Issues in national language terminology development in Kenya

This paper examines issues that emerge in the attempts that have been made to develop the national language terminology in kenya by committees, Kiswahili enthusiasts and Kiswahili scholars. Attention is drawn to the fact that the problematic national language policy that emerges from the national language`s social history is an important backround to the issues that are discussed. The issues emerging in these attempts are examined in the prism of an encompassing terminology development framework that is synthesised from terminology development literature from different areas of the world. This framework views terminology development as a process that entails: formation of a language institute, setting up of goals, the actual engineering of the terms, the mode of dissemination and evaluation. The case of Kenya demonstrates that the attempts have so far consisted of isolated steps of terminology development rather than the whole set of required action

Access To Literacy Empowerment Through Systematic Interventions: English Literacy Benchmarks In Kenya

English language in Kenya has been given a higher status as compared to other languages. Apart from being the official language, it is the language of instruction from primary four upwards. Stakeholders also regard it as the language of social and economic upward mobility. Recognition of English mastery notwithstanding, there is evidence that the reality in the school system is far below the ideal. Although the shortcomings in the mastery of literacy in English in Kenyan primary schools are associated with a number of factors, studies done in this area have not delved into detailed intervention approaches needed to improve English Literacy in primary schools. It was therefore, important to develop benchmarks as standards to inform policy makers, curriculum developers, teachers, teacher trainers and materials developers. This paper reports the results of a nationwide study aimed at reducing illiteracy in Kenya by developing interventions in form of English Literacy benchmarks for primary grades 3 and 6.This study was done by a team of  Research and Development researchers, with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation. This is the first time attainment standards of any kind have been developed in Kenya

Deaf children as language learners: The strategies teachers use to support early language development in deaf children in Kenya

Deaf children experience low academic results in comparison to hearing peers despite the fact that deafness is not a learning disability. This is experienced most acutely in the global South where access to early diagnosis and family support mechanisms are limited. Despite a positive inclusive education policy environment, deaf children in Kenya show poor average results in the national exams at the end of primary school indicating that the system is not meeting their educational needs. Currently there is little academic research that specifically documents the educational challenges facing teachers of deaf primary age children in low resource contexts. This study will explore whether special education teachers in Kenya are equipped to assess and support the early language development needs of deaf children. The study is situated within Skyer’s deaf-centric approach focusing analysis on the extent to which classroom practice pays full attention to the biosocial aspects of young deaf children’s lived reality. A participant-as-observer, qualitative research approach was used to collect data from early years classroom teachers across three schools for deaf children in Kenya. An interpretive analysis framework was used to determine findings. A novel early language assessment tool was trialled to help teachers identify primary language difficulties amongst their students. Findings revealed deaf children to be significantly delayed in their primary language capabilities with teachers who were ill-prepared for their specific educational needs. It suggests that pedagogy and curriculum materials were creating confusing language environments that were hindering development of primary language in the deaf children. This study recommends a mindset change in approach to early years education for deaf children: to move away from viewing signed languages as an impairment accommodation towards a focus on primary language development needs. Deaf-centric approaches should be applied. Internationally, inclusive education programmes must pay attention to this unmet educational need

The Kenyan indigenous languages and the mass media: Challenges and opportunities

While it is officially recognized that Kenya is a multilingual state, necessary mechanisms for the effective management of this diversity have not been effected. With English and Kiswahili occupying the "official language" positions, the other more than forty local languages are excluded and have no "official" recognition. The relatively recent development of vernacular mass media has not only provided an impetus for the re-examination of the status of indigenous languages in Kenya, it has also brought with it opportunities and challenges which are yet to be critically examined. Many questions are being raised regarding the status of the vernacular mass media, their possible influence on the local languages, the possible challenges they raise within the national language policy, and their role in the public domain. This paper addresses these questions and examines the relationship between the vernacular mass media and the Kenyan indigenous languages.Keywords: indigenous languages, language management, vernacular mass medi

Language-By-Radio in Sub-Saharan Africa: Four Case Studies

In the summer of 1981, the author was engaged in pedagogicalresearch in language program development for the governments of Senegaland The Gambia. During that period, he further participated in an eight countrylanguage teaching survey throughout West, Central, and EastAfrica, under the sponsorship of the United States International CommunicationsAgency. Included in that survey was an analysis of the useof radio broadcasts as a means to teach foreign languages. This articlewill describe the language-by-radio programs in four countries, i.e.,Senegal, Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya. Of special interest is the use ofradio to teach English