ANALYSIS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CURRICULUM CONTENT AIMED AT TEACHINGSUMMARY WRITING AMONGST SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was an exploration of the analysis of the English language curriculum content aimed at teaching
summary writing amongst secondary school students in Nigeria. The aim of summary writing is to equip the
learner with the technique that enhances comprehension and retention of a written discourse. The review
revealed that summary writing is not a theme on its own in the senior secondary school curriculum; it appears as
a sub-topic under Theme 3 (Literacy skills – Reading comprehension) of each of SS1, SS2 and SS3 classes.
Perhaps, this is why some teachers in English-as-a-second-language (ESL) classroom do not know exactly how
to teach summary writing. It was thus concluded that the teaching of summary writing requires a conscientious
use of innovative techniques, methods, approaches and relevant instructional resources. Nevertheless, it was
recommended that students should be made to realise that the aim of summary writing is to equip them with the
technique that enhances comprehension and retention of a written discourse. This is a skill they shall need
throughout their lives. Moreover, English language teachers teaching summary should aim at enhancing the
ability of learners to comprehend word-meaning through context and making notes thereafter, and not otherwise.