The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. http://kerd.ku.ac.ke:8080 2026-09-05T05:11:15Z 2026-09-05T05:11:15Z Mweri, George Jefwa https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1715 2020-11-25T12:02:40Z 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

The Acquisition of Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) and Its Significance as A Mother Tongue and Medium of Instruction in Schools for The Deaf in Kenya Mweri, George Jefwa University of Nairobi This paper outlines the importance of KSL in the teaching of deaf learners in Kenya by examining the acquisition and use of KSL in the family, school and the Kenyan society at large. It, therefore, argues for early intervention policies that would enable deaf children to acquire KSL early and calls for the immediate adoption of a bilingual approach to deaf education, thus creating a conducive environment for the use of KSL across the curriculum. Convinced that “to reject a child‟s language in the school or anywhere [else] is to reject the child”, (Cummins 2001) the paper argues that any meaningful education for the deaf in Kenya must take cognizance of the importance of their native tongue or mother tongue – i.e. Kenyan Sign Language (KSL). In spite of its recognition by the Constitution of Kenya 2010,it does not seem to have been embraced as the language of learning in schools for the deaf in Kenya. The proposal made in this paper is that KSL should become a medium of instruction in schools for the deaf and, as such, be used to teach language and other academic subjects, KSL itself as a subject, as well as KSL-teaching methodology courses for trainee teachers of the deaf. The paper demonstrates that the continued reluctance to use KSL as the mother tongue of the deaf in their education is largely to blame for the poor state of deaf education in Kenya, which has not given deaf Kenyans the opportunity to compete on an equal footing with their hearing counterparts in the country – making it a human rights issue. For deaf Kenyans to have equal access to the services offered by the larger society, their language – KSL, which is their mother tongue (L1), must occupy its deserved place in their lives, starting with their education. The adoption of the late-exit or developmental bilingual education approach is one way of doing this. To advance this view, the paper benefits from the social model of perception on disability and the human rights-based approach. A Research Article Published in The University of Nairobi Journal of Language and Linguistics

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z Achoka, J. S. K. Odebero, Stephen O. Maiyo, Julius K. Mualuko, Ndiku J. https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1714 2021-09-02T07:11:55Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Access to Basic Education in Kenya: Inherent Concerns Achoka, J. S. K.; Odebero, Stephen O.; Maiyo, Julius K.; Mualuko, Ndiku J. Basic education being the minimum education that every Kenyan must have for progressive existence in society is a crucial factor. That is why Kenya subscribes to the international protocol that established Education for All (EFA) in Jomtien, Thailand 1990 and the world education forum in Dakar, Senegal, 2000. Since then, the Kenya Government in her Education Sector Strategic Plan and Sessional paper No. 1 of 2005 has articulated how to attain goals for education. For instance early childhood education which tries to ensure development of the whole personality of the child’s physical, mental, and socioemotional attributes faces challenges such as lack of access to early childhood education mostly caused by poverty, regional and gender disparities, policy framework, and HIV/AIDS among others. At primary school level where children stay longest in the schooling years and they develop more motor skill, further cognitive skills along with higher socialization than the early childhood education level, has children failing to access education due to poverty, gender imbalances, regional imbalances among other concerns. Secondary education which creates a human resource base higher than the primary education along with training youth for further education and the world of work registers restriction to many children due to concerns of poverty, gender imbalances, insecurity regional disparity among others. This article articulates in detail the above concerns discussing their manifestations in Kenya. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made on how to improve access to basic education in Kenya. Among the recommendations are: To make basic education free and compulsory, improve provision of health services, intensify fight against demeaning cultures, give special attention to children with disabilities, avail employment opportunities to the youth, assure security to all in conflict prone zones and tighten bursary disbursement procedures. A research Article published in Educational Research and Review

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Kisaka, Joseph https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1713 2020-11-25T08:08:55Z 2015-02-01T00:00:00Z

Cultural Factors Hindering Mastery of English Language in Primary and Secondary Schools: a case of Kilifi County, Kenya Kisaka, Joseph This study examined the various cultural factors hindering the mastery of English language in Kilifi County. A sample of 236 respondents representing Students, pupils, head teachers, teachers, parents, religious leaders, Pwani University Language specialists, Ministry of Education officers was drawn from Tezo Location. The proposed study was a descriptive survey, and both qualitative and quantitative data was collected by means of self administered questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions, and scheduled interviews. Qualitative data was analysed by thematic analysis while quantitative data was analysed by simple descriptive statistics and ranking by participatory methods. The study identified the cultural practices that hinder good mastery of English as frequent usage of Kiswahili and Mother Tongue when speaking at home, the declaration that English is a foreign language and the belief by the local community that speaking in English at home is a sign of pride and disrespect. Based on the findings, recommendations were made on how to promote good English mastery in Kenyan Schools. A research article in British Journal of Education

2015-02-01T00:00:00Z Khejeri, Mary https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1712 2020-11-25T07:55:37Z 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z

Teachers’ Attitudes towards the Use of Mother Tongue as a Language Instruction in Lower Primary Schools in Hamisi District, Kenya Khejeri, Mary This paper examines the attitudes of teachers towards the teaching and use of Mother Tongue as a language of instruction in lower primary schools based on a study conducted in Hamis District in Western Kenya, East Tiriki Division. The research design was a descriptive survey selected because surveys gather information from relatively large areas by employing sampling procedures hence cutting down on costs. The study sample included 12 schools randomly selected from the 40 primary schools in East Tiriki Division. . The instruments used for data collection were observation, tape-recording and questionnaires. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that Mother Tongue is less valued than English. English is highly valued both for its instrumental and integrative purposes. It is recommended that there’s need for the government to encourage the publication of instructional materials for the teaching of Mother Tongue and that the educational language policymakers review their position with regard to Mother tongue with a view to promoting it both as a language of instruction and a subject. A research article in International Journal of Humanities and Social Science

2014-01-01T00:00:00Z