Department of Humanities and Languages
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://localhost:4000/handle/20.500.12092/1883
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Item Relating Theory and Practice in the Teaching of Connectors(2015) Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki; Njoroge, Martin C.Coherence and cohesion are essential elements that a well-constructed written sentence or text should consist of. Connectors are usually used to indicate coherence and cohesion between units of a discourse. A sample of academic writing with connectors present is perceived to be more logical, convincing and authoritative than the same sample with all the connectors removed. Learners of English as a second language tend to misuse connectors in their writing creating comprehensive problems that may be so impenetrable as to defy normal decoding of a text. With this background information, this paper examines the teaching of connectors using the conventional approach and the essay-based approach, which is also complemented by the Coherence and Relevance theoretical framework. The study is conducted using a pretest / posttest paradigm to test the efficacy of the two approaches of teaching connectors. Two Form three classes were sampled for this study. A pretest on logical connectors was administered in each school, marked and results recorded. The experimental class was exposed to the teaching of connectors using the essay - based approach (textual) method as a tool of teaching while the control class was exposed to the conventional approach of teaching. A posttest, the same test administered as a pretest, was given to the two groups. The scores recorded in both tests were analyzed quantitatively using the Levene's Test for Equality of Variances. The analysis is then presented in tables, graphs and findings discussed. In addition, the paper proposes recommendations for pedagogy.Item Songs as a Resource for the Teaching of English Lexical Items to Speakers of Gĩkũyũ in a Multilingual Environment(2019) Gathiga, Moses G.; Njoroge, Martin C.Knowledge of lexical items is fundamental to the development of language proficiency. In order to appeal to young learners to comprehend the meaning of lexical items and enhance language proficiency, songs can be effective tools for the teaching of English lexical items. Songs are not just for fun; they are a valuable educational tool that aids language acquisition as well as the whole learner’s physical and mental development. The focus of this paper, therefore, is to demonstrate the applicability of songs as a resource for the teaching of English lexical items. The study used 12 adult respondents who had learnt English as a second language using Gĩkũyũ songs with English lexical terms. The paper explains with the use of three Gĩkũyũ / English songs, purposively sampled, to illustrate how songs were applied and can still be applied in the teaching of English lexical items. The study notes that songs employ tactile-kinesthetic activities in which language is intentionally manipulated to facilitate lexical items acquisition in a multilingual context. This paper concludes that songs are an important resource in the teaching of second languages as they make teaching and learning enjoyable and instructional. The findings of this study are significant as they add a new learning paradigm intended to provide to language instructors, learners and curriculum developers with insights into the value of songs for vocabulary acquisition.Item The Treatment of Indigenous Languages in Kenya’s Pre- and Post-independent Education Commissions and in the Constitution of 2010(Australian International Academic Centre, 2017-12-30) Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki; Njoroge, Martin C.An indigenous or community language is the language that nurtures the child in the early years of his or her life. The UNESCO land mark publication in 1953 underscores the importance of educating children in their community languages: an education that is packaged in a language which the child does not understand is simply difficultfor the child. Kenya has had a number of education commissions that significantly address the place of indigenous languages in a child’s education. Further, Kenya Constitution on its part tackles language issues too. This paper, therefore, examines how the Constitution and the various colonial and post-colonial educational commissions that have been undertaken in Kenya treat indigenous languages. Should these indigenous languages be used as a medium of instruction? What are their benefitsto a child’s life? To answer these questions, the historical method of study which utilizes mainly secondary and primary sources of data is adopted. The main sources of primary data which form the basis of the discussion and analysis in the paper are Kenya’s constitution (2010) and the educational commissions and reports in the two epochs: colonial and post-colonial periods. The main sources of secondary data scrutinized include: written documents such as books, journals and newspapers. The paper notes that the various educational commissions contain numerous recommendations that have informed Kenya’s education sector over the years on the way indigenous languages should be utilized for both individual and national development. This notwithstanding, the paper concludes that indigenous languages in Kenya have been given a short shrift to the advantage of English language hegemony. The paper proposes a sound implementation of the commissions’ recommendations in order to revitalize indigenous languages so that a Kenyan learner can reap benefits that accrue from the use of indigenous languages in educationItem The Teaching of English Idioms in Kenyan Secondary Schools: Difficulties and Effective Strategies(Australian International Academic Centre, 2016) Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki; Njoroge, Martin C.Item Task Based Learning as an Alternative Approach to the Teaching of Languages in Kenyan Schools: Towards Best Practices(2014) Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki; Njoroge, Martin C.Although language syllabuses in Kenyan primary and secondary schools encourage teachers to involve learners in their own learning, actual classroom practices reveal that this is not fully implemented for various reasons. Nevertheless, one of the approaches to the teaching of languages advocated for by language specialists is Task Based Learning (TBL), in which the central focus is completion of tasks that involve learners in language use in real life situations. In so doing, learners develop excellent communication and social interaction skills. The idea is for learners to learn the target language by being exposed to meaningful task-based activities. They perform tasks in pairs or in small groups after which they compile a report and present their findings to the class in written or spoken form. The research on which this paper is based investigated the use of TBL as an alternative to the teaching of English in Kenyan primary schools. A school in Nyeri County, Kenya, was purposively sampled. Learners in the experimental class were taught using TBL while those in the control class were taught using the Presentation, Practice and Performance (PPP) approach. A pre-test and a post test were administered before and after the teaching. Afterwards, the scores were tabulated and analyzed quantitatively and the emerging patterns discussed. The findings revealed that many benefits are derived from the adoption of TBL in the language classroom. Thus, we recommend that TBL be adopted in the teaching of languages in Kenyan schools and that language teachers be trained on this approach.