Influence of students' factors on English performance in primary teacher education examinations in Eastern region, Kenya

Abstract

English, which is a second language for most of the people in the world, has increasingly become the international language for business and commerce, science and technology and international relations and diplomacy. English performance as a second language is subject to individual variations like attitudes, gender, socio-economic background and discipline. The purpose of the study was to investigate the students' factors which influence performance in English language in Primary Teacher Education examinations in Eastern region.

The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population for the study was all the 12 Primary Teacher Training Colleges in Eastern region with 84 teachers of English, 1090 male and 1660 female students. The sample size was 109 male and 166 female students and 42 teachers of English. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the students' sample. Data collection was done using questionnaires.

From the findings, the study concluded that students' performance in English in KCSE did'not affect their performance in English in college. The performance of . English in colleges is average and the students were not utilizing all the available opportunities to excel in their English examinations. On the relationship between the student's gender and their performance in English, the research concluded that female students had better performance in English than male students.

On whether there is any relationship between student's attitudes towards English language and their performance in English, the study concluded that students' attitude towards English was positive and that they were willing to enhance their performance in English. In determining the influence of student's discipline on performance in English, the study concluded that use of alcohol and illegal drugs which indicated indiscipline among the students influences English performance.

Teachers' laxity in disciplining deviant students encouraged indiscipline among- the students which led to poor performance in English. The languages of communication mostly used in PTTCs negatively influenced performance in English as students mostly never used English. The students who came from poor economic background faced challenges in raising fees and thus the socio-economic status of the student influenced performance in English.

The study recommends that the colleges' management should come up with mentorship and motivation programs with a view to enhance students' attitude towards learning English. The colleges' management should also seek to improve the working relation between the stakeholders of PTTCs and the parents to increase students' participation in colleges affected by the poor economic status of the parents. iii. The colleges' management should come up with mentorship and motivation programs to enhance students' interest and concentration in class during English lessons. This will improve their attitude positively towards English.