Abstract:
Oral language is the most frequently used medium of communication. It is the
primary medium through which classroom discourse takes place. Therefore, the
purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of oral communication styles in
the instruction of English language in secondary schools in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The study was carried out to: examine the teachers’ oral communication strategies in
English language classes and how they influence instruction, assess the learners’ oral
communication strategies and their influence on the learning of English language,
evaluate the different interaction patterns in English language classes and how they
influence instruction, establish the language registers used in English language classes
and how they influence instruction and finally find out the oral communication
challenges experienced during the instruction of English language. The study was
based on the interaction hypothesis by Michael Long which offers an explanation how
ESL learners can best succeed at learning a target language. Embedded within
pragmatism as the research philosophy and the descriptive survey design, the study
utilized mixed methods approach to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative
data. It was carried out in secondary schools among form three learners, on the
assumption that they are aware of the oral communication strategies and classroom
interaction patterns used in their English language classrooms. Simple random
sampling was used to select a total of 13 out of 112 schools engaged in the study.
Thirteen form three classes randomly selected were observed, thirteen teachers of
English language purposefully selected were interviewed and finally 195 students
randomly selected from the observed classes filled the student questionnaire. Both
qualitative and quantitative data were obtained. Quantitative data was analyzed using
descriptive statistics with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences and
presented in form of frequencies and percentages in tables, figures and brief
descriptions. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in form of
narrations derived from the study objectives and variables. It was established that
teachers employed: repetition, rephrasing, paraphrasing, checking of understanding;
use of simple sentences and corrective feedback. Learners employed: attempting to
think in English, fluency oriented, negotiation for meaning, circumlocution and social
affective strategies. They did not employ: message reduction, alteration, abandonment
and getting the gist strategies; that three interaction patterns occurred in English
language classes- teacher-learners, learners-teachers and learner-learners; that the
teachers and the learners used non- official forms of English language during
classroom interaction; finally, that majority of the learners experienced challenges in
understanding certain English words and phrases that their teachers used and
difficulty in pronouncing certain English words. The study recommends that teachers
should expose learners to a lot of authentic reading materials. This should expose
them to the use of the English language in different contexts and also aid in increasing
their repertoire of English vocabulary and sentence structures. Finally, teachers should
use varied authentic communicative contexts during classroom instruction to provide
near native speaker competence. The findings are useful to: teachers of English
language, ministry of education officials, publishers and authors of English language
text books.