The Role of out-of-class exposure in second language acquisition – a cross-sectional research of Wajir Girls High School: Northern Kenya

Abstract

The study investigated the role of out-of-class exposure in second language acquisition as predisposed by socio-cultural, religious and geographical conditions and how it impacts and manifests in L2 performance at High school level. The Northern Kenya high schools’ are predominantly Islamic-oriented; prioritize Arabic over English, leading to challenges in English language exposure. However, Kenyan language policy in Education is upheld owing to geographical boundaries resulting in minimal English exposure in various activities. Wajir Girls High school (W.G.H.S) being a tentative sample amidst many other schools- of significance is Umu Salama Girls Garissa with similar conditions. The objectives of the study Were: (i) To establish Objective And Concrete Data On What Determines English language performance in Wajir Girls High school (ii) To establish the role of prior exposure (away from the class setting) to L2, on its performance in academic English examinations at secondary school level. The study was conceived owing to the anomaly at the research site- that despite Language teachers’ commitment in classroom L2 teaching and learning, little improvement in performance in academic examinations had been realized by the time of this research. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design which sampled/targeted the form three students of Wajir Girls High school who were ‘strategically’ categorized by the researcher into three proficiency levels High, Mid and Low then interrogated and evaluated for a period of two weeks (10th Feb to 24 Feb 2014). A variety of tools were employed, namely: observation scripts, audio recorders, interview scripts, questionnaires and reference documents such as registration forms, progress records and reports. The data both primary and secondary was analyzed using Second Language Acquisition data analysis strategies such as contrastive analysis; does L1 influence positively or negatively L2? And Error analysis- sources and types of errors (detailed in the methodology). Stephen Krashen’s Acquisition-Learning theory and/or L2 Acquisition conceptual distinctive framework provided the basis for this distinctive study between Out-of-Class Acquisition and class-room instructed Learning. The data collected established that L2 is many a time acquired just like L1 and to a very little extend learnt. Prior exposure outside the classroom is therefore a prerequisite for L2 acquisition which provides linguistic raw materials for classroom instructed learning. However, this is not always the case as observed in Wajir G.H.S .The study revealed that out-of-class exposure significantly impacts high school learners' performance, highlighting the idiosyncratic nature of language acquisition and the need for caution in embracing English as a dynamic language. The study suggests that language training institutes should diversify training approaches to prepare teachers for diverse teaching duties, introduce learners to OCLL activities, and educate stakeholders on language performance to prevent blaming examination councils and teachers on baseless, subjective, biased, prejudiced, stereotypical and unfounded grounds.