Effect of the Constructivist Method on Junior Secondary School Students’ Achievement in Poetry: Implications for School Counseling in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effect of the constructivist method on junior secondary school students’ achievement in poetry in Nigeria. Sixty junior secondary class-two students participated in the study. The instrument used was a questionnaire developed by the researchers. The experiment consisted of 12 weeks of full intervention and 6 weeks of follow-up meetings. The study used repeated-measures ANOVA to see the achievement level in poetry of each participant across control and treatment groups post intervention. Results show a significant effect for the constructivist method on achievement in poetry among students in the treatment group compared to the control group. They also show that the effect of the constructivist method on students’ achievement in poetry is not determined by gender. The implications for research and practice are discussed in accordance with these outcomes. The researchers conclude by emphasizing the importance of a follow-up study in the Nigerian context that would make the teaching method more robust through the use of the constructivist method for high academic achievement and improved school counseling.