Language subjects (Kiswahili or English) are important to the education of a student. This is evident in entry requirements or clustering of subjects performed to enable learners join higher learning institutions. Currently, for one to be absorbed in courses like medicine, law and engineering, he or she must score grade ‘A’ in English or Kiswahili. To accomplish their task, teachers need to utilize all the professional training, be innovative, creative, dedicated to the interest of learners in school and helping them during extra time beyond the school daily timetable. Teachers should be motivated to accomplish the noble task. This paper is designed to identify the level of motivation for teachers of Kiswahili. The study was based on Expectancy theory by Victor Vroom who explained that motivation is a combination of three factors: Valence, Expectancy and Instrumentality. The theory stresses that students and teachers expect to get a reward from the effort they put in their work. Survey research design and Stratified random sampling was used to select teachers teaching Kiswahili from the selected 14 schools out of 29 schools in Elgeyo Marakwet County. The sample included teachers and students. Questionnaires and document analysis were used in data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics mainly frequencies, percentages, variances and standard deviations; t-test was applied in testing the hypothesis. The paper recommends that Head teachers and other administrators need to adopt a workable motivation schedule to improve the teachers’ level of motivation and consequently performance
Keywords: Kiswahili, Level, Motivation, Performance, Teachers
