Influence of sociolinguistics teachers’ and students’ attributes on KCSE performance in Kiswahili in Likuyani sub-county, Kakamega County, Kenya

Abstract

Swahili sanifu is used in Kiswahili curriculum in Kenyan schools. The Kiswahili curriculum has been evolving in Kenya for some time now. The current Kiswahili curriculum was incepted in 2003 with some setbacks in its development and implementation. There are various phases involved in the process of curriculum development. This study addressed challenges facing the Kiswahili curriculum implementation by focusing on teacher preparation in teaching Sociolinguistics in Kiswahili. The study sought to investigate teacher preparation in teaching Sociolinguistics in Kiswahili (Isimujamii). The objectives of the study were: to assess the extent of teacher preparation in teaching of Sociolinguistics and students' performance in Kiswahili at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination in public secondary schools; to determine the degree to which teachers' gender influence preparation to teach Sociolinguistics in Kiswahili; and to establish the extent to which students' attitudes towards Sociolinguistics determine their academic performance in Kiswahili at the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations. The theoretical framework was based on Krashen‟s Monitor Model (1985) with specific reference to the Affective Filter Hypothesis which stipulates that there is an Affective Filter that determines how much a person learns in a formal or informal language setting. The study employed a survey design which is a non-experimental, descriptive research method that determines and reports on the way things are, describes behaviour, attitudes, opinions, values, perceptions and characteristics as accurately as possible. This design helped to identify the nature of factors involved in teacher preparedness and helped to determine the degree in which they exist and discovered the link that exists between them. Proportionate simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 6 schools out 13 public secondary schools. Simple random sampling procedure was employed in the selection of 183 student participants and purposive sampling was used to draw all the 14 teachers of Kiswahili into the sample. In total, a sample size of 197 respondents was used. Data collection involved the use of questionnaire, and document analysis. Data analysis included the use of frequencies and percentages. The study found out that female teachers were more prepared to teach Sociolinguistics in Kiswahili than male teachers. The findings also indicated that most teachers were highly prepared in teaching Sociolinguistics in Kiswahili. The study also found out that female teachers were well prepared before teaching than male teachers and schools with students who recorded positive attitude toward Sociolinguistics had an increased KCSE performance index in Kiswahili between 2009 and 2011. Implications of these findings and recommendations are discussed.