CHALLENGES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN CLASSROOM TEACHING AND LEARNING AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Effective communication is a vital component of successful teaching and learning processes in secondary schools. It serves as the foundation for transmitting knowledge, fostering understanding, and promoting active participation between teachers and students. However, in Nigeria, several challenges hinder effective communication in classroom teaching and learning. This study examines the key barriers that secondary school teachers and students encounter in achieving meaningful communication. Specifically, it highlights issues such as language differences, large class sizes, inadequate teacher training, poor instructional materials, cultural and socio-economic factors and the influence of technology and distractions. The research adopts a qualitative approach to assess how these factors impact the teaching-learning process and the overall academic performance of students. This study therefore discusses the concepts of communication, effective communication, classroom teaching, classroom learning and challenges of effective communication in Nigerian secondary schools with the application of Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication theory. The study concludes that overcoming these challenges requires deliberate strategies such as teacher capacity-building, improved classroom management techniques, integration of modern teaching aids, and fostering interactive teacher-student relationships. The research suggests that policymakers, educators and stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector should prioritize communication skills development in teacher training programmes and create supportive environments that enhance interaction in classrooms.