Factors contributing to vocabulary spurt in Kikuyu children aged 18 - 24 months from Othaya division, Nyeri district, Kenya.
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Date
2007
Authors
Wanjohi, Peter Githinji
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Language development determines children's future educational and social success. Performance
in schools at all levels is related to the with language foundation in the early childhood years. In
the recent past there has been a public outcry in Kenya over poor performance in K.C.P.E. results
especially in English and Kiswahili languages as well as Mathematics and the Sciences. With the
exception of Kiswahili, knowledge, skills and concepts in all other subjects are transmitted and
tested in the English language, which is a second and/foreign language to the majority of
children in Kenya. Competence in the first language will lead to competence in English and other
foreign languages. It is within the first language acquisition period in the early years of a child's
life that a vocabulary spurt occurs. This spurt is associated with cognitive and/or psychosocial
development. The language policy in Kenya states that first language be used for instruction in
the early years of a child's life. However, concern has been raised that children are being
introduced to foreign languages too early, even before they have mastered the first language- the
language in which the spurt occurs (Koech Report, 1999) which in turn impedes acquisition of
other languages especially English and Kiswahili. This, consequently, negatively affects the
knowledge, concepts and skills transmitted in those languages, negatively jeopardizing the
child's education and resulting in functional illiteracy in later years. Few studies on child
language development in Kenya have focused on vocabulary spurt, at which level, stimulation
and intervention measures can be put in place. None have investigated the vocabulary spurt in
Gikuyu. Without studies in this area, intervention measures to support language acquisition and
learning will not be effected, which will in turn impact negatively on the educational and social
success of children in their later years. This study was concerned with the investigation of the
occurrence of the vocabulary spurt as well as personal, family/parental and environmental factors
that may influence it. The study was carried out in Othaya Division of Nyeri District, a
predominantly Gikuyu speaking area. A sample of 100 children aged 18-24 months children was
selected for observation. Data was collected using reports from parents and other key informants
through an adapted and modified MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories
(MacArthur CDI). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) tools was used in the data
analysis. Chi-Square was used to test the relationship between independent and dependent
variables while Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis was used to establish the contribution
of selected factors to occurrence of vocabulary spurt. The findings of the study suggest that
children do undergo a vocabulary spurt. Out of the ten factors investigated, age and vocabulary
stimulation were significantly related to vocabulary spurt. Likewise, age, vocabulary stimulation
and social-economic status had a significant contribution to vocabulary spurt occurrence and
language development in the early years. The study recommends that ECDE stakeholders
address specific age related differences in children under three years in providing early
stimulating linguistic experiences and language activities that are relevant to children's
psychosocial development
Description
Department of English and Lingiustics,134p.The LB1574.5.G52 2007