficult situations. Teachers do not have to rely heavily on textbooks.
They need to make use of local materials, for example. Here, one is talking about a language situation, teachers need to be creative; make use of charts, flash cards, write short stories and even encourage the children in the area of creative writing. Theoretical perspectives also reveal that improved methodologies are a strategy for success in the teaching and learning processes. In other words, a teacher must by dynamic or reflexive in his or approach. The data obtained from pupils' questionnaires also point to the fact that teachers heavily depend on the use of textbooks and chalk and blackboard. Sixty percent ticked this option as their teachers' most frequently used materials. In response to the issues of time allocated to the teaching of Krio, 54% of the teachers share the view that time is insufficient.
On the same issue, 74% of the pupil respondents claim that Krio is taught for two periods a week, and the remaining 26% said that they have Krio four periods a week on their time table.
This disparity, perhaps, has to do with the level of the pupils. Pupils in JSS III might be given more contact hours in some schools as they have to take external exams.
However the 100% response (for two periods per week) at Laura Dove does not indicate this preference. Two periods per weeks is really not enough for the teaching of a language subject considering the various kinds of activities that make for effective learning. However, one has to Attitude greatly affects the teaching and learning of Krio; findings reveal that parents prefer their children studying other subjects. Some teachers at Prince of Wales disclosed that parents even insist on their children doing French because it is an international language; more prestigious; in their view, Krio is a widely spoken language; it is irrelevant to teach it in schools.
Besides it contributes to the falling standards in the use of English. Even though other forms of assessment are sometimes used, teachers do not attach much value to them because they are not graded. Emphasis is laid on summative assessment. Teachers need to know that not all forms of assessment should be graded. Formative assessment is there to help teachers to design better instructional strategies and so help their children learn. This is one of our greatest problems. Children are mostly taught to pass exams.

Institutional support
A lot of the teacher respondents, 72.7% said they have participated in in-service trainings and 81.8% have attended workshops or seminars pertaining to the teaching of Krio. That is why even though a lot of them did not study Krio as a major or minor subject, they can teach the language. Among the factors which affect the teaching and learning of Krio at the JSS level attitude is a major one.

Key findings associated with each objective
Results reveal the following: -Level of training and experience of the teachers.
The teachers in the selected schools are trained and qualified and most of them have taught for over ten years. However, none of them studied Krio as a major and only about one third of them studied it as a minor subject. This means they are not adequately equipped to handle the subject.
-Facilities that exist to enhance the teaching and learning of Krio.
Most of the teachers agree that teaching and learning materials are inadequate and that time allocated to the teaching of Krio is insufficient. In relation to over-crowding, a large teachers studied Krio neither as a major nor a minor subject. However, their experience in the field and participation in workshops/seminars have helped them in their practice considerably.
Inadequate teaching and learning materials, insufficient time, and overcrowded classrooms hinder the teaching and learning of Krio. However, such problems could be surmounted if the teacher is creative. Improved methodologies make for effective teaching and learning especially in relation to language learning. Findings reveal that teachers heavily depend on textbooks and chalk and blackboard. One track approach can be monotonous; teachers must exercise some flexibility.
Attitudes play a great role in either supporting or hindering the teaching and learning of Krio.
A good number of the pupils in the sample claimed they are interested in learning the correct form of the language. It is the duty of teachers to make this a reality. Attitudes of parents/community members also serve as a hindrance. A lot of people think that Krio spoils the English language. In fact as far as most parents are concerned, Krio has no relevance in the curriculum. These attitudes are reflected in the number of pupils who opt for Krio at BECE.
Assessments -The most frequently used tools are written assignments, tests and exams.
Both teachers and pupils said assessment is done twice a term. The summative type of assessment is mostly used. Much importance is attached to scores.
Institutional support, particularly the area of professional development contributes positively to effective teaching and learning. It is now obvious that there are factors militating against the teaching and learning of Krio. In any case, these are not insurmountable problems.
Recommendations-One has learnt about some factors, which affect the effective teaching and learning of Krio at the JSS level. The following are some suggestions/recommendations as to how the teaching and learning of Krio could be improved: • Krio (and the other core indigenous languages) should be made compulsory in teacher training colleges so as to ensure that there are trained teachers to handle the subject.
• Government should facilitate the production of adequate materials (for example text books) to enhance teaching and learning.
• School administrators should see to it that teachers benefit from opportunities for professional development (regular in-service trainings, workshops, seminars pertaining to the teaching and learning of Krio).
• Teachers should use more improved methodologies to make their lessons more interesting and easy to comprehend.
• Teaching syllabus must be made available to all teachers of the subject.
• Parents/community members and even pupils should be sensitized on the importance of Krio through TV and radio programmes; Community Teachers Association meetings; performances related to Krio culture during prize-giving or on open day.
• An association for teachers of Krio (and may be the other core languages) could be formed. This could serve as a forum for dealing with issues related to improved methodologies, performance of pupils at BECE, effective assessment strategies, appreciation of cultural diversity, materials production etc.
• Teachers of Krio should have access to Chief examiners report. This will serve as a feedback. They will then know exactly the areas that need special attention.
• There is need for a change of attitude towards Sierra Leonean languages generally and Krio in particular. Pupils, parents and community members should appreciate the inclusion of Sierra Leonean languages in the curriculum.