JA-Department of Communication, Languages & Linguistics

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Open Access
Advocacy Communication and The Child Trafficking Situation in Kenya: The Case of Mathare Constituency Primary Schools
(International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 2020) Kinuthia, Cyndi; Mbogoh, B; Komen, L
Child trafficking is one of the leading crimes in Kenya. The purpose of this study therefore was to look at the efficacy of advocacy communication when it comes to addressing the complications of child trafficking in society. The study focus was Mathare constituency in Nairobi County. This is because there are many child trafficking cases from Mathare constituency that have been reported over the years causing a number of humanitarian organizations, who work with schools and community groups, to step in and address the issue. A purposive sample of 240 teacher respondents and 16 facilitators was selected as per Yamane’s formula while convergent parallel mixed methods design was used for data collection and analysis. The study established that videos and pictorials were the most popular advocacy methods used, with a 100 percent respondent rate while 98 percent observed that through advocacy humanitarian organizations were making a difference in countering child trafficking. The study established also that all (100%) of the facilitators agreed that the stakeholders directly involved with children did contribute to the fight against child trafficking. The study concluded that integrated communication was adopted by facilitators and that the advocacy communication methods used were effective. The study recommends involvement of key stakeholders’ right from the planning stage for effectiveness. A recommendation of the study is that further investigations be done from the viewpoints of the children, parents and the local administration.
Open Access
Application of Songs in the Teaching of Swahili Grammar
(2018-05-14) Njoroge, Martin C.; Gathigia, Moses G.
Background: Songs are instruments that enhance pedagogy of diversity. Songs are appreciated for their pedagogical, cultural, linguistic and entertaining features. Songs also enhance students’ receptivity and help students understand the target language. However, empirical research examining the effects of songs as used in children’s classrooms remains scarce. In addition, despite their benefits, teachers in many educational settings in Africa have relegated songs to mainly recreation and entertainment part. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore the value of songs as a medium of teaching Swahili tense, lexis and negation. Theoretical Orientation: The study is anchored on the Affective Filter Hypothesis in Stephen Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition as an explanation of its practical applicability to English language teaching and learning. Design, Sample and Methods: The study was carried out from a qualitative perspective. The Kiswahili song “Mchikicho” was purposively sampled to illustrate how songs can be applied in the teaching of vocabulary, tense and negation in Kiswahili. The study also conducted interviews with two linguists in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the application of songs in the acquisition of Swahili tense, lexis and negation. The interviews and notes arising from the analysis of the Swahili song were transcribed and analysed thematically. Results: The findings of the study indicate that songs reinforce the teaching of Swahili tense, lexis and negation. In addition, the study found that that songs which are simple, short, interesting, memorable, enjoyable, assist in the teaching of vocabulary, tenses and negation in Swahili. Conclusions: The study concludes that songs are viable vehicles for teaching Swahili tense, lexis and negation. In addition, when complemented by songs, classroom instruction become enjoyable and interesting, promoting a deeper level of learning.
Open Access
Communication Challenges Experienced in The Process of Advocating Against Child Trafficking in Kenyan Primary Schools: The Case of Mathare Constituency
(Journal of Development Communication,, 2021) Kinuthia, Cyndi Wanjiku
In Sub-Saharan Africa, child trafficking is one of the leading criminal activities after drug trafficking. In Kenya, many cases of child trafficking especially for the purpose of sexual exploitation and domestic servitude are reported each year thus the need to publicly advocate against it and implement relevant laws that will address it accordingly. Guided by the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), which theorises that motivation and ability are the key tenets of persuasion communication that ultimately plays a huge role in addressing common communication challenges, this study sought to find out the communication challenges usually encountered by individuals and organisations while advocating against this vice amongst primary school children. This is after preliminary studies indicated that as much advocacy indeed plays a huge role in addressing child trafficking in Kenya, this success is not without its challenges. A purposive sample of 16 facilitators was selected as per Yamane’s formula and the convergent parallel mixed methods design was used for data analysis. The study established that 93.7% of the facilitator respondents agreed to the fact that they indeed face a number of challenges as they attempt to advocate against child trafficking in primary schools of Mathare constituency. Furthermore, 75% of these respondents identified time constraint as the main challenge they face followed by lack of support from the school administration at 62.5%. Thus, the study concluded that it is very possible to have an advocacy programme that will end up being effective but faced by a number of communication challenges at the same time. However, this does not imply that such an initiative should be frowned upon and undermined because how these challenges are mitigated is what eventually provides solutions that will help in filling in the identified gaps.
Open Access
The demands of a changing society: English in education in Kenya today
(2001-03-01) Kioko, Angelina N.; Muthwii, Margaret J.
English plays a key role in Kenya's educational system, not only as an important subject but especially as the medium of instruction. It has been claimed that the model and the norm of the English used in Kenya, apart from pidgin varieties, is the British Standard variety and in particular, Received Pronunciation (RP) (Schmied, 1990; Zuengler, 1982). Is this indeed the case? If not, what are the actual norms of correctness and appropriateness with regard to pronunciation, grammar, semantics, or pragmatics within the Kenyan community? There exists a discrepancy between the theoretical norm and the actual language behaviour, what challenges does this state of affairs present to an education system that relies heavily on the use of the English language? In examining these issues the paper adopts a historical perspective and discusses the factors that indicate the presence of a discrepancy between a theoretical norm and the actual language behaviour and then explores the consequences of such a situation. It also considers the valuable lessons that could be learnt, firstly from local creative writers' adaptation to the sociolinguistic/sociocultural reality, secondly from the move towards the democratisation and Africanisation of education in Kenya's history, and thirdly from what is happening in other non-native English contexts
Open Access
English variety for public domain in Kenya, speakers' attitudes and views
(Multilingual matters Ltd, 2004-01) Muthwii, Margaret J.; Kioko, Angelina N.;
The study sought to establish the attitudes of Kenyan speakers (n=210) towards 3 varieties of English: 1) ethically marked Kenyan English, 2) standard Kenyan English and 3) native speaker English (British, American, Australian etc) of the three varieties, the most preferred by both rural and urban respondents for use in the media and education was standard Kenyan English. Most of the respondents also considered this as the variety used by successful professionals like lawyers, doctors, engineers and successful business people. Contrary to expectation, intelligence, ambition, expertness are attributed to speakers not when they use native varieties of English but when they use the non ethnic marked variety of Kenyan English. The study suggests that further research should be less concerned about the deviation of Kenyan English from native speaker norms and concentrate more on the formal description of the variety of English that Kenyan speakers overwhelmingly prefer
Open Access
Folkinguists’ Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Kenyan Varieties of Swahili
(Swahili forum, 2018) Njoroge, Martin C; Githinji, Peter
This paper examines the perceptions of Kenyans towards the way other Kenyans speak Swahili from a Folklinguistic perspective. The study involved two main tasks. In the first task, informants were provided with blank maps of the country and asked to identify areas where they thought there was a distinct way of speaking Swahili. In the second task, they were provided with the same map showing Kenyan’s eight provinces and asked to rank them in terms of correctness, attractiveness and closeness to the way they speak Swahili. The results show little or no difference between the rankings of correctness versus pleasantness of Swahili varieties. The study also shows that Kenyans do not identify with the normative variety modeled on the standardized or Kenyan coastal Swahili which is used in the schools or mass media. Similar to other studies in perceptual dialectology, the informants’ judgments were influenced by their background knowledge and stereotypes about different regions that have little or no relationship with linguistics factors per se. Unlike other studies in perceptual dialectology however, languages that are not the object of study have a strong influence on respondents’ perceptions. Beside the ethnic stereotypes that characterize Kenya’s multilingual discourse, Kenyans’ attitudes towards varieties of Swahili seem to be filtered through the lens of a competitive hegemonic language that has enjoyed historical advantage. As a result, the promotion of an idealized variety of Swahili in light of the dominance of English and the continued use of local languages is not likely to increase its acceptability as a national and official language.
Open Access
From Assessment to Learning: The Teaching of English Beyond Examinations
(Institute of Education Development, Aga Khan University, Dar es salaam, 2021-03-16) Vikiru, Liiian.I.
The backwash of testing on teaching can be positive or negative. This article is based on the fi ndings of a study carried out in Kenya on strengthening the development of literacy in English among primary school children, which established that the learners performed poorly on skills that were not directly tested in the conventional examinations. Interventions used in improving teaching, learning, and assessment to target communicative competence are discussed in the article.
Open Access
Gendered Identities in Gikuyu marriage negotiation discursive domain
(International Journal of Linguistics and Communication, 2015-12-01) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Wathika, Lucy; Yakobo, J.K.M
The practice of bridal payment has since time immemorial remained an important feature of heterosexual marriages in many human cultural practices. In contemporary Kenyan Law on marriage and divorce, bridal negotiation and payment is regarded as central evidence of the validity of customary marriage and in the establishment of the legality of such union. Gendered identities in this case refer to the social and cultural construction of the femininities and masculinities perspectives which are known to influence and shape the practices of social institutions. This paper focuses on the formal discursive process of negotiating and legalising marriage in the domain of ‘Ruracio’ or bride wealth payment amongst the Agikuyu of Kenya. Data consisted of five recorded discourses from sampled negotiation sessions and five focus group discussions from Kiambu County, Kenya. The data collected was translated, transcribed and analysed with a view of investigating language use for gendered identities and their implication on society. Guided by principles in discourse historical approach, the study established that language use in this domain defines gender roles, perspectives and identities which are useful in constructing individual and societal identity. It is hoped that these findings will benefit the general public as they interact linguistically.
Open Access
Harmonizing the orthographies of Bantu languages: The case of Gikuyu and Ekegusii in Kenya
(University of Nairobi journal of languages and linguistics, 2013-10-01) Mwangi, Phyllis W.; Njoroge, Martin C.; Mose, Edinah G.
Despite the multiplicity of African languages, available literature on the development of these languages points to the need to have their orthographies harmonised and standardised. This is because properly designed orthographies can play a monumental role in promoting their use in all spheres of life, and hence contribute to Africa’s socio-economic development. Such harmonisation is practical, especially among languages such as Gĩkŭyŭ and Ekegusii, two distinct Kenyan Bantu languages that are mutually intelligible. This paper examines how similar or dissimilar their phonologies and orthographies are, with a view to proposing how they can be harmonised. The paper concludes that there are benefits that can accrue from such harmonisation efforts, especially because there will be greater availability of literacy materials accessible to the speakers of the two languages.
Open Access
The impact of African languages on Africa’s Socio-economic development: Perceptions and possibilities
(2018-05-11) Njoroge, Martin C.; Gathigia, Moses G.
Africa is highly multilingual, with over 2,011 different languages being spoken in the continent. Nevertheless, the dominant languages in post-independent Africa have remained the ex-colonial codes: English, French and Portuguese. These languages continue to be used as the official media in education, mass communication, commerce, judiciary, and political administration in Africa. In almost all the African states, the ex-colonial languages are the privileged official codes. Ironically, in much of Africa, some 90% of the people have no knowledge of the official language of their country, even though these ex-colonial languages are presumed to be the vehicle of communication between the governments and the citizens. This in itself is a barrier to effective communication between the ruling class and the citizens; hence, a problem in terms of involving the latter in national development. The majority of African population is thus denied an opportunity to participate creatively and significantly in development activities, ultimately denying African nations a chance to grow at a rate that can enable them to provide for the needs of their citizens. Clearly, English, French and Portuguese in Africa are perceived to be of higher status, greater usefulness and to be the languages that are instrumental to economic and social development. The indigenous languages have very limited use in official domains. Thus with time, the population develops certain attitudes towards the different languages within their linguistic repertoire. The proposed chapter uses data collected through a questionnaire administered to 120 speakers of six minority African languages spoken in Kenya to assess perceptions and possibilities of the impact of African languages on the continent’s socioeconomic development. The analysis of data shows that the speakers see the continued use of excolonial languages as the main stumbling block for the growth and use of indigenous languages in former colonies. Some respondents reported that the use of these ex-colonial languages inhibits the interaction of indigenous languages with science, impedes generation of appropriate technology and creates an educated elite committed to pursuing the life styles of the former colonizers. The children develop a sense of shame in the indigenous language; thus, contributing to negative attitudes towards their own mother tongue. Some argue that the use of ex-colonial languages in Africa to transmit scientific and technological knowledge to a population that is not competent in the languages while at the same time expecting the same population to use these languages in creative and innovative ways for Africa’s development is indeed a daunting task.They all see the revitalization and use of Africa languages in all domains as a vehicle through which African socio-economic development will be enhanced.
Open Access
The impact of HIV/AIDS message in selected Kenyan primary school texts: A linguistic perspective
(International Journal of Linguistics, 2012-06-01) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Tchai, Furaha; Yieke, Arudo Felicia
In Kenya, HIV and AIDS education has been integrated into the school curriculum as an effort to curb transmission of HIV and AIDS. The current study identified the phrases with HIV and AIDS message in selected textbooks of English, Science and Social Sciences in primary schools which were classified according to Mills (1995). Standards of textuality in the phrases were then examined and their impact on the readers evaluated as per Beaugrande & Dresseler classification (1981). The target population were class seven pupils and their teachers, in five randomly selected primary schools in Nakuru Municipality Division, Kenya Oral interviews and elicitation tests were used as data collecting tools. Evaluation of 39 phrases identified from 6 textbooks showed that none of the standard of textuality was upheld 100%. However, acceptability scored the highest (71.7%) while informativity scored the least (29.2%). Cohesion & Coherence, Intentionality, Situationality and Intertextuality had average scores ranging between 45 to 67.8%. It was concluded that the extent, to which each standard of textuality is upheld, correlates to a text’s appropriateness. Therefore, text book writers should design material that upholds all the standards of textuality to enhance effective communication. Such a move would ensure that the education system achieves its objectives.
Open Access
The implications of language and power in Gikuyu marriage negotiation discursive domain, for Kenya’s vision 2030
(Kabarak Journal of Research & Innovation, 2016-03-21) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Wathika, Lucy; Yakobo, J.K.M
This study was conceived on the premise that there are connections between language use and unequal relations of power and there is widespread underestimation of the significance of language in the production, maintenance and change of social relations of power. There is therefore need to help increase consciousness of how language contribute to the domination of some people by others since consciousness is the first step towards emancipation. Some commonsense assumptions which are implicit in the conventions according to which people interact linguistically are identifiable in conventions which follow a pattern where one party seems more powerful as seen in the way they control the process of talk such as in the Gikuyu marriage negotiation discursive domain. This paper focuses on the formal discursive process of negotiating and legalising marriage in the domain of ‘Ruracio’ or bride wealth payment amongst the Agikuyu of Kenya. Data, consisting of five recorded discourses from sampled negotiation sessions and five focus group discussions from Kiambu County Kenya, was translated, transcribed and analysed with a view of investigating language use for power potentialities. Guided by principles of language and power, the study established that language use in this domain defines power differentials and this has a direct influence on how people think, act and view their society. This paper argues that such potentialities would be instrumental in building a free and fair society as envisioned in the social pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030.This way, Linguistics as an area of study would be contributing to social development. It is hoped that the findings will be useful to all language users, leaders in general and policy makers in our country.
Open Access
The inferior stone in the language hearth: The quest for recognition of indigenous african languages in the global arena
(Yale university, Language in African performing and visual arts, 2012-07-01) Njoroge, Martin C.
This paper discusses the language situation in an African setting considering that there are marginalized languages found in the continent. It highlights the imbalances in status and functions of different language categories in the country and explains why indigenous African languages continue to be marginalized. The paper also argues for the need to preserve, promote and develop these indigenous languages since. It observes that every unique language plays a vital role to the global village in its uniqueness hence, losing a language would mean losing a lot, more than just its basic function as a tool of expression. The paper concludes by pointing out the way forward for Kenya to address equitability of all languages within her sociolinguistic environment.
Open Access
Influence of Media Framing in Focusing Corporate Philanthropy on Environmental Care in Kenya
(One Planet Publishing & Media Services Ltd, 2018-07-06) Nyaga, Rahab N.
Awareness about the need to care for a shared environment has increased in Kenya, especially in the last decade. Corporations care for the environment through corporate philanthropy, which is an expression of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Media have been key in sensitizing Kenyans about the need for environmental care, through framing of messages on environmental issues. The focus of this paper was on how media influences corporations to focus on environmental care through the messages that they carry. The study was anchored in the Framing Theory that brings out how the media can set the environmental agenda for attitude change and focused action. Literature reviewed was on the environment, the role of the media in philanthropy, CSR and sustainable development (SD) agenda, environmental management in corporations and environmental education. This was a descriptive study that utilized questionnaires and in-depth interviews to collect data. The findings established that framing environmental issues through media reports by the Nation Media Group (NMG) mainly through the Nation newspaper and also through their FM radio stations greatly influenced environmental education, involvement by corporations in environmental initiatives, and the choice of environmental initiatives to engage in. The top environmental issues framed mainly through the Nation newspaper were tree planting, conserving forests and protecting water sources. Media highlighting of tree planting prioritized it as the environmental initiative of choice. Framing of environmental messages by the Nation newspaper set the environmental agenda and resulted in corporations as well as individuals channelling funds to environmental initiatives.
Open Access
Integrating multilingual/multicultural literacies in the school curriculum to build cohesive African society in the 21st century: Lessons from Kenya
(2017-07-23) Njoroge, Martin C.
Due to globalization, rural urban movement and internationalization trends, the cultural, racial and ethnic composition of schools, colleges and universities in Africa has become increasingly diverse. Because of this heterogeneity, there is need for multilingual/multicultural literacy to become an important component of education systems in Africa. Multicultural literacy, as noted in available literature in the field, comprises the skills and ability to identify the creators of knowledge and their interests, to uncover the assumptions of knowledge, to view knowledge from diverse ethnic and cultural perspectives, and to use knowledge to guide action that will lead to a humane and just world. Multicultural literacy, therefore, leads to the understanding of different cultures through exposure to aspects such as the history, values, language, religious beliefs and oral literature of different communities. This implies that multicultural literacy is premised on cultural pluralism. A research done in Kenya in 2015 showed that learners at all levels of education in the country lacked multilingual/multicultural literacy despite the diverse dynamics of the Kenyan society. They, for example, accepted many of the stereotypes associated with other African languages and cultures due to lack of exposure to such languages and cultures in schools and elsewhere. To address such challenges, the just approved national school curriculum in Kenya purposes to integrate multilingual/multicultural literacy in schools with the aim of building a society that will embrace diversity; a society that will aspire to remain cohesive despite this diversity. This chapter purposes to do the following: Give a brief on the diverse languages and cultures in Kenya; share findings of a study done in 2015 on the state of multilingual/ multicultural literacies in schools and universities in Kenya; Give a preview of the integration of multilingual/multicultural literacy in the revised Kenyan curriculum; share lessons that have been learned in Kenya regarding the role of multilingual/multicultural literacies in building a cohesive society; and propose strategies that can be put in place for successful acquisition of multilingual/multicultural literacies in Africa in the 21st Century.
Open Access
A linguistic analysis of HIV/ AIDS messages in Kenyan Primary school textbooks
(Egerton journal of Humanities, social sciences and Education, 2011-03-02) Kinuthia, Jane Wanjiku; Chai, Furaha; Yieke, Felicia Arudo
In Kenya, government agencies, line ministries and non governmental organizations have for several decades now made concerted efforts aimed at prevention of HIV/AIDS through increased awareness about the risk of transmission and promotion of positive behavior change. One such effort was the introduction, in 2003, by the Kenya Institute of Education, of the integrated HIV/AIDS syllabus in both primary and secondary schools. This study was conceived with the objectives to identify and analyse the language used in primary school textbooks in order to determine its suitability in communicating the HIV/AIDS message, and to provide empirical data on the kind of language used. Six class seven textbooks used in three compulsory subjects in six percent of primary schools from Nakuru municipality, and the views and comments of ten class seven teachers yielded the data. The data was analysed according to the Mills (1995) model of stylistic analysis. The findings were that most of the HIV/AIDS related concepts feature in science textbooks, and that of all stylistic forms, transitivity choices are the most popular with textbook writers. The study also established that the stylistic forms used have a bearing on how the readers process and interpret the information presented in the text. The study recommends that to make the integration of HIV/AIDS messages a successful venture, textbook writers need to consider what is the appropriate amount of information on HIV/AIDS in each subject and the suitable stylistics (style of language usage in different contexts) for the level of the reader. It is hoped that the implications of the study will be useful to teachers, textbook writers and the general society.
Open Access
L’impatto delle lingue africane sullo sviluppo socioeconomico dell’Africa: effetti e prospettive
(African languages and economic development, 2017) Njoroge, Martin C; Gathigia, Moses G.
L’Africa è un continente plurilingue e multiculturale con disparità nello status concesso alle lingue africane parlate nel continente (Orekan, 2011). È a causa di questa natura plurilingue dell’Africa, argomenta Sibomana (2015), che i paesi africani sono messi di fronte a questioni irrisolte relative alla scelta della o delle lingue in grado di sostenere nel modo migliore lo sviluppo economico e sociale. È importante rilevare che l’Africa ha oltre 2110 lingue, cioè il 30,5% delle lingue vive esistenti, e che il multilinguismo costituisce una caratteristica peculiare del continente (Lewis, 2009)4. Sebbene la carta linguistica dell’Africa possa essere divisa in anglofoni, francofoni, lusofoni, arabofoni e swahilofoni per quanto concerne la scelta della lingua dell’amministrazione (Lodhi, 1993), le lingue africane sono classificate geneticamente in quattro gruppi linguistici maggiori o phyla: afroasiatico, nilo-sahariano, Niger-Congo e khoisan (Orekan, 2010). Nelle zone mediorientali del continente africano sono anche parlate alcune lingue afroasiatiche (Lodhi, 1993). La ricchezza di lingue in Africa ha comportato enormi problemi di comunicazione, nell’istruzione e perfino nella politica (Lodhi, 1993). Purtroppo, per ragioni politiche e/o economiche, la maggior parte dei paesi del continente ha scelto come ufficiali lingue coloniali, a volte insieme con una o più lingue africane come lingue nazionali. Le lingue indigene sono riconosciute come ufficiali solo in 10 dei 54 paesi dell’Africa, l’arabo in 9, e i restanti 47 paesi hanno come ufficiali lingue ex-coloniali distribuite come segue: francese in 21 paesi, inglese in 20, portoghese in 5 e spagnolo in 1 (Bamgbose, 1991, pp. 30-31). Questo è un retaggio dell’eredità coloniale, laddove le lingue degli ex colonizzatori continuano a essere dominanti nella maggior parte dei paesi africani in tutti i domini formali e tecnici, come governo, economia aziendale, scienza e tecnologia, commercio e scambi commerciali, relazioni internazionali, istruzione (Kanana, 2013). Purtroppo in Africa le lingue indigene sono state limitate a pochi domini quali la comunicazione intracomunitaria, ruoli di interpretariato, nei tribunali e in politica, per citarne alcuni (Kanana, 2013). Nell’istruzione, per esempio, “i leader nazionali erano influenzati dalla credenza che la via migliore verso il progresso fosse di mantenere le cosiddette “già sviluppate” lingue coloniali come strumento esclusivo dell’istruzione” (Rassool, 2007, p. 86). Simpson (2008) coglie in modo preciso le sfide linguistiche dell’Africa, quando dice: Nel generale tentativo di costruire nuovi stati stabili e integrati nell’Africa subsahariana, fortemente multilingue e multietnica, la lingua ha dimostrato, cosa non sorprendente, di essere una forza importante e contrastata, intimamente connessa sia con l’accesso individuale dei cittadini a istruzione, impiego e partecipazione politica, sia con l’ampia crescita di un senso dicomunità nazionale condiviso, e ha spesso causato la percezione che il multilinguismo (inteso come presenza di molte lingue all’interno di una singola popolazione) fosse una grave complicazione per lo sviluppo nazionale, piuttosto che una risorsa da sfruttare
Open Access
“Nihao Kenniya!” Promoting intercultural communication between China and Kenya: The role of Confucius Institutes
(2015-08-06) Njoroge, Martin C; Gathigia, Moses G.
The Chinese language is increasingly becoming popular because of the pride of place that China occupies globally. The popularity of the language has been rapidly facilitated by the establishment of the Confucius Institutes, which are mandated with the responsibility of introducing Chinese language and culture to non-Chinese population. The question is: has this move enhanced cross-cultural communication between Chinese and non-Chinese people. Kenya has three Confucius Institutes at the University of Nairobi, Egerton University and Kenyatta University. These three institutes offer various Chinese courses to Kenyans interested in acquiring competence in Chinese and understanding Chinese rich culture. Students who excel in these courses get a chance to proceed to China for further studies. The paper seeks to explore the role of Confucius Institutes in promoting intercultural communication between China and Kenya. 831 students of Chinese at Confucius Institute at Kenyatta University formed the target population. A sample of 120 students, selected randomly, filled in a questionnaire that was designed to help in assessing the role of the Confucius Institutes in facilitating cross-cultural communication. Data were analysed qualitatively and the results interpreted and discussed. The general finding is that Confucius Institutes are a bridge between China and Kenya and they are a useful vehicle in promoting understanding between Kenyan and Chinese cultures.
Open Access
Relating theory and practice in the teaching of connectors
(International Conference on Education, 2015-07-16) Gathigia, Moses G.; Njoroge, Martin C.
Coherence and cohesion are essential elements that a well-constructed written sentence or text should consist of. Connectors are usually used to indicate coherence and cohesion between units of a discourse. A sample of academic writing with connectors present is perceived to be more logical, convincing and authoritative than the same sample with all the connectors removed. Learners of English as a second language tend to misuse connectors in their writing creating comprehensive problems that may be so impenetrable as to defy normal decoding of a text. With this background information, this paper examines the teaching of connectors using the conventional approach and the essay-based approach, which is also complemented by the Coherence and Relevance theoretical framework. The study is conducted using a pretest / posttest paradigm to test the efficacy of the two approaches of teaching connectors. Two Form three classes were sampled for this study. A pretest on logical connectors was administered in each school, marked and results recorded. The experimental class was exposed to the teaching of connectors using the essay - based approach (textual) method as a tool of teaching while the control class was exposed to the conventional approach of teaching. A posttest, the same test administered as a pretest, was given to the two groups. The scores recorded in both tests were analyzed quantitatively using the Levene's Test for Equality of Variances. The analysis is then presented in tables, graphs and findings discussed. In addition, the paper proposes recommendations for pedagogy.
Open Access
The Role of teaching/learning in the acquisition of multi cultural literacy: Survey of primary, secondary and university levels in Kenya
(PAC University journal of arts and social sciences, 2016-01-01) Njoroge, Martin Chege; Gathigia, Moses Gatambuki
The cultural, racial and ethnic composition of Kenyan primary, secondary and university schools has become increasingly diverse. Because of this heterogeneity, multicultural literacy (ML) has emerged as an important component of the Kenyan education system. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to examine the role of teaching/learning in the acquisition of multicultural literacy in the diverse dynamics of the Kenyan society. Thus, the research on which this paper is based set forth to examine the role of teaching/ learning in the acquisition of multicultural literacy in different educational tiers in Kenya. To achieve this objective, Eric Hirsch’s theory of cultural literacy guided the study. The study also employed the quantitative research design because of the need to correlate social variables with multicultural literacies. Learners from class 8, form 4 and fourth year undergraduate students were purposively sampled from the following three institutions: A primary school in Nairobi, a secondary school in Kiambu County and a university in Eldoret; all in Kenya. A pre-test comprising 30 items was given to all the 25 sampled students of each education level to measure their multicultural literacies. Students were then taught about the Maasai, Turkana and Nubian cultures. The post-test of the same questions as the pre-test was administered to the learners, marked and the scores recorded. To test the correlation, Levene’s test for equality of variances was employed. The study found that exposing the learners to information on the three cultures influenced performance in the post-test. Thus, the study noted that multicultural literacy enhances learners’ cultural awareness, acceptance of diverse learners, and develops a positive self concept for learners’ from diverse backgrounds. The study recommends the incorporation of multicultural literacy in the curriculum to build a cohesive society and to discourage the negative stereotypes that characterize some multicultural settings.

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