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RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, E-ISSN: 2456-3064 Volume I, No. 2, October, 2016, pp. 36-48.
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and
Learning in Schools
Ebizie Elizabeth Nkechi
Assistant Research Fellow,
Institute of Education,
University of Nigeria,
Nigeria.
Enajedu Esther Ewomaoghene
Lecturer II & Head,
Department of Guidance and Counselling,
School of General Studies,
Delta State School of Marine Technology,
Nigeria.
Nkechi Egenti Principal Executive Officer,
Department of Physiology,
University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus,
Nigeria.
Structured Abstract:
Purpose: Guidance and counselling plays an role of in schools for the child
future success of the child. The study recognises the fact that counselling is a
transformative process of helping people to learn all that are to be learnt both
in and outside the School.
Design / Methodology / Approach: The study adopted the use of review
research techniques because is an opinion paper.
Findings: The paper acknowledge the fact that it is necessary for counsellors
to build confidence of the child to trust him / her to be able to give him/her the
rightful information needed in helping the child (students).
Practical implications: The guidance counsellors should encourage students
to under the therapy session to be able to help the child in their future success
Originality / Value: This paper deals with the role of guidance and
counselling in effective teaching and learning in schools for the child future
success.
Keywords: Guidance & Counselling, Teaching & Learning, Schools, Child.
Paper Type: Theoretical Research Paper.
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 37
Introduction
Guidance and counselling is an important educational tool in shaping the orientation in a
child from negative ideas that is planted in the child by his/her peers. Hence the need school
for the counsellor to assist the child in moulding their future through counselling therapy. The
school counsellor is seen as a role model and highly respected by students. The counsellors
by their training are expected to be friends with the school child, listen to the child’s
complains, short comings and proffer guidance to the child in a quest of moulding the child in
the right part to take in their life pursuit.
Egbo (2013) stated that “the total development of a child can only take place in an
environment conducive for teaching and learning”. It is in realization of the above that all
educational services which can promote teaching and learning in schools are given prominent
attention by educational planners. Counselling services are among the school educational
services. It is believed that guidance and counselling services in school shall develop, assess
and improve educational programmes; enhance teaching and improve the competence of the
teacher and reduce cost for the children.
The school children are undergoing some of the most difficult periods of life. The transition
from childhood to adulthood is a difficult one, even for the most balanced child. Apart from
the influence of the family, the other major influence on the young person’s life is the school
and the school environment. The most that other influences can attempt to do is to help each
young person to cope with the changes and wrought associate with adolescence, to develop a
sense of responsibility, to make definite and considerable personal decisions. In short,
families and schools have a duty to assist young people in their self-growth towards
becoming a self-fulfilled and well adjusted adult.
Counselling and guidance can provide a good basis for a broader education for life. While
being non-medical and non-psychiatric, it can be used as therapy for individuals with specific
personal problems, or it can be the foundation of a more general “life skills training
programme” for the student who, though not suffering from any particular problem, should
be assisted in building up his/her personal resources in order to cope effectively with their
future lives (Stokes, 1986). Hence, the Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective
Teaching and Learning in Schools for the Child Future Success.
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 38
Review of Related Literature
In guidance and counselling, these two words generally take on different meanings. The
former refers to helping students’ whole-person development, while the latter is frequently
targeted at helping students with problems. In other words, guidance work is preventive and
developmental in nature whereas counselling is more of supportive, remedial work (Lai-
Yeung, 2014). The global trend seems to have moved from a casework and remedial
approach to a preventive, developmental approach in providing guidance and counselling
(Gysbers & Henderson, 1994; Yuen, 2002; Lai-Yeung, 2014). Hence guidance and
counselling is a very necessary therapy to school children.
Guidance in schools is that area of the schools provision that is specifically directed towards
helping pupils realise their full potential in preparing for adult and working life,
(O’Concubhair, 1981). Akinade (2012) defines guidance and counselling as a process of
helping an individual become fully aware of his/her self and the ways in which he is
responding to the influences of his/her environment. It further assists him to establish some
personal meaning for this behaviour and to develop and classify a set of goals and values for
future behaviour.
According to Oviogbodu (2015) counselling can be defined as a number of procedures in
assisting an individual to solve his problems. Counselling is more involved emotionally in the
affective realm personalized learning, that is, emotions and feelings, values, attitudes.
Counselling is an interaction or relationship between two or few individuals, the client
counsellor relationship of trust (Geshinde 1991; Adebowale, 2012; cited in Oviogbodu,
2015).
Counselling is a learning process in which a counsellor helps an individual or individuals
learn, understand themselves and their environment and be in a position to choose the right
type of behaviours that will help them develop, grow, progress, ascend, mature and step up,
educationally, vocationally and socio personally, (Egbo, 2013). In other words, counselling is
a transformative process of helping people to learn all that are to be learnt both in and outside
the School.
Counselling is a person-to-person process in which one person is helped by another to
develop, increase in understanding and ability to solve his or her problems. Sometimes it
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 39
could involve a group of two or more persons. Consequent on the discussion it is important to
highlight the benefits of Guidance and Counselling to students in the school programme.
Objective of the study
• To study the benefits of the school counseling program for students
• To study the school guidance counsellors areas of work
• To study the aims of guidance and Counseling in schools
• To study the role of guidance and counselling in schools
• To study the effective teaching and learning: guidance and counselling perspective
Research Question
1. What are the benefits of the school counseling program for students?
2. What are the school guidance counsellors’ areas of work?
3. What are the aims of guidance and counseling in schools?
4. What are the role of guidance and counselling in schools?
5. What are effective teaching and learning, guidance and counselling perspective?
Methodology
The study is mainly analytical in nature. The secondary information has been collected from
various publications, reports, Periodicals, books, journals and newspaper etc. Internet source
and websites were also consulted for the purpose of the study.
Discussion
What Are the Benefits of the School Counseling Program for Students?
The following are benefit of counselling to students in schools
1. Prepare students for the challenges of the 21 st century through academic, career, and
personal / social development.
2. Relates educational program to future success.
3. Facilitates career exploration and development.
4. Develops decision-making and problem solving skills.
5. Assists in acquiring knowledge of self and others.
6. Enhances personal development.
7. Assists in developing effective interpersonal relationship skills.
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 40
8. Broadens knowledge of our changing world.
9. Provides advocacy for students.
10. Encourages facilitative, co-operative peer interactions.
11. Fosters resiliency factors for students.
12. Assures equitable access to educational opportunities.
What Are the School Guidance Counsellors’ Areas of Work?
In 1981 the Cork branch of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors produced a job description
for school Guidance Counsellors listing their areas of work. The School Guidance
Counsellor;
1. Counsels individual students and provides group education and vocational guidance.
2. Assists individual students with personal problems; social, emotional etc.
3. Assists with personal development.
4. Advises on study techniques.
5. Advises on job applications and interviews.
6. May engage in psychological testing and other testing.
7. May refer students to other agencies.
8. May co-ordinate a school system of pastoral care.
9. Is responsible for the compilation and availability of occupational information.
10. Enjoys freedom and flexibility in the organisation of counselling activities according
to the needs of the school.
Further to this the report designated four major work areas for the School Counsellor ;
Individual Counselling; Group Guidance; Occupational Information; Psychological Testing,
(I.G.C. Journal, Spring 1981).
What Are the Aims of Guidance and Counselling in Schools?
The aims of guidance and counseling service in schools is to assist the student in
fulfilling his / her basic physiological needs, understanding themselves and developing
associations with peers, balancing between permissiveness and controls in the school setting,
realizing successful achievement, and providing opportunities to gain independence (Heyden,
2011). The purpose of guidance and counselling therefore provides emphasis and strength to
educational programs. Some specific aims of the school guidance and counselling program
includes the following (Gibson, 2009 cited in Lunenburg, 2010):
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 41
a. To Provide for the Realization of Student Potentialities: To all students, the school
offers a wide choice of courses and co-curricular activities. A significant function of
education is to help students identify and develop their potentialities. The counsellor’s
role is to assist students to distribute their energies into the many learning
opportunities available to them. Every student needs help in planning his major course
of study and pattern of co-curricular activities.
b. To Help Children with Developing Problems: Even those students who have
chosen an appropriate educational program for themselves may have problems that
require help. A teacher may need to spend from one fifth to one-third of his time with
a few pupils who require a great deal of help, which deprives the rest of the class from
the teacher's full attention to their needs. The counsellor, by helping these youngsters
to resolve their difficulties, frees the classroom teacher to use his time more
efficiently.
c. To Contribute to the Development of the School's Curriculum: Counsellors, in
working with individual students, know their personal problems and aspirations, their
talents and abilities, as well as the social pressures confronting them. Counsellors,
therefore, can provide data that serve as a basis for curriculum development, and they
can help curriculum developers shape courses of study that more accurately reflect the
needs of students. Too often, counsellors are not included in curriculum development
efforts.
d. To Provide Teachers with Technical Assistance: Pre-service teacher training
institutions typically provide very limited experience with the more technical aspects
of guidance work. Thus, a need exists in most schools for assistance with guidance
and counselling functions essential to the educational program. Specifically, the
guidance counsellor is qualified to assist teachers with selecting, administering, and
interpreting tests; selecting and using cumulative, anecdotal, and other types of
records; providing help and suggestions relative to counselling techniques, which
teachers can use in counselling their students; and providing leadership in developing
and conducting professional development of teachers in guidance functions.
e. To Contribute to the Mutual Adjustment of Students and the School: Guidance
has a responsibility for developing and maintaining a cooperative relationship
between students and the school. Teachers and counsellors must be cognizant of
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
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students’ needs. Students also must make adjustments to the school. They have a
responsibility to contribute something to the school. A major contribution of students
is that of making appropriate use of the school's resources and working toward
accomplishments. Such mutual adjustment of students and school is facilitated by
providing suggestions for program improvements, conducting research for
educational improvements, contributing to students' adjustment through counselling,
and fostering wholesome school-home attitudes.
What Are the Role of Guidance and Counselling in Schools?
The roles of guidance and counselling programme is to bring about the maximum
development and self-realization of human potential for the benefit of the individual and
society. Makinde (1984) observes that the school counsellor is concerned with facilitating the
optimum development of students. This is supported by Bennars (1994); Mutie and
Ndambuki (2000) and Ndirangu (2007) who argue that the programme is supposed to
develop the learner’s intellectual abilities, develop a balanced personality and to have a
complete person intellectually, spiritually, morally and socially. Guidance and counselling
programme is therefore aimed at assisting students to harmonize their abilities, interests and
values, thereby enabling them to develop their potential fully. Self-knowledge helps one to
formulate life goals and plans which are realistic.
In schools, there is need for students to make proper subject and career choices after the four
year course in the Universities, Six education programs in both Primary and Secondary as it
relates to Nigeria education system. Borrow (1983) observes that it is the role of guidance
and counselling programme to provide the students with the necessary information about the
courses availability and the qualifications required for each course. Such information will
assist students develop realistic self-concept according to their academic capabilities.
Most secondary school students are in the adolescent stage. According to Robert and
Elizabeth (1983), during this time, adolescent experience alienation which is a syndrome
comprising of distrust, anxiety, pessimism, egocentrism, meaninglessness, normlessness and
powerlessness. They observe that guidance and counselling is therefore needed during this
adolescence stage to assist them understand their developmental stage and adjust to school
life. Guidance and counselling programme also help students choose and pursue achievable
careers. According to Borrow (1983) the world is highly complex and dynamic which makes
career choice very difficult. He reckons that time change, people change, technology
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
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progresses and these challenges everyone to change to new ways of living and working. The
students need guidance and counselling programs to inform them about various jobs and
openings available, the qualification required plus the responsibilities involved and the nature
of the work so that they can decide and have clear occupational goals.
The programme also plays the role of intercepting and assisting disadvantaged students and
also checks on school drop-out. Makinde (1984) observes that one of the roles for school
counsellor is to help students who are experiencing difficulties. Students from disadvantaged
families of the society have many problems and needs which, are to be dealt with in guidance
and counselling programme. Lindsay (1983) argues that such students may experience
difficulty in adjustment with peers, teachers and the environment thus guidance programme
helps such students to adjust and utilize the guidance facilities available fully. Majority of the
disadvantaged students later acquire low qualifications for the world of work. This poor
achievement may even marginalize them more if guidance programme does not intervene;
some may even drop out of school, thus the guidance programme is well suited for assisting
the students (Ndirangu, 2007).
What are Effective Teaching and Learning, Guidance and Counselling Perspective?
Teaching is a common phenomenon in school; it is aimed at bringing about a positive change
in the life of an individual. In the context of guidance and counselling the counsellor listens
to the child’s problem, extra the issue before him/her and tries as much as possible to help the
child’s in overcoming the problem through proper advise and continues engagement/follow
up to see if the child is applying the therapy.
Teacher effectiveness in use of instructional resources is considered important to enable them
master the requisite knowledge of the subject matter content and enhance their teaching
capabilities (Orodho, 2013, 2014). To retain efficient and experienced workforce in an
organization such as a school set up is very crucial to the standard organization. Hammon
(2006) found that teachers subject matter knowledge, teaching capability among others are
leading factors in teaching effectiveness. Effective teachers understand and are able to apply
strategies to help students increase not only the academic achievement of students but also
help learners cope with other life skills (Goodstein, Nolan, & Pfeiffer, 2006).
According to Abolade (2000) cited in Egbo, (2013) teaching is describes as a set of activities
that are designed to bring about changes in the behaviour of learners. Popham (2010) sees
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 44
teaching as explaining, demonstrating, guiding and counselling by the teacher in order to
effect a change in the learner. Okoye (2010) stated that the main aim of teaching is to help
someone acquire or change some skills, attitude, knowledge, idea or appreciation. In other
words, it is to bring about some desirable changes in the learners, she also noted that teaching
is said to be effective only when the learners have been able to achieve the set behavioural
objectives. Nnabuike, (2012) believes that a teacher is also a learner because there is no end
to learning.
Okoye (2010), views learning as the mental activity by which knowledge and skills, habits
and attitudes, virtues and ideas are acquired, retained and utilized resulting in the progressive
adoption and modification of conduct and behaviour. Oketch (2012) sees learning as the
acquisition of new behaviour or a change in behaviour whether positive or negative change. It
also includes acquisition of knowledge, information, skills and cultures. He therefore noted
that learning definitely will lead to change in one’s thought, patterns and feeling. Learning
also involves cognitive process especially mental reasoning. Thus teaching and learning go
together; it is like buying and selling. If nobody learns it follows that nobody teaches.
Nnabuike (2012) noted that the work of the teacher is to help students to learn through
deliberate and conscious manipulation of information, knowledge, skill, values, attitudes and
habits of the learners in order to bring about learning, leading to desirable changes in
character. Based on the above, no effective teaching could be said to have taken place if
learning has not occurred.
The teacher in a classroom condition act as a counsellor in the form of Teaching Advisory
Programme (TAP); in the light of this situation the teacher counsel the students in the right
direction to take using life instance and experience to act of a guide since the students already
see him/her as a role model.
Effective teachers have a thorough knowledge of their subject content and skill. Through this,
they inspire in their students a love of learning. They also understand how students’ best learn
concepts, content and skills. Effective teachers use their knowledge of learning processes to
determine which will be most effective to help the particular students in their classes to learn
successfully.
Effective teachers provide a safe and orderly environment, both physically and emotionally,
so students can achieve their potential. They know students learn best if they are in a class
room where they feel safe and confident to attempt new tasks even if at first they are unsure
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
RAY: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 45
about how to tackle them. Effective teachers are in the habit of constantly reflecting on how
well they are getting through to their students and searching for better ways of teaching those
who are not responding as well as extending those who are achieving well.
The implication for guidance and counselling is that the teacher observes the students during
and after the class. The teacher also evaluate the students to know their knowledge of
assimilation and if there is need for counselling, the teacher may which to invite the
counsellor to the class for general class discussion of refer a particular students that is
deficient to the counsellor for guidance section.
Conclusion
Inclusion guidance and counselling is tinted toward preventing the child from indulging in
negative vices and helping the child to choose the right parts in life to be successful in the
pursuit of future ambition. It is necessary that the counsellor build the confidence of the child
to trust him/her to be able to give him/her the rightful information needed in helping its client
(students). This is so, because, client that trust counsellors normally open up with vital
information to their counsellors which may enable the client to introduce any other person
with counselling need to the counsellor.
Counselling also help students in career choice to vying to their appropriate area that they are
good at instead of following their peers in choosing a wrong career part. The education of a
child needs constant mentoring hence guidance is inimical to their growth and development
in a complex society that we are today.
Recommendations
The study recommended that:
1. School children should constantly visit the guidance counsellor for therapy if they are
any issue that is of burden to them.
2. The guidance counsellor should see the school child as his / her child, friend, and
someone that needs helps as in a medical doctor patient relationship.
3. Schools should have evaluated the school counsellor from the feedback of the
students that they counsel from time to time with the objective of encouraging them to
do better job of guiding the students.
The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools
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4. The guidance counsellor should be made to attend his/her professional conferences to
learn new ideas of therapies with clients.
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