DIGITAL LITERACY: A VITAL TOOL FOR EFFECTIVE MASTERING OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN A MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOM

Abstract

The study confirmed among other issues of the global need to re-focus teaching-learning in
effective ways than the orthodox methods. It considered digital literacy as an essential tool for
effective English language learning and English proficiency in Ekiti State public schools with the
aim of highlighting the influence of knowledge on students' English proficiency and provide
possible solutions to various problems affecting students. The nature of the problem and the
basis of the information gathered in the literature review formed the basis for the development of
a conceptual explanation of the research variables. Furthermore, the study was guided by four
research questions that were set out to answer. The study employed descriptive method. One
hundred and seventy (170) respondents as the research sample, including 20 English teachers
and 150 public high school students from Oye Local Government Area, Ekiti State.
Questionnaire was the tool used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using
frequency and percentage. The results showed that many students cannot use computers
effectively. The results also showed that they were easily distracted during online classes. The
results also indicated that a large percentage of students cannot afford to buy digital tools due to
the high cost. It was discovered that the government failed to provide adequate digital teaching
and learning resources for schools. It could be concluded that students have a poor attitude
towards digital learning due to various challenges affecting and preventing them from the
required digital skills.