EFFECT OF MNEMONICS STRATEGY ON PUPILS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN LITERACY IN ILORIN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of mnemonics strategy on pupils' academic performance in Literacy in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. A pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population for the study consisted of all Primary one pupils in the Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. Simple random technique was used to select two private schools and two public schools as the experimental groups, while one public and one private school were randomly selected as control group. Intact classes were used to avoid disruption of classes. Pupils Literacy Performance Test (PLPT), Instructional guide for mnemonics (IGM), and Instructional Guide for conventional Method (IGCM) were used to elicit information. Instruments were validated by lecturers in the Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education and reliably tested at0.77. The data were analyzed using frequency counts and percentage and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that there was significant main effect of treatment on pupils' academic performance
in Literacy (F (1; 69) = 18.171; P<0.05), there was no significant effect of gender on pupils' academic performance in Literacy (F (1; 69)=3.512; P>0.05), there was no significant interaction effect of treatment and gender on pupils' academic performance in Literacy (F (1; 69) = .369; P>0.05). The study concluded that mnemonics strategy can improve pupils' academic performance in literacy. It was therefore recommended among others that pupils should be groomed with mnemonics strategy for adequate retention in literacy.