Pre-school teachers motivational techniques and their impact on learner participation in learning Swahili in Kipkelion West sub county, Kenya

Abstract

Motivation is a crucial factor in any human activity. The purpose of the study was to identify ways pre-school teachers used motivational techniques in the teaching of Kiswahili language and their impacts on Kiswahili learning among pupil in pre-school in Kipkelion West Sub County in Kericho County, Kenya. Kiswahili is taught and used in pre- schools. There was need to study how it is taught in all pre- schools. The study examined the motivational techniques used by teachers with a view to establish how motivational techniques are used and the impact such motivational techniques had on children language learning in preschools. The study was guided by cognitive theory of motivation to identify the motivational techniques used by the different teachers teaching Kiswahili in pre-school classes in Kipkelion West Sub County. This theory proposes that every individual tries to explain success or failure of self and others by offering certain "attributions." These attributions are either internal or external and are either under control or not under control. The study used observation method to collect data from ECDE teachers in the sixty pre- schools in Kipkelion West Sub County. The researcher observed teachers teaching Kiswahili using structured observation tool, to identify and describe the motivational techniques used by the teachers and how pupils participate in Kiswahili Language learning in classroom. Also difficulties faced by the teachers were observed. After successful piloting with ten preschool in the neighbouring sub county of Muhoroni, datawas obtained and subjected descriptive analysis where the frequency of the predictors were calculated. The findings of this study revealed that motivational techniques used by teachers had a significant impact on Kiswahili language learning especially in Kipkelion West Sub County. It also revealed the weakness areas in the teaching and learning of Kiswahili language and came up with solutions to solve the problems. The findings of the study concluded that motivational techniques positively impacted on learner participation in learning Kiswahili. The researcher expectsall the stakeholders in field of education should put a lot of emphasis on teacher motivation techniques as a way of improving not only Kiswahili learning but also general learning in ECDE centres.