Language Disorders and Learners’ Performance in Class Activities in Selected Inclusive Primary Schools in Kitui County, Kenya
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Date
2024-11
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Achieving academic excellence is the aim of all learners in inclusive primary schools. However, language disorders in primary school children negatively affect their performance in class activities. This research sought to investigate language disorders and learners’ performance in class activities in selected inclusive primary schools in Mumoni Sub-County, Kitui County, Kenya. The objectives for the study included: the prevalence of learners with language disorders, assessment of how language disorders influence learners’ performance in class activities and to determine the strategies teachers use to improve learners’ performance in class activities. The study was guided by the Liberal Theory of Equal opportunity which was propounded by Bryman. The dependent variables were the learners’ performance in class activities and the independent variables were language disorders. The study incorporated descriptive study design. This design for a research study was ideal in determining language disorders and learners’ performance in class activities in selected primary schools in Mumoni Sub-County, Kitui, Kenya. The study considered an entire population of 46 teachers in Mumoni Sub-County where an average of two teachers was purposively sampled as the target population from the 23 inclusive primary schools in Mumoni Sub-County, Kitui County. The study purposively sampled 26 learners for in-depth interviews from PP1, PP2 and grade 1, 2 & 3. The researcher used structured research questionnaires and interview method to aid the collection of primary data from the study respondents. To achieve adequate content validity, the expert judgmental method was adopted. Sample of questionnaires were rendered to the research supervisor who carried out an examination and later gave out feedback on the same. Test re-test method was used to determine the reliability of the research instrument. A tenth of the entire sampled population of the study was put into consideration for piloting and was not included in the actual study. The survey collected both qualitative and quantitative data. In analyzing the quantitative data, SPSS software was used and descriptive statistics was employed to report the data. Presentation of the same data was done through percentages, frequencies, tables and charts while qualitative data was written in themes and presented in narrative form. The respondents’ consent was sought and they were assured their confidentiality. The study found that the common prevalence language disorders were both expressive and receptive language difficulties, reading, writing and spelling challenges. Further, the study found that learners with language difficulties have low performance in class activities which resulted to low self-esteem. Moreover, the study found that teachers give support to learners with language disorders, however, there were no collaboration and team work with other professionals and teachers lacked in -service training. The study found that there were inadequate resources to provide services to learners with language disorders. The study recommended that TSC should supply trained teachers and in-service training to be conducted for teachers to have skills to support learners with language disorders. Further, the study recommended that the government to provide resources to inclusive schools to enable headteachers source for qualified professionals.
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Masters in Speech and Language Pathology Department of Special Needs Education School of Education, Kenyatta University, November 2024.
Supervisor
Karia Mathew