Teachers ' Teaching Style and the Academic Outcomes of Senior Secondary School Students in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of teachers’ teaching styles on the academic outcomes of senior secondary school students in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State. It focused on three instructional approaches—lecture, discussion, and demonstration—as well as their combined effect on students’ performance in English Language and Mathematics. A total of 150 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students from selected public schools participated in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and achievement tests, and analyzed through descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that the lecture method moderately enhanced students’ understanding and syllabus coverage, but limited active participation and critical thinking. The discussion method significantly improved comprehension, confidence, and participation, while the demonstration method enhanced retention and practical application of lessons. Importantly, the combined use of lecture, discussion, and demonstration methods had the strongest positive effect on academic outcomes, highlighting that integrating teacher-centred and learner-centred approaches caters to diverse learning preferences, sustains interest, and improves examination performance. The study concluded that effective teaching is most successful when multiple instructional strategies are employed, rather than relying on a single method. Consequently, it is recommended that teachers adopt a balanced mix of teaching styles, schools provide professional development for instructional strategies, the Lagos State Ministry of Education promotes learner-centred practices, and parents support active student engagement to optimize academic achievement.