TEACHERS’ ATTITUDE AND ITS EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH AMONG LEARNERS WITH MILD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA

Authors

  • Mary Wanjiku Gachie P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
  • George Mathenge Lecturer, Dr., Department of Early Childhood & Special Needs Education, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Stephen Nzoka Lecturer, Dr., Department of Early Childhood & Special Needs Education, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v8i3.4341

Keywords:

mild intellectual disability, teacher’s attitude, special needs education, performance of English

Abstract

Specifically, the study aimed at determining the attitude of teachers toward learners with MID in selected primary schools in Kiambu County and how it influenced their performance in English. The study employed social constructivist theory to explore the teachers’ instructional strategies that had an effect on the English performance of learners with MID in acquiring self-regulation. In this study 31 class six English teachers, 2111 class six learners and 31 school administrators within 3 zones were targeted in the descriptive survey study. A 20% sample was used to sample the learners, while purposeful sampling was used for the teachers and school administrators. The study used a sample of 31 school administrators, 31 teachers and 422 learners, all from the three identified zones. Observation schedules, interview schedules and questionnaires were used to collect data. Piloting was done in Gicharani primary school to enhance the validity of the research instruments while the test and re-test method was used to test the instruments’ reliability. Quantitative data questions were analyzed by descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and measures of central tendencies. Findings revealed that the teachers’ attitude was positive with some having a negative attitude. The chi-square analysis revealed that the p-value was statistically significant at 0.018 implying that the teachers’ attitude towards the learners affected the learners with MID’s English performance. The study concludes that the teachers’ attitude towards learners with MID had a significant influence on the MID learners’ performance in English. The study recommends that primary school teachers should be trained on the need for a positive attitude in the classroom towards all the learners, more so those with MID to ensure their participation in class and improved self-esteem.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter

Author Biographies

  • Mary Wanjiku Gachie, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Mary Wanjiku Gachie is a senior Teacher at Gicharani primary school in Kiambu County, Kenya, awarded Master’s Degree in Early Childhood and Special Needs in the School of Education, Kenyatta University, Kenya.

  • George Mathenge, Lecturer, Dr., Department of Early Childhood & Special Needs Education, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Dr. George Mathenge is a PhD holder in Curriculum and Instruction (Special Education) from the University of Arkansas (U.S.A) in 2015.  Dr Mathenge’s research interests are in Autism, Intellectual disabilities, Landau Kleffner Syndrome (a rare disability commonly mistaken for Autism and Rett syndrome), Applied Behavior Analysis and Inclusion.

  • Stephen Nzoka, Lecturer, Dr., Department of Early Childhood & Special Needs Education, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Dr. Stephen Nzoka is Senior Lecturer Department of Early childhood and Special Needs Education in Kenyatta University, Kenya.

References

Abdelhameed, H. (2010). The development and provision of educational services for children with mild intellectual disabilities in Egypt [ebook]. Retrieved from http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-65382010000100002

Adnams, C. (2010). Perspectives of mild intellectual disability in South Africa: epidemiology, policy, services for children and adults. [ebook] Available at: http://www.ruralrehab.co.za/uploads/3/0/9/0/3090989/adnams_curropinpsych_sept2010.pdf

Alderman, M. K. (2013). Motivation for achievement: Possibilities for teaching and learning. Routledge.

Aldersey, H. M. (2012). Family perceptions of intellectual disability: Understanding and support in Dar es Salaam. African journal of disability, 1(1), 1-12.

Asenahabi, B. M. (2019). Basics of research design: A guide to selecting appropriate research design. International Journal of Contemporary Applied Researches, 6(5), 76-89.

Chimhenga, S. (2016). Attitudes of Teachers towards Learners with Disabilities in Mainstream Classes: The Case of Teachers in some Selected Secondary Schools in Zimbabwe. Asian Journal of Educational Research, 4(4): 36-42.

Hansen, L. (2019). A Concurrent Validity Study of the Missouri Adaptive Ability Scale and The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, —Teacher Form.

Hutzler, Y., Meier, S., Reuker, S., & Zitomer, M. (2019). Attitudes and self-efficacy of physical education teachers toward inclusion of children with disabilities: a narrative review of international literature. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 24(3), 249-266.

Kahongeh, C. (2017). Schools ill-equipped to support children with special needs: [online] Daily Nation. Available at: https://www.nation.co.ke/news/education/schools-ill-equipped-to-support-children-with-special-need/2643604-4354184-128j8xz/index.html

Kalof, L., Dan, A., & Dietz, T. (2008). Essentials of social research. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

KIPPRA (2018). How the Proposed Basic Education Curriculum Caters for Learners with Special Educational Needs in Kenya. [online] Kenya Institute of Public Research. Available at: http://kippra.or.ke/how-the-proposed-basic-education-curriculum-caters-for-learners-with-special-educational-needs-in-kenya/

Liao, Y. L., Wang, J. F., Chen, G., Du, W., Yun, X., & Zheng, X. Y. (2013). Clustering of disability caused by unintentional injury among 15-to 60-year-old: a challenge in rapidly developing countries. Geospatial health, 8(1), 13-22.

Martirosyan, N. M., Hwang, E., & Wanjohi, R. (2015). Impact of English proficiency on academic performance of international students. Journal of International Students, 5(1), 60-71.

Martiroysan, N. M., Hwang, E., & Wanjohi, R. (2015). Impact of English proficiency on academic performance on international students. Journal of International Studies, 5(1).60-71.

Murungi, G. (2017). Influence of School-Based Factors on Performance of Children with Disabilities in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in Public Primary Schools in Igembe South District, Meru County Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).

Ndyabawe, S. (2016). Right of Children with Disabilities to Primary Education in Uganda: A Case study of Kabale District (Master's thesis).

Ogero, K. A. (2016). School-Based Factors Influencing Performance of Children with Disabilities in Public Primary Schools in Kajiado North District, Kajiado County, Kenya. Unpublished Thesis University of Nairobi Repository.

Onivehu, A. O., Ohawuiro, O. E., & Oyeniran, B. J. (2017). Teachers' Attitude and Competence in the Use of Assistive Technologies in Special Needs Schools. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 10(4), 21-32.

Paris, S. G., Byrnes, J. P., & Paris, A. H. (2001). Constructing theories, identities, and actions of self-regulated learners. Self-regulated learning and academic achievement: Theoretical perspectives, 2, 253-287.

Pinals, D. A., Hovermale, L., Mauch, D., & Anacker, L. (2022). Persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the mental health system: part 1. clinical considerations. Psychiatric Services, 73(3), 313-320.

South African Federation for Mental Health. (2015). Press Release: Children with Mild Intellectual Disability Have A Right To Access Education. Retrieved from http://www.safmh.org.za/index.php/news/item/103-press-release-children-with-mild intellectual-disability-have-a-right-to-access-education

Tassé, M. J., Luckasson, R., & Schalock, R. L. (2016). The relation between intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior in the diagnosis of intellectual disability. Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 54(6), 381-390.

Tenorio, M., Donoso, J., Ali, A., & Hassiotis, A. (2020). Stigma toward persons with intellectual disability in South America: a narrative review. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 17(4), 346-363.

Wetcher-Hendricks, D. (2014). Analyzing Quantitative Data. Hoboken: Wiley.

Zimmerman, B. J., & Schunk, D. H. (2003). Albert Bandura: The scholar and his contributions to educational psychology.

Downloads

Published

2022-06-23

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 3 (2022)

Section

Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

 

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

 

  1. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

 

  1. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).