28 research outputs found
AN EXAMINATION OF THE IMPACT OF THE TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS ON MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT OF CLASS SIX PUPILS WITH DYSCALCULIA IN MBEERE SOUTH SUB COUNTY, KENYA
No full textPrevious studies have noted that 10 children in every class of 40 pupils do not acquire mathematical numeracy in the sub-county. Further, among these pupils, those in class six achieved between 15% -18% in Mathematics subject. In this regard, it is expected that for inclusive education; teacher competency is considered a key determinant for mathematics achievement among class six learners with dyscalculia in Mbeere South Sub-County, Embu County. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of teacher qualifications on the Mathematics achievement of class six pupils with dyscalculia. The study adopted a mixed method research adopting a descriptive survey design. The research was guided by the social developmental theory. The target population consisted of 378 pupils, 97 teachers from 14 primary schools, and 1 QASO officer, giving a total of 476. A simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 38 pupils, and 30 teachers, whereas purposive sampling was used to select the QASO officer. The main tools of data collection were: questionnaires and interviews. Piloting was done in one of the schools in the study area, which was omitted in the final study. Quantitative data realized from questionnaires were tallied, coded, and analyzed descriptively (means, frequencies, and percentages), with the aid of SPSS software, version 26. The study findings were presented in tables and diagrams. Qualitative data from the interview was edited, transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. Findings revealed that established the majority (60%) of class six mathematics teachers were well trained and therefore knowledgeable to teach pupils with dyscalculia. However, the majority (53.3%) of the teachers disagreed that they were not able to cope with pupils with dyscalculia while a further 53.3% disagreed that they have a negative perception of learners with dyscalculia. With 60% positive cases being greater than 54.4% negative cases, teacher qualifications, experiences, and abilities are considered to determine to a great extent mathematics achievement by class six pupils with dyscalculia. The study concluded that the teacher competencies determined to a great extent the mathematics achievement of class six pupils in Mbeere South sub-county. The study recommended that the school administrative body should ensure that there are enough teaching and learning resources to ensure a persuasive learning process in schools. This can be done with cognizance that government support may not always be adequate. Article visualizations
Analysis of Predictors of Behaviour Change among Children at Risk in Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County, Kenya
No full textThe aim of this study was to analyse predictors of behaviour change among children at risk in juvenile rehabilitation centres within Nairobi County, Kenya. The target population was all the children and managers of Juvenile rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County. This consisted of 380 boys, 160 girls, 8 managers in Kabete and Getathuru and 4 managers in Dagorreti rehabilitation Centre, all adding up to 552 respondents. Children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres within Nairobi County were sampled using probability and non-probability sampling techniques. To obtain a manageable sample from the target population, convenience, purposive, stratified random and systematic random sampling techniques were used respectively. Questionnaires, interview schedules and focus groups were used in the study as tools for data collection. Data collected was entered, coded and analyzed using inferential statistics and SPSS. The qualitative data was organized, analyzed and reported into emerging themes. The study found out that rehabilitation of children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres was not adequately addressed and it was only those children with severe and profound cases whose misbehaviours transformed to moderate levels. Educationists were left out during assessment, classification, referral and exit stages despite their rich expertise in rehabilitation. The analysis of determinants scored below average in terms of behaviour change. Among the predictors, Special needs intervention measures did not exist irrespective of the fact that more than ninety percent of children had special cases. Environment was not barrier free while majority of the staff were untrained in professional courses regarding behaviour change. The researcher recommended that all the staff of Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres to undergo training in Special Needs Education. That all the Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres be moved from Ministry of Labour and Social Services and be placed under the Ministry of Education which has adequate personnel required to rehabilitate a child. Keywords: Behaviour, Children at risk, Juvenile, Rehabilitation, Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres, Delinquency and Predicto
Review of Characteristics of Behaviour Change among Children at Risk in Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County, Kenya
No full textThe aim of this study was to review characteristics of behaviour change among children at risk in juvenile rehabilitation centres within Nairobi County, Kenya. The target population was all the children and managers of Juvenile rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County. It consisted of 380 boys, 160 girls, 8 managers in Kabete and Getathuru and 4 managers in Dagorreti rehabilitation Centre, making a total of 552 respondents. Children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres within Nairobi County were sampled using probability and non-probability sampling methods. To obtain a practicable sample from the target population, convenience, purposive, stratified random and systematic random sampling methods were used respectively. Questionnaires, interview schedules and focus groups were used in the study as tools for data gathering. Data gathered was entered, coded and analyzed using inferential statistics and SPSS. The qualitative data was organized, analyzed and reported into emerging themes. The study established that rehabilitation of children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres was not sufficiently addressed and it was only those children with severe and profound cases whose misbehaviours transformed to moderate levels. Educationists were left out during assessment, classification and in general, the behaviour change process despite their rich expertise in rehabilitation. The researcher recommended a multidisciplinary approach in behaviour change process. That is in Educational Assessment and classification of children at risk to specifically cater for the Children’s special Needs in Education. That the government of Kenya moves all the Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres from Ministry of Labour and Social Services and be placed under the Ministry of Education which has adequate personnel required to rehabilitate a child. Keywords: Behaviour, Children at risk, Juvenile, Rehabilitation, Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres and Delinquency
Determination of Sequence of Behaviour Change among Children at Risk in Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County, Kenya
No full textThe aim of this study was to determine sequence of behaviour change among children at risk in juvenile rehabilitation centres within Nairobi County, Kenya. The target population was all the children and managers of Juvenile rehabilitation Centres in Nairobi County. This consisted of 380 boys, 160 girls, 8 managers in Kabete and Getathuru and 4 managers in Dagorreti rehabilitation Centre, all making a total of 552 respondents. Children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres within Nairobi County were sampled using probability and non-probability sampling techniques. To obtain a manageable sample from the target population, convenience, purposive, stratified random and systematic random sampling techniques were used respectively. Questionnaires, interview schedules and focus groups were used in the study as tools for data collection. Data collected was entered, coded and analyzed using inferential statistics and SPSS. The qualitative data was organized, analyzed and reported into emerging themes. The study found out that rehabilitation of children at risk in Juvenile rehabilitation Centres was not adequate. Educationists were left out during assessment, classification, referral and exit stages despite their rich expertise in rehabilitation. The analysis of programmes applied scored below average in terms of behaviour change. Transitional programmes were inadequate. The researcher recommended a multidisciplinary team in Educational Assessment and Referral Centres before entry into the regular schools. That all the Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres be moved from Ministry of Labour and Social Services and be placed under the Ministry of Education which has adequate personnel required to rehabilitate a child. Keywords: Children at risk, Juvenile, Rehabilitation, Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres, and Delinquency
EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REMEDIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND GRADE THREE LEARNER’S READING ABILITIES IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN RUARAKA NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
No full textResearch has shown that a substantial number of school-age children experienced significant difficulties in learning how to read. Despite numerous interventions implemented in many Western countries to address this issue, children in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Kenya, continued to struggle with poor reading capabilities. Specifically, the research focused on the influence of remedial instructions in addressing reading disabilities among grade three learners in Ruaraka, Nairobi County. The study was based on the Communicative Language Teaching Theory. A descriptive survey research design, employing a mixed-method research approach, was utilized. The research targeted 1,023 grade three learners, 12 head teachers, and 24 teachers within 12 primary schools in the Ruaraka sub-county. Purposive sampling was employed to select 5 schools with known interventions for learners with reading difficulties. Grade three learners were selected using the census method, while two teachers and one head teacher were conveniently sampled from each school. Data collection involved using questionnaires for grade three teachers, interview guides for head teachers, and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) test for grade three learners. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentages, chi-square, and correlations with the assistance of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (v23). Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, adhering to all ethical guidelines throughout the research process. The findings revealed that Remedial Teaching, while promising, did not exhibit a statistically significant impact on reading performance. The study concludes that selecting the right intervention strategy when seeking to improve the reading abilities of grade three students. The study recommends that a rigorous and detailed investigation be undertaken to discern the specific strengths and weaknesses of Remedial Teaching as an intervention strategy. This in-depth analysis can provide valuable insights into its efficacy in addressing reading disabilities. Article visualizations
INFLUENCE OF TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF LEARNERS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA
No full textThis study aimed to examine the influence of teacher-student relationships on the academic performance of learners with learning disabilities in Nairobi County. Systems theory and Social Cognitive theories were adopted. A descriptive correlational research design was employed using a mixed research approach. The target population comprised 4 head teachers, 62 teachers, and 1,923 learners with learning disabilities from 4 regular primary schools in Nairobi City County. Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling were applied to select the four schools and respondents from each school respectively. A purposive sampling technique was utilized to choose the head teachers and teachers from each school. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, interview guides, and screening tools were used to gather data. Quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques, whereas qualitative was transcribed and qualitatively analyzed in a thematic approach. A correlation test was done on the hypotheses to ascertain the relation between independent variables and dependent variables at a statistical significance of p≤0.05 (p=5%) using Chi-square. Pearson product-moment correlation was computed to measure the strength of the association between predictors and children’s academic performance variables. Qualitative data analysis involved transcription and analysis of open-ended questions from research tools using thematic analysis. Findings showed that all proxies for the teacher-student relationship except dependency level had a significant p-value (p<0.05) at 95% Confidential Interval. Statistical statistics from chi-square the correlation between teacher-student relationships and learners’ academic performance was statistically significant the null hypothesis was rejected. The study concluded that teacher-student relationships result in improvement in learners’ academic performance. School policies have no significant relationship with learners’ academic performance in primary school schools in Nairobi City County. The study recommended that teachers should deliberately express concerns both about students’ academic and non-academic life, as this makes the learners with learning disabilities feel accepted and motivated to improve their academic work. Article visualizations
MATHEMATICS EFFICACY AMONG STUDENTS WITH DYSCALCULIA IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN KANDARA SUB-COUNTY, MURANGA COUNTY, KENYA
No full textThe thrust of the study was to determine levels of mathematic efficacy among students with dyscalculia in public secondary in Kandara sub-county in Muranga County guided by Expectancy Theory (ET) of motivation developed in 1964 by Victor Vroom. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population for study was 54 Public secondary schools in Kandara Sub-County, out of the 54 targeted schools 7 public secondary schools were sampled for the study. The target respondents were 7 principals, 7 teachers of mathematics, 1 from each school and 125 students were sampled for dyscalculia screening. Research instruments included: questionnaire for mathematics students with dyscalculia, dyscalculia screening instrument, mathematics self -efficacy scale and documentary analysis. Pilot study was conducted in Gaichanjiru Mixed and Kenyoho Secondary schools in Kandara Sub-County, Murang’a County. The validity of research instruments which were used for this study were first tried in a pilot study which helped in clarification of ambiguities prevalent before data collection while the reliability of the research instruments in this study was determined using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient formula. The study used stratified random sampling and purposive sampling to select the schools, teachers and students with dyscalculia respectively. Data for the main study was collected and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively (Mixed method research). Quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 26.0), while qualitative analysis was done by organizing variables into themes. The study reveals that learners without dyscalculia exhibited high self-efficacy in mathematics while those with dyscalculia displayed low self-efficacy in mathematics. The researcher recommends that Students’ mathematics efficacy should be improved by inviting mentors or people who have succeeded in mathematical field to help boost their morale in the subject. Article visualizations
EFFECT OF ICT INTEGRATION IN ENHANCING STORY GRAMMAR ACHIEVEMENT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL LEARNERS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN SELECTED COUNTIES, KENYA
No full textUsing a quasi-experimental research design merged with a descriptive survey design; the researcher examined the effect of ICT integration in enhancing story grammar achievement among secondary school learners with hearing impairment in the counties of Tharaka Nithi and Embu in Kenya. This study was guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) theory. Purposively, a secondary school for learners with HI was picked from each county. All learners (40), 2 teachers teaching English and the principals from the two sampled schools were used as the sample size. Learners were presented with a Students Story Grammar Achievement Test (SSGAT) for pre- and post-test. Further, questionnaires were used to gather more data from both the learners and the English teachers, while principals were engaged in an open-ended interview. The study findings revealed that ICT integration enhances story grammar achievement (t = 2.415, p = 0.0180) among secondary school learners with hearing impairment. The researcher suggests monitoring the 2021 ICT policy on education and training implementation, educating teacher trainees on technology integration, reviewing school strategic plans, and digitalizing story grammar resources for learners with HI. Article visualizations
ACCESS ARRANGEMENT PRACTICES, ITS EFFECTIVENESS AND INFLUENCE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF LEARNERS WITH DYSGRAPHIA IN PUBLIC LOWER-PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN VIHIGA COUNTY, KENYA
No full textThe study explored the access arrangement practices, their effectiveness, and their influence on the performance of learners with dysgraphia in public lower-primary schools in Emuhaya Sub-County, Vihiga County. This study was anchored on Robert Gagne’s Conditions of Learning theory, proposed in 1965. A descriptive research design was adopted. The study aimed to include all 163 learners diagnosed with dysgraphia enrolled in lower public primary schools within the Emuhaya sub-county. Additionally, the study targeted 16 headteachers from public primary schools, 153 teachers, and 10 sub-county Education officers in the same sub-county. The researcher utilized stratified sampling to select 5 public primary schools. Purposive sampling was used to select 5 headteachers from the sampled schools. Similarly, purposive sampling was employed to select 6education officers from the Emuhaya sub-county. The researcher sampled 50 lower primary school teachers and 50 learners identified with dysgraphia from grade 1 to grade 3 in the sampled schools using simple random sampling. The researcher employed a combination of open and closed questionnaires, as well as interview guides, to gather data from different categories of participants. A pilot study was conducted in two public primary schools, which were not included in the main data collection. Qualitative data underwent content analysis, while quantitative data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages with SPSS. Results indicated that schools in Emuhaya utilized various access arrangements for students with dysgraphia. Dysgraphia was found to impact academic performance negatively, but with intervention, student performance improved by 5%–10% in successive exams. Students reported a positive change in attitude towards education due to the intervention, feeling supported by the school. The study concluded that access arrangements have an impact on the academic performance of students with dysgraphia. Before the intervention, dysgraphia hurt students' academic performance, as evidenced by poor performance in previous exams. The study recommended that the government need to implement a systematic identification method for documenting students with learning disabilities early in their academic journey. Early identification and intervention can significantly improve outcomes for dysgraphia students and facilitate timely support and resources. Schools should prioritize the implementation of recommended interventions to support dysgraphia students, promote inclusivity, and foster a positive attitude towards education among all students, regardless of their learning needs. Article visualizations
ASSESSING THE EXTENT OF INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN REHABILITATION SCHOOLS FOR LEARNERS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA
No full textThe purpose of this study was to assess the extent of Integration of Information Communication Technology in Rehabilitation Schools for Learners with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Nairobi County, Kenya. The Technology Pedagogy and Content of Knowledge (TPACK) model by Mishra and Koehler (2006) guided the study. A mixed-methods research design was employed. The study targeted 17 computer teachers and 114 learners with prior knowledge of ICT in two rehabilitation schools: Kabete and Dagoretti Girls. The researcher employed a purposive sampling technique to select teachers and 57 learners, translating into 66 participants. Data was collected using questionnaires for teachers and questionnaires for learners. The pilot study was done in a rehabilitation school in Kiambu County. Expert judgment was also used in the research instruments to enhance the validity. The reliability of the research instruments was calculated using Cronbach's Alpha, and the results showed that the teachers' and learners' questionnaires had correlation values of 0.81 and 0.79, respectively. The collected data were both qualitative and quantitative. The quantitative data were summarized in descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Science (version 28.1). This involved summation, calculating frequencies and percentages, and determining the mean and standard deviation. Measures of central tendency helped show the trend, while measures of variance, such as standard deviation, helped show dispersion in the data. Qualitative data collected from the open-ended questions in the questionnaires were subjected to content analysis and were summarized thematically. The findings revealed that while a substantial percentage of teachers have received training in ICT, there are still significant gaps in the actual implementation and integration of these technologies in the classroom. The study revealed that teachers generally possess positive attitudes toward the use of ICT, recognizing its potential to enhance learning outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. The study concludes that the lack of adequate infrastructure, tailored training, and consistent administrative support are significant barriers that need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of ICT in enhancing the learning experiences of students with emotional and behavioural disorders. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with other stakeholders, prioritize resource allocation to rehabilitation schools to ensure adequate access to ICT infrastructure. Article visualizations
