Summarization Techniques Used by Primary School Pupils in Kuje, Abuja, Nigeria

The study investigated the techniques used by primary six pupils in answering summary questions in three primary schools in Kuje, Abuja. The study purposively selected three primary schools out of one hundred and fifteen and two arms of primary six in the selected schools, with two hundred and ninety-nine pupils and twelve teachers making a total number of three hundred and eleven samples. Three research instruments were used: The first one designated as Instrument A contained sections A and B. Section A contained personal data of the teachers while section B contained two open ended questions for free responses. Instrument B contained examiners’ observations during marking and instrument C was a curled passage with a set four teacher made questions. With aid of a research assistant, the instruments were administered on the pupils and teachers who wrote free responses answers. Responses of pupils were marked by four seasoned examiners and the marked scripts were vetted by one more experienced examiner. Techniques used in summary writing were categorised into three, extractive, abstractive and hybrid. Though pupils committed infractions, the results showed that abstractive techniques, the acceptable method, took the lead with 65.7%, 62% and 68.8% in centres A, B and C respectively followed by extractive and the least was hybrid methods. The study concluded that pupils use acceptable examination techniques to respond to summary questions. It was recommended that spelling drills be encouraged and that teachers should teach pupils how to write simple and correct sentences.