https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/73 Sat, 01 Aug 2026 16:40:58 GMT 2026-08-01T16:40:58Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1715 The Acquisition of Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) and Its Significance as A Mother Tongue and Medium of Instruction in Schools for The Deaf in Kenya Mweri, George Jefwa University of Nairobi This paper outlines the importance of KSL in the teaching of deaf learners in Kenya by examining the acquisition and use of KSL in the family, school and the Kenyan society at large. It, therefore, argues for early intervention policies that would enable deaf children to acquire KSL early and calls for the immediate adoption of a bilingual approach to deaf education, thus creating a conducive environment for the use of KSL across the curriculum. Convinced that “to reject a child‟s language in the school or anywhere [else] is to reject the child”, (Cummins 2001) the paper argues that any meaningful education for the deaf in Kenya must take cognizance of the importance of their native tongue or mother tongue – i.e. Kenyan Sign Language (KSL). In spite of its recognition by the Constitution of Kenya 2010,it does not seem to have been embraced as the language of learning in schools for the deaf in Kenya. The proposal made in this paper is that KSL should become a medium of instruction in schools for the deaf and, as such, be used to teach language and other academic subjects, KSL itself as a subject, as well as KSL-teaching methodology courses for trainee teachers of the deaf. The paper demonstrates that the continued reluctance to use KSL as the mother tongue of the deaf in their education is largely to blame for the poor state of deaf education in Kenya, which has not given deaf Kenyans the opportunity to compete on an equal footing with their hearing counterparts in the country – making it a human rights issue. For deaf Kenyans to have equal access to the services offered by the larger society, their language – KSL, which is their mother tongue (L1), must occupy its deserved place in their lives, starting with their education. The adoption of the late-exit or developmental bilingual education approach is one way of doing this. To advance this view, the paper benefits from the social model of perception on disability and the human rights-based approach. A Research Article Published in The University of Nairobi Journal of Language and Linguistics Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1715 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/911 The Teaching Strategies used by Teachers for Learners with Autism-Blindness in Three Counties in Kenya Wang'ang', Annerose Wanjiku,; Karugu, Geoffrey K.; Karangwa, Evariste The learning needs of learners with multiple disabilities in Kenya are not adequately addressed because the teaching strategies used by the teachers are not customized to the individual needs of the learners. Many of the Kenyan special schools and units combine learners with multiple disabilities into one group irrespective of the fact that different multiple disabilities will require different instructional methods, specialized personnel, different teaching resources, different support services and different curriculum adaptations among others. Teachers are specifically trained to teach learners with specific disabilities such as visual, hearing, mental and physical impairments. Consequently, when they are posted to schools where learners have more than one or more disabilities, they are unable to differentiate instructions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the teaching strategies used by teachers for learners with autism blindness in the counties of Kisumu, Kiambu and Nairobi in Kenya. The study adopted the triangulation mixed methods. The target population was made up of 10 teachers teaching learners with autism blindness, and the sample was selected purposively. One of the major findings was that teachers were inadequately trained to teach learners with autism blindness. The teaching resources and support services were found to be inadequate and the curriculum used was not catering for their needs. An Article Published in Rwandan Journal of Education Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/911 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/880 Teachers’ Role in the Implementation of Daily Living Skills Curriculum for Learners With Mental Challenges: A Case of Special Units in Rarieda Sub-County Siaya County Odera, Samuel Oti; Makoriomoke, Charles; Odongo, Charles Benson The role played by teachers in the implementation of activities of daily living skills especially onlearners with mental challenges cannot be overemphasized. Despite the government efforts to developDaily Living Skills curriculum for the mentally challenged learners which was meant to improve thelearners self-help skills, learners in special units are still unable to master skills such as shoe lacing,drooling control, brushing of teeth among others. This case study design within a qualitative approachframed from behaviourist social learning theory of Albert Bandura, aimed at establishing teachers’role in the implementation of daily living skills curriculum for children with mental challenges inspecial units in Rarieda sub-county. The objectives of the study were; to identify teaching methodsemployed by teachers to teach Daily Living Skills; to establish teachers’ perspectives on the teachingof Daily Living Skills; identify challenges facing teachers while teaching Daily Living Skills; and tofind out the strategies teachers are using in implementing Daily Living Skills curriculum. The targetpopulation in this study was eighteen (18) participants comprising of five head teachers, eight teachersand six education officers. The study used purposive and saturated sampling techniques to select thesub-county, special units, head teachers, teachers and zonal quality assurance and standards officersto give a total of nineteen (18) participants. The study usedinterviews schedule, focus groupdiscussion, and document analysis to obtain the data. The data were reported in verbatim and codedaccording to themes in the objectives, and analysed using thematic analysis and contentanalysisapproaches. Trustworthiness and Authenticity of qualitative instruments was ensured by usingmultiple sources of data.The study revealed that teachers were using varieties of methods to teachDaily Living Skills, head teachers were not showing love and concern. There was also lack of teachinglearning materials, poor remuneration and teachers in the special units borrow teaching learningmaterials to teach Daily Living Skills on mentally challenged learners An Article published in The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/880 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/755 Influence of Pre-School Teachers’ Early Identification of Learners with Special Needs in Public Ecde Centres in Keiyo South Sub-County, Kenya Keitany, Sally; Kapkiai, Moses; Kiprop, David Inclusive education is an issue of social and policy significance in the education system. Apparently, the implementation of the inclusion policy appears with statistics showing that less than 10.0% of special needs children have been enrolled in pre-schools in Keiyo South Sub County, Kenya. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of pre-school teachers’ identification of learners with special needs in public ECDE centres in Keiyo South Sub County, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya. The target population involved 247 teachers from 153 public pre-schools and 5 Sub County ECDE programme officers. A sample size of 151 of pre-school teachers and 5 ECDE field officers were selected to participate in the study through cluster sampling technique. The instruments used in this study were a questionnaire and the interview schedule. Results showed that pre-school teachers had moderate competencies in identifying learners with special needs in public pre-primary canters in Keiyo South Sub County, Kenya. There is need for pre-school teachers to be provided with training to gain skills on early identification of SNE learners to enable appropriate early interventions to be provided. An Article Published in European Journal of Special Education Research Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT https://kerd.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/755 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z