Language Repertoire and Identity Construction Among Secondary School Students in Sabatia Subcounty, Vihiga County, Kenya (Published)
The concept of language repertoire has become a vital tool in the field of multilingual education, representing the broad range of linguistic abilities that language users bring to their communication, engagement, and identity building. Although there is growing focus on multilingualism, very little empirical literature examines the link between language repertoire and identity construction in Kenyan secondary schools. The purpose of this study was to examine how students’ language repertoire impacts identity construction of secondary school students in Sabatia Sub-County, Vihiga County, Kenya. The study used a descriptive case study design as part of a mixed-methods approach, in accordance with Norton’s theory of Language, Identity, and Investment. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from Form Three and Four students and language teachers. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation were used to analyse quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. These results showed a significant positive correlation between language repertoire and sense of identity. As students’ language repertoire increased, their sense of belonging and symbolic language use also increased. The overall study findings show that language repertoire is considered a valuable educational resource that merits recognition in multilingual teaching and learning environments.
Keywords: Kenya, Language repertoire, Multilingualism, identity construction, secondary school students