Strategies in teaching English language among class five learners with hearing impairments in primary schools Nairobi county, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigates the factors hindering aquisiton of English language among class five learners with hearing impairments in primary schools in Nairobi County in Kenya. Majority of learners with hearing impairments in Kenya seem to leave school without having attained adequate literacy level deemed desirable for successful transition in the afterlife of school. Factors such as inadequate resources in schools, poor teaching methodology and poor parental support are some of the factors that lead learners with hearing impairments to have poor acquisition of Engl ish language. It is by this premise that leads the researcher to generate four objectives which includes: 1) To investigate the teaching methodologies used in teaching English language for learners with hearing impairments, 2) To explore the learning resources that aid Engl ish language acquisition for learners with hearing impairments, 3) To exam ine the level of English language acquisition to the learners with hearing impairments and 4) To explore the parental support that aid English language acquisition for learners with hearing impairments. The purpose of the research study is to shade light on how teachers can better teach English language to their learners with hearing impairments. The research would be carried out within Nairobi County using both elements of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The independent variables will include: teaching methodology for learners with hearing impairments, parental support for learners with hearing impairments, the resources that aid English language acquisition for learners with hearing impairments and the level of English language acquisition for learners with hearing impairments. The dependent variable would be the English language acquisition. Purposefull sampling would be used to select the special units to carry out the research. It will also be used to sample the teachers for learners with hearing impairments, their learners and also the learners' parents. Closed ended questionnaries would be used to solicit information from the teachers while an interview guide would be used to run a focused group discussion for parents of learners with hearing impairments. A teacher informal test would be used to assess the level of English language acquisition for the learners with hearing impairments. The items in the closed ended questionnaires and the teacher informal test will be analysed and presented as mean, standard deviation, percentages and in frequency distribution tables while the items from the interview guide will be ana lysed using themes. Logistical and ethical consideration such as the principle of confidentiality would be highly observed.