Strategies used in Teaching English Language Oral Skills and their Effects on Learner Classroom Participation in Public Comprehensive Schools in Embu County, Kenya.
| dc.contributor.author | Murugi, Mugo Tabitha | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-01T13:31:56Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-01T13:31:56Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-10 | |
| dc.description | A Research Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfilment For The Award Of The Degree Of Master Of Education (Language Education) In The School Of Education Of Kenyatta University, October 2024. Supervisors: 1. Adelheid Marie Bwire 2. Harrison Mulwa | |
| dc.description.abstract | English language is very critical for global communication and in the key sectors of economy like education therefore shaping an individual’s life. However, dismal performance by learners has been recorded in English learning area. The study therefore; investigated the strategies that are used to instruct oral skills in English language, established the role of innovative strategies in English language learning and established the problems that impede development of learners’ oral skills in public comprehensive schools. The social interactionist theory by Lev Vygotsky fortified this study and it conformed to descriptive survey with mixed methods. The population targeted was 37 schools, 1200 learners, 100 teachers and 37 language panel chairpersons (LPCs). Sampled were 10 schools, 120 learners, 10 LPCs and 10 teachers of English. For data collection, questionnaires, interviews, observations and focus groups were employed. The instruments were piloted in two schools which resembled the sampled within Embu County. The piloting yielded results that enhanced relevance of study items thus guaranteed validity. Reliability was guaranteed by using test-retest method with a correlation co-efficient of 0.80. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics aided by statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25 were deployed to analyze data. The study findings are presented in form of narration based on themes, frequency distribution tables, means, percentages and standard deviation. The study revealed that the commonly used strategies to teach English in Embu County are songs, pair work roleplay and storytelling. The study also revealed that use of innovative strategies draws the learners’ attention, enhances learners’ memory and understanding, develops learners’ linguistic abilities, enhances classroom interactions and academic achievement, enlivens the learning environment and offers varied learning experiences for practical use of language. Further, the study revealed that large classes, lack of appropriate teaching and learning materials, wrong interpretation of concepts by learners, mismatch between the language of the teacher and that of the learner and lack of interest in learning. The study concluded that the most common methods of teaching English language oral skills are pair work, role play, storytelling and songs. It also concluded that use of innovative strategies draws learners’ attention, enlivens the learning environment, offers varied learning experiences for usability of language in real life contexts and improves classroom interactions and performance. Finally, the study concluded that development of oral skills faces both teacher and learner- related challenges like congested classes, lack of adequate resources, wrong interpretation of concepts by learners, mismatch between the teacher’s language and that of the learner and lack of interest in learning. The study recommended reinforcement of school language policies and practices to enhance development of linguistic abilities like oral skills, teachers to simplify vocabulary and repeat abstract concepts, the Ministry of Education to provide necessary information communication and technology tools like audio-visuals and connect comprehensive schools to power and internet. Finally, the study suggested carrying out of a similar study using quasi-experimental research design for more verifiable findings. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/30285 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Strategies used in Teaching English Language Oral Skills and their Effects on Learner Classroom Participation in Public Comprehensive Schools in Embu County, Kenya. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |