RP-Confucius Institute

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Browsing RP-Confucius Institute by Author "Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki"

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    The Efficacy of Songs in the Acquisition of English Articles and Nouns in a Multilingual Setting in Kenya, Africa: A Case Study of Grade 4 Class in Kenyan Primary Schools.
    (2014-06-13) Njoroge, Martin C.; Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki
    This research was conducted using a pretest / posttest paradigm to test the efficacy of songs in the acquisition of English articles and nouns by learners in a multilingual setting in Kenya, Africa. Two Grade Four classes in two elementary schools, one in an urban area and the other in a rural setting, were sampled for this study. A pretest on articles and noun plural formation was administered in each school, marked and results recorded. The experimental class was exposed to a Task-Based Language teaching method that utilised songs as a tool of teaching while the control class was exposed to regular teaching. A posttest, the same test administered as a pretest, was given to the two groups. The scores recorded in both tests were analyzed quantitatively using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and analysis presented in tables and graphs. Levene's Test for Equality of Variances was then employed. The general finding is that the use of songs in the teaching of English as a second language is effective as attested by the high performance of the experimental classes in the two schools.
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    The Study of English Animal Idioms: The Nexus between Theory and Applications
    (2014-06-13) Njoroge, Martin C.; Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki
    Available literature on English language teaching reports that animal idioms display semantic opacity and make it difficult for a second language learner to comprehend meaning. This study, therefore, set out to analyse 20 purposively sampled English animal idioms in order to establish the nexus between theory and applications of idioms. To achieve the objective of this study, the fundamental principles of the Hybrid model of idiom processing which combines both non-compositional and compositional approaches were adopted. The study adopted a survey research design because the focus was on analysing sampled English animal idioms that could be used to highlight the nexus between theory and applications. The data for this study were gathered manually from the Macmillan English Dictionary (2007 edition), Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2010 edition) and the internet. Content analysis guided the analysis of the English animal idioms in order to identify the parts of the idioms that were decompositional and those that were non-decompositional. The study found that the Hybrid model of idiom processing not only contributes a significant piece to the jigsaw of comprehension of English animal idioms, but also insights to scholars for further research in English idioms. Thus, this study recommends a shift in paradigm from traditional methods of teaching idioms to the Hybrid model of idiom processing.
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    Task Based Learning as an Alternative Approach to the Teaching of Languages in Kenyan Schools: Towards Best Practices
    (2014-06-12) Njoroge, Martin C.; Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki
    Although language syllabuses in Kenyan primary and secondary schools encourage teachers to involve learners in their own learning, actual classroom practices reveal that this is not fully implemented for various reasons. Nevertheless, one of the approaches to the teaching of languages advocated for by language specialists is Task Based Learning (TBL), in which the central focus is completion of tasks that involve learners in language use in real life situations. In so doing, learners develop excellent communication and social interaction skills. The idea is for learners to learn the target language by being exposed to meaningful task-based activities. They perform tasks in pairs or in small groups after which they compile a report and present their findings to the class in written or spoken form. The research on which this paper is based investigated the use of TBL as an alternative to the teaching of English in Kenyan primary schools. A school in Nyeri County, Kenya, was purposively sampled. Learners in the experimental class were taught using TBL while those in the control class were taught using the Presentation, Practice and Performance (PPP) approach. A pre-test and a post test were administered before and after the teaching. Afterwards, the scores were tabulated and analyzed quantitatively and the emerging patterns discussed. The findings revealed that many benefits are derived from the adoption of TBL in the language classroom. Thus, we recommend that TBL be adopted in the teaching of languages in Kenyan schools and that language teachers be trained on this approach.
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    Task based learning as an alternative approach to the teaching of languages in Kenyan schools: towards best practices
    (2014-06-12) Njoroge, Martin C.; Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki; Babusa, Omar Hamisi
    Although language syllabuses in Kenyan primary and secondary schools encourage teachers to involve learners in their own learning, actual classroom practices reveal that this is not fully implemented for various reasons. Nevertheless, one of the approaches to the teaching of languages advocated for by language specialists is Task Based Learning (TBL), in which the central focus is completion of tasks that involve learners in language use in real life situations. In so doing, learners develop excellent communication and social interaction skills. The idea is for learners to learn the target language by being exposed to meaningful task-based activities. They perform tasks in pairs or in small groups after which they compile a report and present their findings to the class in written or spoken form. The research on which this paper is based investigated the use of TBL as an alternative to the teaching of English in Kenyan primary schools. A school in Nyeri County, Kenya, was purposively sampled. Learners in the experimental class were taught using TBL while those in the control class were taught using the Presentation, Practice and Performance (PPP) approach. A pre-test and a post test were administered before and after the teaching. Afterwards, the scores were tabulated and analyzed quantitatively and the emerging patterns discussed. The findings revealed that many benefits are derived from the adoption of TBL in the language classroom. Thus, we recommend that TBL be adopted in the teaching of languages in Kenyan schools and that language teachers be trained on this approach
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    The Use of Crossword Puzzles as a Vocabulary Learning Strategy: A Case of English as Second Language in Kenyan Secondary Schools
    (International Journal of Current Research, 2013) Njoroge, Martin C.; Ndung’u, Ruth W.; Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki
    This paper focuses on the application of crossword puzzles in the teaching of vocabulary in English as Second Language (ESL) classrooms. A pre-test was used to measure the learners’ previous knowledge of English vocabulary in a Form 2 class. The pre- test was marked and recorded. A comprehension passage was composed by the researchers and read by both the control and experimental classes. While the control class was exposed to the Traditional Lexical Pedagogy in the teaching of vocabulary the experimental cohort was exposed to a crossword puzzle. A post-test was administered at the end of the study to measure whether there was a significant difference in scores between the experimental and control groups. The scores were tabulated and analyzed quantitatively using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and emerging patterns discussed. Levene's Test for Equality of Variances was then employed. The general finding is that the use of crossword puzzles in the teaching of English as Second Language is an effective strategy of vocabulary instruction. The study concludes that the use of crossword puzzles is of pedagogical significance as it helps learners enlarge vocabulary and deepen their mastery of the English lexis.