Readability of HIV and AIDS printed materials used by students in Kenyan Secondary Schools: a study of Nairobi Province
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Date
2011-12-20
Authors
Ego, Rose Jepkorir
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Abstract
This study is an analysis of printed materials used to teach about HIV and AIDS in Kenyan secondary schools to establish whether they are comprehensible to the students and thus w hether t hey a re effective i n communicating t he message t o t hem. S ince t he Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has continued to spread yet no cure has been found, the importance of clear communication on the prevention measures cannot be underestimated.
In Kenya, 80-90% of HIV infections are among the youth (Republic of Kenya, 2000). The AIDS education program in schools aims at equipping the youth with knowledge and skills to enable them to avoid infection and also educate other peers on the same. A review of literature revealed that printed materials were the main channels of communicating the message to students in schools. Printed materials have been used for a while but there is evidence that the pandemic continues to spread very rapidly and threatens to wipe out an entire generation hence the need for the study.
The study was undertaken in Nairobi Province. Three readability formulae were used to analyze twenty printed materials. These formulae are: Flesch, Smog and Fog readability formulae. Questionnaires were administered to a total of 210 students to find out their attitudes on the HIV and AIDS materials. A total of 14 teachers of HIV and AIDS were also interviewed. It was found out that some of the teachers taught it as a subject but most
of them integrated in other subjects like social education and ethics and Home science and programs such as guidance and counseling and peer counseling.
Responses were analyzed and the data revealed that:
• Most of the materials were found to be appropriate for students in secondary schools as revealed by the readability formulae. However, some of them were found to be suitable for higher levels.
• In general, students had a positive attitude towards the materials. They found them to be readable. However, the students, however, complained that the materials were too few, lacked details, use of symbolic language, unfamiliar terminologies and monotonous due to lack of variety.
• Teachers also found that most of the materials were readable to their students. They, however, found some materials to be 1acking current information, recent statistics and learning activities that are learner centred to encourage openness.
• The teachers advocated that more materials be produced for schools and that they be written specifically for each class
Description
The RA 644 .A25E34
Keywords
AIDS (Disease)--Kenya--Nairobi