Teachers, methods and materials: Exploring opportunities and challenges in learning to read in primary schools in two Kenyan contexts
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Date
2013-07
Authors
Runo, M. N.
Kabutha, John Mugo
Kamau, Geoffrey Karugu
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nairobi Academic Press
Abstract
Over recent decades, various studies have decried the rising numbers of non-readers in
Kenyanclassrooms, within the context of a growing global phenomenon. This study aimed at
ascertainingteachers' capacity to teach reading, the materials that they utilize to teach reading,
andthe overall challenges and opportunities in teaching reading. A mixed methods design was
utilizedw, ith a purposive sample of 8 urban (Nairobi) and 8 rural (Nyeri) primary schools,
basedon the best and worst performing schools in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education
resultsof the year preceding the study. A total of 34 teachers participated in the study. Findings
indicatethat nearly half of the teachers neither taught reading nor knew the methods to use in
teachingreading. A third of the teachers (31.9%) used phonics, while another third favoured
thewhole-word method. The study concludes that lower grade teachers are ill-equipped
withmethods of teaching reading, while remediation practice is hardly a focus. It would be
necessaryto introduce reading as a subject at the teacher training level, and designate reading
timethrough the primary education course.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Teaching reading, Reading difficulties, Reading competency, Literacy levels, Learning Disabilities Association of America:Kenya
Citation
Journal of special needs and disabilities studies vol. vol. no. 1 p.11-27. 1 July 2013