English language Teachers' cognition of the teaching of Reading for Nationhood: A study of secondary school Teachers in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya

Abstract

Global human values are national values in the Kenyan context which aims to achieve national integration. The purpose of the study was to find out how English language teachers' cognition of the teaching of reading to instill human values or national values among secondary school students in Kenya developed, influence their classroom practice and planning for instruction. The specific objectives were: To find out teachers' knowledge of the teaching of reading to instill national values among students in secondary schools in Kenya, to establish how teachers developed cognition of the teaching of reading for nationhood in Kenya, to examine the language teaching approaches used to teach reading to promote nationhood in Kenya, to find out teachers' cognition of planning for reading to instill national values among students in secondary schools in Kenya, and to establish how teachers use reading to facilitate understanding and respect for students own and other people's culture to promote nationhood in Kenya. The study used a conceptual framework; showing that teachers' knowledge of national values and how they can use teaching of reading to enable the learners internalize the values can lead to nationhood. It used the qualitative research methodology. The ontological orientation was relative subjectivist while the epistemological paradigm was interpretive constructivist. The research methods used were ethnography and multiple cases. Thirty one teachers of English who were purposively sampled were used in the study. The research instruments used to generate data were informal interview, non participant observation, document analysis and focus group discussion. The trustworthiness of the study was established using: multiple research instruments, rich thick description of procedures and methodological triangulation. Data was analyzed and reported in narration according to emerging themes as per the study objectives. The findings revealed that teachers know some of the values stipulated in the philosophy of education in Kenya. They were guided by course books and the schemes of work in the selection of what to teach. They mainly used the integrated language teaching approach when instructing reading. Teachers developed cognition about the instruction of reading for nationhood through teacher education, interaction with teachers during teaching practice, collaboration with colleagues, benchmarking, teachers' workshops, teachers' guide books and course books. The teaching of oral literature reading items was not aimed at facilitating learners to know and respect their own and other peoples' culture. As QUASO demands, so have teachers formed the maxim of 'value addition' which guide their instruction of reading. Emphasis is on enabling students to score high marks, instilling national values among students is not considered to be important