Effective Communication In Writing: A Challenge Among Student Teachers In Universities In Kenya

The purpose of the study was to establish English student teachers’ knowledge of writing strategies to facilitate instruction of writing skills. The specific objectives were: to find out introduction strategies used by participants when writing essays, to establish strategies used by participants to ensure coherence of the written essay and to examine conclusion strategies used by the participants in essay writing. A total of 37 fourth year English student teachers’ were used in the study. The instrument used for data generation was document analysis of written essays. The study revealed that the student teachers lack sufficient knowledge of writing strategies. The study recommends that: English Language Teacher Educators should design a course about communication strategies for effective essay writing to be taught to student teachers specializing in English to equip them with both content and pedagogical knowledge for effective teaching

INTEGRATED APPROACH IN TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE: THE PRACTICE IN KENYA

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to establish how the integrated approach was used in teaching cultural practices and English language skills in the set book novel: The River and the Source by Magaret Ogola. The findings revealed that teachers analyzed cultural practices in isolation without integrating the teaching of literature with the language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Punctuation and grammar was also not taught. The instructional objectives focused on identifying and illustrating the cultural issues in the novel. Teachers emphasized on the cognitive domain ignoring the psychomotor and the affective domains, hence there was a disparity between curriculum developers' expectations and classroom practice

UTILIZATION OF VISUAL AND REALIA INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN ENHANCING ACQUISITION OF PRE-READING SKILLS AMONG PRESCHOOL LEARNERS IN NAROK COUNTY, KENYA

Early childhood education, also referred to as preschool education is essential to children’s social, physical, emotional, and cognitive growth. Learning can be made more effective when the teachers have the right instructional materials. The study was guided by the following research questions: how were visual instructional materials utilized in teaching pre-reading skills among preschool children? and how were realia instructional materials utilized in the teaching of pre-reading skills among preschool learners? The study adopted a descriptive survey design and data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observation schedules. The findings of the study revealed that visual instructional materials for teaching pre-reading skills were available but not adequate in most of the schools, hence affecting the effective teaching of pre-reading skills among the learners. The study further established that most preschools lacked adequate realia materials for teaching pre-reading skills. It was concluded that Preschool teachers should attend relevant workshops, seminars, vocational and teacher professional development courses, to acquire pedagogical skills, besides effective utilization of Visual and Realia instructional materials in teaching pre-reading skills to preschool learners. Emphasis should be on pedagogical content knowledge.  Article visualizations

Parenting Styles as Predictors of Suicidal Behaviors among Selected Public Secondary School Students in Embu County, Kenya

Secondary school students are faced with challenges of navigating safely through their adolescence in a world full of depressive challenges. As adolescents’ transit this stage they increasingly face a milliard of challenges which are depressive and at times lead to suicidal behaviors.   Parents play a primary role in socializing their children on dealing with life challenges; however, the extent to which parenting styles predetermine students’ suicidal behaviors remains obscure. The study investigated parenting styles, (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive indulgent and permissive neglectful) as predictors of suicidal behaviors among students in Embu county. The study was guided by the objective; to investigate the extent to which parenting styles significantly predict secondary school students’ suicidal behaviors. The study was informed by Bronfernbrenners’ bioecological theory and parenting styles theory by Maccoby and Martins. Survey research design was adopted for the study.  Stratified random sampling method was used to select a sample of 15 schools.  Stratified random sampling and systematic random sampling were used to select 399 participants (221 girls and 178 boys). Purposive sampling was used to select 15 Guidance and counseling teachers and 70 secondary school drop outs. A reliability of cronbach alpha (α) of α = 0.82 for parenting styles questionnaires was reported and for risky behaviors α = 0.78.  The major findings of the study based on the objective of  the study showed that parenting styles have a positive and significant prediction of risky sexual behaviors among secondary school students, and that  parenting styles accounts for; 57.2% (R2=0.572, p< 0.05) of secondary school students risky sexual behaviors, The study recommended that, the government through the ministry of education (MOE) and the school boards of management maintain a trained resident school counselors or psychologists in schools, who do not have teaching duties, in order to enable them have enough time to identify students with depressive signs which are precursors of suicidal behavior. Such counselors would be available to help students and   make follow-ups with parents. Keywords:  Parenting styles, authoritative, authoritarian, permissive indulgence permissive neglectful, students, suicidal behaviors

Use of Athletics and Debate in Developing Competencies Among Learners:Perception of Teachers

The study investigated Teachers Perception of the Use of Athletics and Debate in Developing Competencies among learners in secondary schools in Kenya. The Objectives of the study were: To determine teachers’ perception of participation in athletics in developing competencies among learners; and to examine teachers’ perception of participation in debates in developing competencies among learners. A descriptive research design was used in describing teacher’s perception of the use of debate and athletics in developing competencies among learners. The target population comprised of 80 teachers who were in charge of co-curricular activities. Census sampling technique was used hence all the 80 teachers formed the study sample. Questionnaires were used to collect data. To ensure validity, the instruments were reviewed by an expert supervisor. The researcher conducted a pilot study of the questionnaires to test their reliability. Data was analyzed and interpreted according to the objectives. It was presented using frequencies and percentages. The findings revealed that Use of Athletics and Debate in developing competencies among learners in secondary schools facilitated in building confidence, promoting citizenship, communication and collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, imagination and social skills. The researcher recommends that: learners should be allowed to choose the kind of co-curricular activity they want to participate in, schools should create time for co-curricular activities during formal school hours, the Government of Kenya should come up with a policy to ensure co-curricular activities are made compulsory in all secondary schools. The overall outcome of the study will contribute to existing knowledge and provide baseline data for further studies on the use of co-curricular activities in developing competencies among learners. Keywords: co-curricular activities, Athletics, Debate, Competencies, learners DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-35-08 Publication date: December 31st 201

Appropriateness of clinical severity classification of new WHO childhood pneumonia guidance : a multi-hospital, retrospective, cohort study

Background: Management of pneumonia in many low-income and middle-income countries is based on WHO guidelines that classify children according to clinical signs that define thresholds of risk. We aimed to establish whether some children categorised as eligible for outpatient treatment might have a risk of death warranting their treatment in hospital. Methods: We did a retrospective cohort study of children aged 2–59 months admitted to one of 14 hospitals in Kenya with pneumonia between March 1, 2014, and Feb 29, 2016, before revised WHO pneumonia guidelines were adopted in the country. We modelled associations with inpatient mortality using logistic regression and calculated absolute risks of mortality for presenting clinical features among children who would, as part of revised WHO pneumonia guidelines, be eligible for outpatient treatment (non-severe pneumonia). Findings: We assessed 16 162 children who were admitted to hospital in this period. 832 (5%) of 16 031 children died. Among groups defined according to new WHO guidelines, 321 (3%) of 11 788 patients with non-severe pneumonia died compared with 488 (14%) of 3434 patients with severe pneumonia. Three characteristics were strongly associated with death of children retrospectively classified as having non-severe pneumonia: severe pallor (adjusted risk ratio 5·9, 95% CI 5·1–6·8), mild to moderate pallor (3·4, 3·0–3·8), and weight-for-age Z score (WAZ) less than −3 SD (3·8, 3·4–4·3). Additional factors that were independently associated with death were: WAZ less than −2 to −3 SD, age younger than 12 months, lower chest wall indrawing, respiratory rate of 70 breaths per min or more, female sex, admission to hospital in a malaria endemic region, moderate dehydration, and an axillary temperature of 39°C or more. Interpretation: In settings of high mortality, WAZ less than −3 SD or any degree of pallor among children with non-severe pneumonia was associated with a clinically important risk of death. Our data suggest that admission to hospital should not be denied to children with these signs and we urge clinicians to consider these risk factors in addition to WHO criteria in their decision making

Developing cognition of environmental sustainability through education: issues and challenges

Environmental sustainability focuses on protecting environmental resources such as water, land, forests and biodiversity, among others. The relationship between human beings and nature is essential. Human beings need a healthy productive life without undermining the environmental needs of present and future generations. Social communities ought to develop their economy making intellectual decisions pertaining to the management of their natural resources so as not to compromise the needs of future generations. The study sought to establish the effectiveness of the approach used in teaching environmental education in secondary schools in Kenya by investigating the cognition of first year university students about environmental concerns and their effects. Qualitative research methodology was used. The techniques used to generate data were interviews and audio-recording. Findings revealed that respondents lacked cognition about how human beings negatively affect the environment and the challenges experienced by them as a result of the negative effects. The approach used in teaching environmental education in secondary schools in Kenya is not effective. It goes against the principle of using the preventive approach to protect the environment through education. It is essential to develop appropriate policies and reform the curriculum in basic education to enable learners to move from nature appreciation and awareness to education for an ecologically sustainable future. Environmental Education can be used as a context of integration for learning with other subjects including English Language Teaching

PARENTAL LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND TRANSITION RATES OF LEARNERS FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MUKURWEINI SUBCOUNTY IN KENYA

<p>Parental level of education entails the extent to which parents acquired education. The purpose of the study was to establish the extent to which educated, semi-educated and uneducated parents influence transition rate of pupils from primary to secondary school in Mukurweini sub county, Nyeri, Kenya. The study used mixed methods approach. The target population for this study comprised of 65 head teachers and 65 class 8 class teachers. A sample of 40 respondents, of whom 20 were head teachers and 20 class 8 class teachers were used. Questionnaires were used to collect data from head teachers and class 8 class teachers. Document analysis was utilized to collect data on pupil's transition rate. Validity was established through expert judgment who improved the content validity. Reliability was determined using test re-test technique. Data analysis was done both qualitatively, as per the emerging themes in narrative forms and quantitatively, using frequencies and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that parental level of education influence learners' transition rates from primary to secondary school; children of educated parents successfully transit to secondary schools. The findings of the study will help policy makers to address challenges related to parental level of education on pupil's transition rate and develop appropriate policies in mitigation, to enable the ministry of education to find strategies to alleviate future challenges relating to parenting that hinder school going children from transiting from primary schools to secondary school.</p&gt

Neonatal mortality in Kenyan hospitals: a multisite, retrospective, cohort study

Background Most of the deaths among neonates in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) can be prevented through universal access to basic high-quality health services including essential facility-based inpatient care. However, poor routine data undermines data-informed efforts to monitor and promote improvements in the quality of newborn care across hospitals.Methods Continuously collected routine patients’ data from structured paper record forms for all admissions to newborn units (NBUs) from 16 purposively selected Kenyan public hospitals that are part of a clinical information network were analysed together with data from all paediatric admissions ages 0–13 years from 14 of these hospitals. Data are used to show the proportion of all admissions and deaths in the neonatal age group and examine morbidity and mortality patterns, stratified by birth weight, and their variation across hospitals.Findings During the 354 hospital months study period, 90 222 patients were admitted to the 14 hospitals contributing NBU and general paediatric ward data. 46% of all the admissions were neonates (aged 0–28 days), but they accounted for 66% of the deaths in the age group 0–13 years. 41 657 inborn neonates were admitted in the NBUs across the 16 hospitals during the study period. 4266/41 657 died giving a crude mortality rate of 10.2% (95% CI 9.97% to 10.55%), with 60% of these deaths occurring on the first-day of admission. Intrapartum-related complications was the single most common diagnosis among the neonates with birth weight of 2000 g or more who died. A threefold variation in mortality across hospitals was observed for birth weight categories 1000–1499 g and 1500–1999 g.Interpretation The high proportion of neonatal deaths in hospitals may reflect changing patterns of childhood mortality. Majority of newborns died of preventable causes (>95%). Despite availability of high-impact low-cost interventions, hospitals have high and very variable mortality proportions after stratification by birth weight