ANALYSIS OF CLASSROOM PSYCHO-SOCIAL FACTORS AS A PREDICTOR TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN UPPER BASIC SCIENCE, FUNTUA ZONE, KATSINA, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study investigated classroom psycho-social factors as a predictor(s) to slow learners‟ academic performance in upper basic science, Funtua zone, Katsina Nigeria. A correlation research design was used. The study population comprised of all co-educational Junior secondary II Basic Science students for 2017/2018 session in Funtua education zone with a total of 5044 students. A total of three hundred (300) of Junior secondary two (JSS 2) basic Science students took part in the study. The research instruments used for data collection were, Basic Science Performance Test (BSPT), Intelligent Quotient (IQ) Test and Questionnaire. BSPT was found to have reliability co-efficient of 0.79. The research questions were answered with the used of correlation analysis to determine the extent of relationships of independent variables with dependent variables. Regression analysis was used to test the null hypotheses of the study with the significant level fixed at0.05. The findings showed that there was a significant positive relationship between classroom psychosocial factors of parental influence, teacher-students interaction and academic performance, hence the hypothesis. Based on these findings, relevant recommendations were made. A major highlight of the recommendation is that parents should promptly pay the school fees of their childr5en and also ask the children the type of friends they keep during or after school hours.