Teaching Styles and Learners’ Achievement in Kiswahili Language in Secondary Schools

Abstract

Effective use of learning strategies can greatly improve learners’ achievement. In Hamisi District in Kenya, secondary school students have continued to attain poor results in Kiswahili subject in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E) examination. From the year 2007 to 2011, the mean scores in Kiswahili language ranged between 5.11 and 5.53 out of the possible 12.00. This poor performance has been blamed on poor teaching styles. However, no empirical study has been done to determine the link between teaching styles and learners’ achievement in Kiswahili language. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of teaching styles on learners’ achievement in Kiswahili language in secondary schools in Hamisi District, Kenya. The population of the study consisted of 1,800 Form 4 students and 76 teachers of Kiswahili language. Simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 25 teachers of Kiswahili language while Krejcie and Morgan formula was used to select 317 Form 4 students. Descriptive survey and correlational study designs were adopted for the study. Data was collected by use of lesson observation schedule, questionnaire and document analysis guide. The study found a positive relationship between teaching styles and learners’ academic achievement in Kiswahili language (r= .53, p<0.01). Achievement was seen to increase with more learner-centered teaching styles. The study therefore recommends that teachers should be trained to adopt and practice more learner-centered teaching approaches in Kiswahili language classrooms so as to improve learners’ academic achievement.