Teachers’ Support and Classroom Engagement as Correlates of Academic Adjustment of Upper Basic Secondary School Students in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated Teachers’ support and classroom engagement as correlate of academic adjustment of Upper Basic secondary school students in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two objectives, two research questions and corresponding null hypotheses. The study adopted a correlational research design and the population of the study comprised 127, 405 JSSI students from one hundred and sixty- nine (169) Junior Secondary Schools in the state out of which a sample size of 384 respondents was obtained using multi stage sampling procedure. Two instruments were used to obtain data for the study. These instruments are Teachers-Students Relationship Questionnaire (TSRQ) and Students’ Academic Adjustment Questionnaire (SAAQ).  The instruments were validated by three experts from Measurement and Evaluation Department and the Department of Educational Foundations for content and construct validity. The instruments were also validated using Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient, which yielded reliability indexes of 0.89 and 0.83 for Teachers-Students Relationship Questionnaire (TSRQ) and Students Academic Adjustment Questionnaire (SAAQ), respectively. Mean and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions, while the formulated hypotheses were, however, tested at 0.05 level of significance using Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC). Findings from the study revealed a significant positive relationship between teacher support and academic adjustment of upper basic secondary school students in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The results also showed a significant positive relationship between teachers’ classroom engagement and academic adjustment of upper basic secondary school students in the area. The study concluded that teachers’ support and teachers’ classroom engagement have significant positive relationship with upper basic secondary school students’ academic adjustment in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The study therefore recommended, among others, that the Nasarawa State Government should prioritize initiatives that enhance teacher support systems in schools. By reinforcing policies that encourage teachers to provide academic and emotional support to students, the government can contribute significantly to the academic adjustment and overall success of upper basic secondary school students in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.