Teaching the integrated English syllabus in secondary schools: a study of teacher preparedness in Bungoma North district, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the level of teachers' of English preparedness in teaching the integrated English syllabus in Kenyan secondary schools in Bungoma North District. The objectives of this study were: to establish the level of preparedness among teachers of English to handle the integrated English syllabus, determine teaching strategies used by the teacher of English for the effective implementation of the integrated English syllabus and establish the factors that affect the implementation of the integrated English syllabus. The study adopted two models: Content Based instruction (CBI) integration approach by Krashen and Terrell and Gross N, Giacquinta and Bernstein's theory on new program implementation and teacher preparation. The study design was qualitative. It used the simple random, stratified and purposive sampling techniques to get the sample population. The research instruments were the: interview, observation and document analysis schedules. The study location was Bungoma North District in Western province of Kenya. The target population was 51 Principals, 102 Teachers of English, 1 District Education Officer (DEO) and 2 District Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (DQASO). The data was analyzed qualitatively based on themes which were derived from the responses made by the Teachers of English principals, DEO and DQASO. Conclusions were made from the evidence provided through document analysis supported by revelations from the observation schedule and responses from the interview schedules. The study findings revealed that the curriculum implementers who are teachers perceived the IA in conflicting ways. Most teachers were ill prepared for integration in the sense that although they had gone through pre service training and were aware of the objectives; poor class preparation and methodology, lack of clarity on content of the IA syllabus, lack of materials and facilities, inadequate inservice training in integration coupled with lack of adequate management support tended to hamper the implementation of the IA. The study made the following recommendations: There is need to intensify teacher preparation trainings both at pre and in- service so that equal attention is given to both English and literature in terms of training in subject content and learning activities.Pre- service should be more integration oriented. Educational policies should aim at formulating appropriate teaching methods and content in the IA and provide resources for the teacher. Finally, whenever there is a change in curriculum, teachers should be consulted to own it.