Teaching of Listening Skills in Kiswahili Language: Instructional Strategies Used By Secondary Schools Teachers in Wareng Sub-County, Kenya (Published)
This study investigated the influence of the instructional process on the teaching and acquisition of listening skills in Kiswahili language. Based on the study, this paper examines the type of instructional strategies used by secondary school teachers in the teaching of listening skills in Kiswahili language. The study was based on two theories, the theory of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) as advanced by Widdowson in 1978 and the Top-down theory propounded by Mendelsohn in 1995. A sample of 13 secondary schools was purposively selected from a total of 41 secondary schools in Wareng’ Sub-County. Thirteen (13) teachers and 130 Form Two learners of Kiswahili formed the study sample. The study was a descriptive survey since it set out to discover, describe and interpret existing conditions focusing on secondary school teachers of Kiswahili and Form Two learners. The research instruments used to collect data were two sets of interview schedules and an observation schedule. The 13 teachers were interviewed whereas the 130 learners participated in Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Moreover, 13 Kiswahili lessons were observed and tape-recorded. Tape-recording was used to record data during observations while note taking was used during the focus group discussions and one-on-one interviews. Analyzed data was presented using frequency tables, percentages, graphs and charts. The study revealed that poor teaching strategies used in the teaching process contribute heavily to poor levels of acquisition of listening skills. In view of the findings, the study recommends that teachers of Kiswahili should build into their classrooms listening activities that have as much of the characteristics of real life listening as possible. In particular, there should be a purpose for listening that should be known before the listening activity commences. This paper is significant in that it seeks to provide impetus for Kiswahili language educators, teacher trainers, curriculum designers and the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) to re-examine their policies on teaching listening skills.
Keywords: Instructional Strategies, Kenya, Kiswahili language, Listening Skills, Teachers, Teaching
Factors Affecting the Inculcation of Moral Behaviour in Youths within Families in Ohaozara Local Government Area Ebonyi State (Published)
The study focused on the factors affecting the inculcation of moral behaviour in youths within families in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The objectives of the study focused on ascertaining how socio-economic factors, modern technology, environment and peer group influence affect the inculcation of moral behaviours in youths in Ohaozara Local Government Area. Four research questions guided the study. Two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using chi-square. The area of the study was Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state. The population of the study was made up of nine thousand, nine hundred and eight parents. The sample size of the study was two hundred and fifty parents drawn randomly from the three communities in Ohaozara Local Government Area. Questionnaire was used for data collection. The mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Findings of the study revealed that moral decadence affects students’ academic performance. It also revealed that good guidance and counseling are good strategies for restoring morality among youths within families. The following recommendations were made; 1. Parents should check the environment in which they raise their children as environment affects the moral behaviour of youths. 2. There should be adequate and proper home training for children in the society. 3. The youths’ access to modern technology should be monitored by parents.
Keywords: Behaviour, Families, Moral, Teaching, Youth
Status of Teaching Pre-Vocational Subjects in the Junior Secondary School Level (Agricultural Science and Home Economics) (Published)
This work assessed the status of teaching pre-vocational subjects in junior secondary school level. The study adopted descriptive survey method. The population of the study was 2916, while the sample for the study was 215 pre-vocational teachers and agricultural science and home economics students. The study was carried out in Afikpo Education Zone Ebonyi State. Four purposes of study and two hypotheses guided the study. The instrument used for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire. The instrument was validated by 3 experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined by the use of cronbach alpha, and the reliability coefficient was 0.84. the data for the study was collected by the researchers and the research assistants. Research Question 1 and 2 were analysed using percentages while research question 3 and 4 were analysed using mean and standard deviation and the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics. Based on the analysis, the following findings emanated among others; 92% of the teachers were qualified, the school administrations co-operates in teaching of pre-vocational subjects, instructional materials were available for teaching of pre-vocational subjects. It was recommended among others that the teachers should adopt demonstration and project methods instead of story methods in teaching of pre-vocational subjects.
Keywords: Junior Secondary Schools, Pre-Vocational Subjects, Status, Teaching
Status of Teaching Pre-Vocational Subjects in the Junior Secondary School Level (Agricultural Science and Home Economics) (Published)
This work assessed the status of teaching pre-vocational subjects in junior secondary school level. The study adopted descriptive survey method. The population of the study was 2916, while the sample for the study was 215 pre-vocational teachers and agricultural science and home economics students. The study was carried out in Afikpo Education Zone Ebonyi State. Four purposes of study and two hypotheses guided the study. The instrument used for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire. The instrument was validated by 3 experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined by the use of cronbach alpha, and the reliability coefficient was 0.84. the data for the study was collected by the researchers and the research assistants. Research Question 1 and 2 were analysed using percentages while research question 3 and 4 were analysed using mean and standard deviation and the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics. Based on the analysis, the following findings emanated among others; 92% of the teachers were qualified, the school administrations co-operates in teaching of pre-vocational subjects, instructional materials were available for teaching of pre-vocational subjects. It was recommended among others that the teachers should adopt demonstration and project methods instead of story methods in teaching of pre-vocational subjects.
Keywords: Junior Secondary Schools, Pre-Vocational Subjects, Status, Teaching
Impediments to Effective Improvisation of Instructional Materials for Teaching Electrical Installation Works In Ebonyi State Technical Colleges (Published)
This study investigated the impediments to effective improvisation of instructional materials for teaching Electrical Installation Works (EIW) in Ebonyi State Technical Colleges. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Survey research design was adopted for the study with a population of 192. Sampling was not carried out because the population was manageable. Thirty item structured questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Three experts established the face validity of the instrument while 0.95 was its reliability coefficient obtained through test-re-test method with Pearson Product Moment Correlation to ensure its measures of stability. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while students t-test statistic was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed thirteen critical impediments resulting from EIW teachers’ characteristics and seventeen critical impediments due to environmental and situation forces surrounding EIW programme implementation. It was then recommended that Ebonyi State Government should ameliorate these impediments urgently to forestall their consequences.
Keywords: Effective, Electrical, Impediment, Improvisation, Installation work, Teaching, Technical College
Examination of The Readability Level Of Some Approved Science Textbooks in Use in Junior Secondary Schools in Ebonyi State Of Nigeria (Published)
This study was designed to examine the readability level of some approved Science textbooks in use in Junior Secondary Schools in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. The sample of the study consisted of three (3) approved Science textbooks, 21 Junior Secondary Schools randomly selected from the 3 Education zones of the State. The instrument used for data collection is Science Textbook Readability Text (CSTRT). The data were interpreted using a standard guideline for calculation and readability level by Harrison (1980). The results of the findings showed that the approved Science textbooks were very readable. Based on the findings, conclusion were drawn and it was recommended that Science textbooks should be revised periodically to enrich the readability of the textbooks
Keywords: Examination, Learning, Readability Level, Science Textbook, Teaching
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA COURSEWARE AS INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIUM FOR TEACHING (Published)
This study looked at the comparative analysis of the performance of pupils who were taught multiplication of fractions using interactive multimedia courseware and those who were taught using the traditional teaching model. Visual Basic.Net, Captivate and TechSmith Camtasia Studio v5.0.2 were used to develop the interactive multimedia courseware on multiplication of fractions. The research instrument was in the form of a teacher made test and questionnaire. The test consisted of pre-test and a post-test where the test items difficulty were paralleled. The simple random sampling method was used to select 72 primary five pupils (36 pupils each from the two primary five classes). Frequency, percentages, Chi-square and t-test were used for the Data analysis. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the performance of the experimental group and the control group, but there was significant difference in pupil’s interest in multiplication of fractions in the experimental group and the control group.
Keywords: Instructional Medium, Multimedia Courseware, Teaching