scholarly journals INFLUENCE OF TEACHERS’ TEACHING EXPERIENCE ON TEACHING OF LITERACY SKILLS AMONG GRADE ONE PUPILS IN MOMBASA, KENYA

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emelda Juma Olando ◽  
Margaret Mwangi

<p>Early childhood years are crucial in children’s literacy development since the development of language and literacy begins at birth and is a lifelong process. For early childhood education to be a success, teacher experience is imperative for teaching literacy. The teachers’ experience informs the necessary literacy skills for the child which include writing, reading, speaking, listening and drawing. Policies governing basic education in Kenya do emphasize the importance of skilled, experienced teachers in the classroom, including early childhood settings. However, such requirements have not been adhered to and therefore numerous early childhood teachers lack experience in children literacy issues. This study sought to determine how teacher’s experience influences the teaching of literacy skills in primary school in Mbaraki Zone, Mombasa County, Kenya. Descriptive survey design was adopted in the study. The target population for the study comprised of 20 head teachers, 800 Grade one pupils and 40 Grade one teachers of all the twenty primary schools in Mbaraki Zone, Mombasa County, Kenya. Purposive sampling approach was used to obtain the sample for the primary school head teachers and Grade one teachers because they are relatively small. Three learners were sampled randomly from each class that had a participating teacher. The study findings revealed that majority of teachers had more than five years of experience teaching literacy skills. The inferential analysis revealed that the teaching experience had a statistically significant influence on reading (p 0.014), speaking (p 0.021), listening skills (p 0.038) as well as basic skills (p 0.019). The study calls on the ministry of education and the schools to ensure that teachers assigned to grade one should have extensive experience teaching literacy skills to promote teaching of literacy skills in the classes.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0975/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 32-53
Author(s):  
Harriet Isaboke ◽  
Maureen Mweru ◽  
Gladwell Wambiri

Globalization and demand for twenty first century skills has led countries to adapt Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). Kenya embarked on curriculum reforms from content based to CBC in 2018. Studies have reported minimal use of CBC teaching-learning approaches in pre-primary schools in Nairobi City County. Teachers are the key implementers of the Curriculum, yet their preparedness to implement the Curriculum in public pre-primary schools remains unknown. Therefore, this study purposed to establish the preparedness of pre-primary school teachers in implementing the CBC in public pre-primary schools in the County. The Concern-Based Adoption Model by Hall, Hord and Rutherford (2006) was used in this study.  The study targeted a population of 900 comprising of 450 pre-primary school teachers, 225 ECD Center Managers and 225 head teachers in all the 225 public pre-primary schools in Nairobi City County. Twenty percent of the target population was sampled to participate in the study; therefore the study had a sample size of 180, which comprised of 45 head teachers, 45 center managers and 90 pre-primary school teachers. A Questionnaire, interview schedules, observation checklist and a document analysis guide were used to collect data. Pilot study was conducted in two public pre-primary schools in the County, validity of the research instruments was determined through expert judgment whereas reliability of the questionnaires was determined through split-half method and a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.799 was obtained. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically whereas quantitative data was summarized using percentages and frequencies and Chi-square test was used to test the hypotheses. This was facilitated by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 21. Findings showed that majority (65.9%) of the teachers had not received any training on CBC, whereas 34.1% of the teachers were trained. The study established a significant relationship between the teachers’ extent of training in CBC and their ability to implement the curriculum with a significance value of p=0.000<0.05. The study concluded that the teachers were not adequately prepared to implement the Curriculum. Thus, recommended that the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Nairobi City County Government should adequately create a regular in-service training program to equip teachers with necessary knowledge and skills that will help them implement the curriculum effectively.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
William Faustine Epeju

Kumi communities consist of Bukedea, Kumi and Ngora districts whose agriculture is increasingly complex with declining productivity because of population increase, climate change, low yielding technologies used &amp; poor market access impacting negatively on yields and environment. More knowledge &amp; innovations are needed by farmers. Teaching agriculture in primary schools raised hopes, hence the study. The design was exploratory. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, questionnaires, documents and observations were used to collect data from 40 primary schools randomly selected. Of 2,069 respondents, 1,951 were head teachers, teachers and primary seven students &amp; 118 were farmers including extension workers purposively selected.  Qualitative data were analysed using open coding &amp; axial coding based on objectives and research questions. Agricultural productivity and its growth rate were found low caused by many factors. Education quality and innovations attained by farmers were not assuring for successful farming and rural living. Primary school agriculture was poorly conducted encountering implementation problems such as limited land, no funds, unfavourable weather and lack of improved inputs. Forty five percent (45%) of the students preferred farming as an occupation. The key innovations attained were literacy and numeracy important in the use of improved inputs; knowledge and skills for several farm operations including environmental management and good family living.   On ranking school completion rates and farm output of 16 sub-counties, Spearman Rank Order coefficient computed was positive (r = 0.421 with r<sup>2</sup> = 0.1772, 18% at 0.05 α). Increased farm output was explained by 18% through completed primary education by farmers. Smallholder farms in Kumi for years may only be run commercially through intelligent and differentiated policies, addressing market access, jobs in non-farm economy and social transfers to improve welfare of the poor. Primary school agriculture through innovations attained by farmers enhances production thus the need for more investment in it.


1998 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Stamopoulos

The incorporation of pre-primary centres into Western Australian government primary schools has shifted the responsibility for leadership from the kindergarten director to the primary school principal. Concerns have been raised that principals who are responsible for appraisal of pre-primary teachers are providing inadequate educational leadership to these teachers because of their lack of theoretical and practical background in early childhood. They have not been provided with professional development to adequately support them in this role. However, to date, it seems that principals have not been asked for their views about their capacities concerning the pre-primary sector. For these reasons this study investigated the question: How do primary school principals perceive they fulfil their administrative, managerial and educational roles in respect to pre-primary centres? The majority of principals in the district surveyed indicated that they considered administration/management to be their most important role in relation to pre-primary education. A greater number of principals indicated inadequate performance in dealing with educational issues. The majority of principals said the system should require pre-primary training for principals, provide each school with materials that outline developmentally appropriate practices; and provide early childhood professional development courses for principals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 2788-2805
Author(s):  
Whatmore Chikwature ◽  
Oyedele V

The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the problems faced by female head teachers in the management of primary schools in Marange area in Mutare district in Manicaland province. The mixed method research design was used which incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methods. The target population in this study were the female head teachers in Marange area in Mutare district, teachers and the Education Officer of Marange area in Mutare district. Marange area in Mutare district has 52 primary schools, of which seven (7) are headed by female head teachers. The researchers used questionnaires and interview guides for collection of data. The interview was targeted for female head teachers and Education Inspector of Marange area in Mutare district. The data that was obtained was both quantitative and qualitative. Majority of the teachers (75.0%) said that their perception towards their head teachers was good. Majority of the teachers (87.5%) noted that psychological traits do not bar the head teachers from performing school duties effectively. All of the teachers noted that the students accorded male and female teachers at the same level of respect. The following conclusions were drawn. Female head teachers are positively viewed by their teachers and students and are approachable since they encourage them to work to attain their goals in schools. Cultural and social barriers do interfere with the management of school affairs. Half (50%) of the head teachers said there was no role conflict between domestic and professional roles while 50% of head teachers felt that there was conflict. On the psychological factors influencing the head teachers’ performance, 87.5% of the teachers said that biological traits did not bar the head teachers from performing school duties. This was because they had a teaching experience, were assertive and aggressive. The study recommended that since female heads were positively viewed strongly by teachers, there is need for them to be given more posts of leadership in primary schools. Thus, female head teachers are effective hence, they are able to achieve the goals of their respective institutions. Although cultural and social barriers may interfere with the management of school affairs, there is need for female heads to be encouraged to achieve leadership positions since they can manage the roles of leaders through mentorship.    


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 374-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dyoty Auliya Vilda Ghasya, ◽  
Gio Mohamad Johan ◽  
Lili Kasmini

Information literacy is a skill needed to search, analyze and utilize information. So that information literacy is a very important ability that is owned by a person, especially in the world of education, in this case elementary school teachers because at this time all people are faced with various types of information resources that are developing very rapidly, but not necessarily all the information that is available and created can be trusted and in accordance with the information needs of information seekers. Based on direct observations made by the team proposing the Community Partnership Program (PKM) in partner primary schools found data and information that the information literacy skills of elementary school teachers are still below the standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). This information literacy standard lists a number of abilities used in determining a person's ability to understandinformation. Seeing the problem of information literacy ability of partner elementary school teachers is still below the ACRL standard, the proposer team will utilize multimedia as one solution to improve information literacy skills of partner primary school teachers. The advantage of using multimedia the most prominent is interactivity which means that this media inherently forces users to interact with the material. This interaction varies from the simplest to the complex. This program will be implemented for elementary school teachers in Aceh Besar District. The objectives of this program are (1) through this mentoring activity it is believed that it can increase the repertoire of knowledge of primary school teachers regarding information literacy capacity building programs, (2) Through mentoring activities will improve elementary school teacher information literacy skills based on the standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) through multimedia utilization. (3) Develop the skills of elementary school teachers in designing simple information literacy media that are easy to make and applicable to the learning presented.   Abstrak Literasi informasi merupakan suatu keterampilan yang diperlukan untuk mencari, menganalisis dan memanfaatkan informasi. Sehingga literasi informasi merupakan kemampuan yang sangat penting dimiliki seseorang terutama pada dunia pendidikan, dalam hal ini guru sekolah dasar karena pada saat ini semua orang dihadapkan dengan berbagai jenis sumber informasi yang berkembang sangat pesat, namun belum tentu semua informasi yang ada dan diciptakan tersebut dapat dipercaya dan sesuai dengan kebutuhan informasi para pencari informasi. Berdasarkan observasi secara langsung yang dilakukan oleh tim pengusul Program Kemitraan Masyarakat (PKM) pada sekolah dasar mitra ditemukan data dan informasi bahwa kemampuan literasi informasi guru sekolah dasar masih dibawah standar Association Of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Standar literasi informasi ini berisi daftar sejumlah kemampuan yang digunakan dalam menentukan kemampuan seseorang dalam memahami informasi. Melihat permasalahan kemampuan literasi informasi guru sekolah dasar mitra masih dibawah standar ACRL tersebut, maka tim pengusul akan memanfaatkan multimedia sebagai salah satu solusi untuk meningkatkan kemampuan literasi informasi guru sekolah dasar mitra. Keunggulan dari pemanfaatan multimedia yang paling menonjol adalah interaktivitas yang artinya media ini secara inheren memaksa pengguna untuk berinteraksi dengan materi. Interaksi ini bervariasi dari yang paling sederhana hingga yang kompleks. Program ini akan dilaksanakan pada guru sekolah dasar di Kabupaten Aceh Besar. Adapun tujuan dari program ini adalah (1) Melalui kegiatan pendampingan ini diyakni dapat menambah khasanah pengetahuan guru sekolah dasar mengenai program peningkatan kemampuan literasi informasi, (2) Melalui kegiatan pendampingan akan meningkatkan kemampuan literasi informasi guru sekolah dasar berdasarkan standar Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) melalui pemanfaatan multimedia. (3) Mengembangkan keterampilan guru sekolah dasar dalam mendesain media literasi infromasi sederhana yang mudah dibuat dan aplikatif dengan pembelajaran yang disajikan. Kata Kunci: Literasi Informasi, Standar ACRL, Multimedia


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Le'autuli'ilagi Malaeta Faasapisapi Sauvao

<p>Background The rapid increase in the number of Samoan children receiving early childhood education in their heritage language through the Aoga Amata movement has prompted the researcher to examine how continuity is being handled during the transition to primary schooling. During 1996-7, I interviewed parents, teachers, principals and children about the transition from Aoga Amata programmes to junior class programmes in fourteen primary schools. In addition, I gathered descriptions of how parents viewed the nature and the quality of Aoga Amata programmes, and how teachers and principals viewed issues of language maintenance. I also asked children to reflect on their Aoga Amata experience and then engage in performance tasks that provided me with an opportunity to gauge their spoken proficiency in Samoan. Aim The primary aim of the study was to gather information from parents, children, teachers and principals about the way the transition to school was organised for Aoga Amata children. Sampling procedures I used a community network approach to gain access to a pool of twenty recent graduates of Aoga Amata and their receiving schools. In addition, I chose six children for case study purposes because of the interesting circumstance each child represented. Thirty-nine parents, fourteen teachers and fourteen principals completed the sample. Procedures I used structured interviews, questionnaire versions of the structured interviews, and performance tasks in order to collect information. I asked about the strategies used to cope with the transition to primary school; the impact of the transition on children, the perceptions of parents about Aoga Amata programmes, perceptions of teachers about the transition to primary school, and the factors thought by stakeholders to be contributing to the maintenance of the Samoan language in school. The procedures used to gather information were carried out using culturally appropriate communication processes that made use of faafeiloaiga faa Samoa (cultural greetings), faaaloalo (respect and supply of food), faamalie ona o ni itu e faalavelavea ai le suesuega (acknowledgement of intrusion) and lauga faafetai/faamavae (speeches of appreciation and farewell). Results Only one Aoga Amata/school partnership had a comprehensive programme where the graduates of the Aoga Amata were received into a bilingual programme taught by a native speaker of Samoan. The Aoga Amata was on the school grounds and this enabled linkages to develop over a period of time between its staff, the teachers at the school, the children, and the children's families. When children were received into schools where there was no continuity of language and curriculum, the transition was perceived as less satisfactory, especially in the early days of the transition. Compared to children who attended other early childhood educational centres, or remained at home, children who had attended an Aoga Amata programme were generally perceived by most teachers and parents as having more developed literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Schools varied in the position they took on language maintenance and on the actions that they were prepared to take. Lack of funding, lack of trained Samoan teachers, and a view that the school's cultural activities were sufficient were all reasons given for absence of language maintenance. Conclusion There is lack of an agreed understanding of what is necessary for successful transition to school in the case of Aoga Amata children. Stakeholders in the children's education will need to target policy, strategies, and standards to guide continuity between home, Aoga Amata, school and community.</p>


Sociology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellis Morgan ◽  
Yvette Taylor

This article sets out the ways in which primary schools have come to bear significant risks in making decisions over whether, how and when to reflect transgender issues. We examine press reporting that arose in relation to a recent incident in the UK in which a primary school in East Sussex was widely criticised for instigating a ‘transgender education’ initiative. We argue that despite tacit indications that UK Government supports ‘transgender education’ as a learning area for children as young as five years old, there is an ongoing risk to primary schools who implement such initiatives. The nature of this risk is located within the usage of equalities terminology in governmental discussions and official guidance that effectively acts to gloss over the enduringly controversial nature of transgender issues. The vague and non-specific nature of equalities terminology allows for both heteronormative and transgressive interpretation, thereby locating the risk of public criticism with primary schools, and head teachers in particular.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Jacinta R. M. ◽  
Rotich K. S.

<p>The research focused on the impact of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in the learning of pupils in primary schools in Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey design. The target population of the study was 616 teachers in the 32 public primary school in Starehe Division of Nairobi County. The sample comprised of 210 randomly selected primary school teachers. Data were gathered by use of questionnaire. Findings revealed that pupils who had gone through the ECE were able to acquire skills in basic counting, mathematics and speaking. Pupils who had not attended ECE classes had problems with grasping simple counting skills and simple language skills. They were not able to interact well with other pupils. The findings also revealed that pupils who had attended ECE classes were able to interact with the teachers better than those who had not attended ECE. Findings indicated that pupils who had attended the ECE classes had usually lower scores at the beginning in class one. Attending ECE classes enabled pupils become fluent in reading and in recognizing numbers in mathematics. The study concluded that ECE classes had prepared pupils to join primary school by enabling them learn some basic counting and speaking skills. The study recommended that parents should be sensitized on the need to take their children to the ECE centers before taking them to formal primary schools.</p>


2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Kennelly ◽  
Neil Taylor ◽  
Tom Maxwell ◽  
Pep Serow

AbstractAspects of environment are common topics in Australian primary schools. However Education for Sustainability (EfS), where students actively investigate the underlying causes of unsustainable practices and actively plan for and instigate change, is less well understood and less commonly practised. It cannot be assumed that pre-service teachers have the knowledge, skills and desire to incorporate EfS, as advocated in Australian policies, into their repertoires of practice, or, that they will acquire those skills as they gain teaching experience. Therefore for EfS to become an integral component of the primary school experience, carefully planned rather than ad hoc preparation for EfS is necessary in pre-service teacher education.This essentially qualitative study describes how a one-semester, final year pre-service primary teacher unit in EfS was shaped, and reports on how a cohort of pre-service teachers responded, particularly in terms of how well prepared they felt to engage with EfS in future teaching. Although motivation and confidence to engage with EfS varied across the cohort, pre-service teacher education appeared to make a positive contribution to both. In a longitudinal design, five teachers who had participated in the EfS unit became the focus of individual case studies early in their teaching careers. Each case study investigated ways in which the beginning teacher engaged with EfS, linking teaching decisions to pre-service teacher education. The constructivist approach adopted by the tutors was particularly valued by the early career teachers. They appreciated various modes of experiential learning including engagement with the kinds of teaching strategies advocated in EfS and a strong orientation to the curriculum requirements of primary school.However, the extent to which each early career teacher implemented EfS was tempered not only by personal skill and motivation, but also by work situations which did not necessarily support EfS endeavours. While pre-service teacher education has a vital role in the promulgation of EfS in schools, and this study shows that it can be effective in advancing the desires of beginning teachers to do something for the environment, there are broad implications for the institutions that so heavily impact on the capacity of school systems and university systems to act in EfS.


2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-61
Author(s):  
Benjamin C. Kipkulei ◽  
Micah C. Chepchieng ◽  
Mary J. Chepchieng ◽  
Lydia M. Boitt

The girl child participation in primary school level of education has become a real concern in all nations of the World particularly in the developing countries of the Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya included. Girl child education worldwide provides benefits to the family and the society at large thus factors affecting it should be addressed for the sake of human and societal development. The objective of the study was to establish the factors affecting girls’ participation in primary schools in Kenya. Specifically, the study investigated the effect socio-economic, socio-cultural and school -based factors have on a girl-child’s participation in primary school education in Kenya. In some parts of Kenya, there is low girls’ participation in primary school education thus the interest in establishing the factors that may be contributing to this problem. This was considered crucial as Kenya strives to achieve basic Education for All by 2015. The study employed a survey design. 210 girls drawn from primary classes 6, 7 and 8 participated in the study. The simple random technique was used in the selection of the sample. A questionnaire was used to collect data that were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages). The findings of the study revealed that socio-economic, socio-cultural and school related factors affect girls’ participation in primary schools in Kenya. In effect, unless these factors are expeditiously addressed, primary school girls will continue to be disadvantaged in the Kenya’s school system. This will frustrate the world’s efforts in attaining basic education for all by 2015. The study therefore recommended that the Ministry of Education in Kenya should create awareness to all education stakeholders on the importance of girl child education in the country. It was also recommended that a large scale study involving sub-Saharan Africa developing nations experiencing low girls' participation in education be carried out to falsify or corroborate the findings. Key words: education, factors, girls’ participation, socio-economic, socio-cultural, school-based.


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