Exploring the use of Gender-Atypical Kiswahili children’s stories to address Gender Stereotyping among Learners in a selected primary School in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya

Abstract

Children’s literature affects a child’s socialization process, including the shaping of their gender roles. Despite this fact, educators still provide children with books that propagate gender stereotyping. Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure of children to gender stereotypic books will influence them to conform to gender stereotyped roles and behaviors that could even transcend to their adulthood. Hence, it is due to this fact that the study explored how gender atypical Kiswahili children’s stories could be used to address gender stereotyping among learners. The study explores how learners construct gender roles, gender plays and gender traits when exposed to gender atypical Kiswahili children’s stories. Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory formed the theoretical and conceptual framework on which the study was underpinned. The study adopted participatory visual methodologies design. Data was generated using drawings with standard three pupils from a purposively selected school. The findings of this study revealed that when learners were exposed to gender-atypical Kiswahili children’s stories, more girls compared to boys changed from constructing gender stereotyped roles and traits to gender-atypical roles and traits. However, most boys and girls conformed to gender stereotyped plays even after being exposed to gender-atypical Kiswahili children’s stories. The findings also revealed that even though some participants conformed to gender stereotyped roles, play and traits, there was change in their perspectives to adopt gender-atypical roles, plays and traits. This study therefore suggests that exposure of children to gender- atypical Kiswahili children’s stories could address gender stereotyping during their early stages of socialization. The study recommends that the curriculum should incorporate the use of gender atypical Kiswahili children’s stories so as to enable children construct the gender roles, plays and traits in a neutral and non-sexist manner. The study also recommends the infusion of gender education in teachers training education to equip in-service teachers with skills on gender treatment during reading lessons. Lastly the study recommends that the education policy should be restructured to formulate more intervention strategies to eradicate gender stereotypes and promote gender equality. This will enable children to unravel their potential without fear of discrimination based on their Gender identities.