CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND
English as a subject is crucial in all fields of career. It is a means by which people pass
information and express their feelings. Globally, it is the language of science and technology,
commerce, and media. This, therefore, makes it an essential subject in Kenya’s education
curriculum. Despite its centrality, English has over the past years been registering poor
performance in the national exams in secondary schools. For instance, there has been poor
performance in English in the last 5 years in schools around Tuuti-Marakaru Ward. Hence the
need to investigate factors contributing to the poor performance of students in the Ward. The
research came to the conclusion that poor performance in English has been attributed to students’
negative attitude towards English, and minimum use of learning resources. The research found
out that teaching methodologies were used effectively.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Failure in English in schools within Tuuti-Marakaru Ward has been increasing yearly and the
realization of the factors that have led to the poor performance in this area has brought the need
for efforts to be combined from parents, teachers, and stakeholders so that it may help in dealing
with the problem. This is because failure to do so may result in continuous deterioration in the
following years. This will help in finding possible solutions to ensure that the problem is dealt
with and ensure that more students advance well in education.
1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The proposed research aims at
1. finding out the influence of mother tongue or native language in the performance of
English.
2. investigating the relationship between availability and adequate instructional materials
and English performance.
3. investigating the effects of teaching methodology in English performance.
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1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following are the research questions
1. What is the influence of mother tongue or native language in the performance of English
in schools within Tuuti-Marakaru Ward?
2. what are the effects of teaching methodologies in English performance in schools within
Tuuti-Marakaru Ward?
3. what effects does availability and adequate instructional materials have in English
performance in schools within Tuuti-Marakaru Ward?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
To give curriculum developers new insight into emerging issues on performance in English to in.
To influence Ministry of Education on policy making.
To benefit the students by improving their performance in English which will give them
opportunities to pursue their career choices.
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study used sampled schools within Tuuti-Marakaru Ward, and not the entire nation or
County. There were also limited financial resources to cover most of the schools within the
Ward. Some of the respondents had a negative attitude as the research was being conducted.
However, the data collected was able to meet the intended objectives of the research.
1.7 DELIMITATIONS
The study does not cover all the schools within Tuuti-Marakaru Ward.
The study was limited to a time framework and limited amount of financial resources.
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1.8 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
One of the causes of poor performance in English in secondary schools was a failure by teachers
of English to use teaching resources and aids during English lessons. This caused content
delivery process not to be effective. When teaching aids are incorporated in the teaching and
learning process, the lesson becomes enjoyable and memorable, and learners retain the
information taught. A negative attitude was another factor that caused low performance in
English according to the research. Such an attitude caused learners to become disinterested in the
English subject resulting in failure to achieve their set targets.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 TEACHER AND LEARNER ATTITUDE AND PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH
A school is a social unit established by members of society as a formal agency of education
where students learn about customs, attitudes, and ways of doing things in society. According to
Robert (2002), a school in a sociological context is a place where the culture of the people is
transmitted from one generation to another. The study was guided by Erikson’s Theory of
psychosocial stages of development developed by Erikson (Erikson, 1968). He posited that
notable development occurs during Adolescent: physically, emotionally psychologically,
physiologically, and socially. Erikson’s Theory emphasized on human personality, the
imposition of social control on innate emotions, and a child's acquisition of the expected effect of
experience with regard to how the world will treat him or her.
According to Robert and Rodney (1995), studies indicate that roughly 5,000 discipline cases in
secondary schools occur annually among Adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years. Most of
these are secondary school students. This was supported by the former minister of education Dr.
Fred Matiangi that discipline cases had a negative effect on anyone, especially in relation to
academic performance. The negative attitude students have towards English that English is a
hard subject has a negative influence on their performance in English. Worst if it comes from
adolescent students with such prior knowledge. According to Rodney (1990), the public image of
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English is negative. He further argues that linguists are arrogant, egocentric, elliptically female
social misfits who lack social antenna, common Sense, and a sense of humor. This creates a
negative public image of linguists to their learners. This has detrimental effects on the
performance of English. Brown and Porter (1999) asserted this by writing that linguists
themselves are to blame because they failed to define it in a global sense to their students. This
alone gives learners a negative attitude towards English and in turn to performance.
2.2 TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS AND STUDENTS’
PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH
There has been a strong relationship between instructional materials and the overall results or
achievement in the English language. In China for instance English is taught as a foreign
language, the textbooks of English form the basis of the curriculum in the teaching and learning
of English. This includes tests and examinations which shows the indispensable role textbooks
play not only in the teaching and learning of English but also in the overall results of a learner.
This has been echoed by Richards (1998) with this claim that many schools and language
programs, textbooks form the essential curriculum in the teaching and learning of the English
language.
Hutchinson and Taurus (1994) emphasized the importance of textbooks in the teaching and
learning of English and the overall performance of learners as follows " textbooks provide a
guide to teach more effectively,". He further said that it saves time, gives direction to lessons,
guides discussions, facilitates giving of homework, better organized... and makes learning easier,
faster and better."
In 2005 a survey was conducted by Education Insight in Kenya that revealed the inadequacy of
learning facilities especially textbooks in Kenya schools. Yeya (2002), agreed with this research
and drew a relationship between the inadequacy of instructional resources and the overall
national performance. The higher the ratio the better the performance in the English language.
Bitamazire (2005) asserts that the availability and adequacy of instructional materials should be
accompanied by supervision and correct usage for effective teaching and learning to take place
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these materials include audio-visual materials (which are diagrams flipcharts computer monitors
slides pictures); printed materials ( handouts, charts, textbooks, study guides...).
Ayota (1987) points to the centrality of the teacher. That these instructional materials should not
replace the teacher. Recent research (2012) indicates that the government has ensured the
availability and adequacy of instructional materials (KLB textbooks and set books). This resulted
from the awareness of the relationship between the availability and adequacy of instructional
materials and overall performance of the English language, and other subjects in the national
examinations.
2.3 TEACHING METHODOLOGY AND LEARNERS’ PERFORMANCE
Teaching methods are categorized into two: teacher-centered approaches and learner-centered
approaches (Oigara, 2012). Teacher-centered approaches include lecture method, drilling and
questioning. On the other hand, learner-centered methods include pair or group work,
demonstration, guided learning, role play or drama, and project-based learning. Learner-centered
approaches place the learner at the center of the teaching and learning experience according to
Collins (2003).
There is a relationship between teaching methodologies and learners’ results. For instance,
Macho (2012) asserted that poor teaching methodologies led to the underperformance of the
English language. One of the commonly preferred teaching methodologies according to Odundo
(2013), who concurs with Macho, is the lecture method, drilling, and questioning. However, he
argued out that these make the learner a passive recipient than an active participant in the
acquisition of knowledge. At the end of the course or study the learner ends up achieving
dismally.
Namasaka, Mondoh and Wasike (2017) conducted a research in Kenyan schools in methodology
versus learner's academic achievement and concluded that demonstration, experiment and lecture
methods will be effective in the improved performance of learners academic performance.
However, this was disputed by so-and-so researcher who asserted that this teaching
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methodologies fitted well in science subjects especially biology chemistry or physics and not
Languages English being one of them.
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CHAPTER 3
3.0 INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the research methodology, research design, location of the study, target
population description, sampling technique and size, research statements, validity and reliability
of research instruments, piloting of the research instruments, data analysis procedures, and data
collection procedure.
3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology involves data collection methods, analysis and presentation. The
population of the study will be students from form one to form four, and teachers of English in
schools within Tuuti-Marakaru Ward.
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
The study will use a Descriptive Survey Design because it gives the analysis of attitudes, values,
and characteristics. The study will foster to gather factual information necessary for improving
the performance of English. Interviews will be conducted to the respondents. Direct observations
and questionnaire distributed to randomly selected respondents will facilitate the Gathering of
information.
3.3 LOCATION OF THE STUDY
The research will be carried out in Tuuti-Marakaru Ward. The schools include Butieli High
School, Bukananachi Secondary School, and Bukusu Secondary School.
3.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE TARGET POPULATION
Informant: Educational officers and the principal.
Respondents: Teachers of English and students.
3.5 SAMPLING TECHNIQUES AND SIZE
Simple random sampling method will be employed where each of the respondents will randomly
be given an equal chance to respond.
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3.6 RESEARCH STATEMENT
Questionnaires to extract some confidential information. Teachers of English questionnaires for
confidentiality of information. Direct observations since they are cheap and not affected by
language. simple and clear interviews to obtain first-hand information which is not much
distorted will also be conducted.
3.7 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
The instruments to be used for data collection such as interview Guides and questionnaires are
valid and reliable to the target population.
3.8 PILOTING OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
The use of interview Guides and questionnaires will be exposed before the actual time of use to
accurately determine the validity and reliability.
3.9 DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURE
Data collected in this research will be analyzed descriptively. Answers will be analyzed from the
questions. The data will be descriptively analyzed by gathering, modelling and transforming it
with the aim of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusion, and supporting decision-
making. It will involve and covering underlying structure, detecting any underlying structure,
extracting important variable and testing and underlying assumptions.
3.10 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE
During data collection, both primary and secondary data will be conducted. The primary data
will be collected through questionnaires administered to respondents at the area of study. The
respondents will be given enough time to give their views on the questionnaires. Secondary data
will be obtained from workshops and research projects. The data will be analyzed to bring forth
conclusion and recommendations.
3.11 NOTE OF CONFIDENTIALITY
All information taken from the study will be codded to protect each subject’s name. no names or
other identifying information will be used when discussing or sharing data.
