Influence of instructional language choice on preschool children's performance in English speaking skills in Bishop Kariuki Academy, Kikuyu District

Abstract

Recommendations by Commissions appointed to consider choice of language to be used as a medium of instruction in Kenyan schools have preferred use of language commonly in use in the school's catchment areas. On the contrary, school management teams have advocated use of English instead. This case study sought to examine how the choice of English as medium of instruction has affected preschool children's speaking skills in English.

The objectives of the study included examining language choice preferences of teachers and learners, the impact of choice of English language as medium of instruction on preschoolers' speaking skills in English and on academic performance of learners in English language in general. The study employed use of questionnaires, interviews, classroom observation schedules, document analysis and classroom tasks to generate data for the study. The researcher employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis. Quantitative analysis involved presentation of findings in frequency tables and graphs while qualitative analysis entailed presentation of findings in a descriptive form.

The study found out that use of English as medium of instruction at Bishop Kariuki Academy has an effect on learners' speaking skills. Preschoolers exhibited variations in their speaking skills in English and this had either negative or positive impact on their participation in classroom activities. Those who were able to express themselves fairly well in English participated more in classroom activities and vice versa.

The result of this is that those with fair speaking skills also score better grades/marks in language tests. The study recommends that schools allow preschool children to use their home languages as they gradually strive to acquire English speaking skills. This will allow children to transfer linguistic skills from their mother tongue to English.