Teacher Characteristics Influencing Performance of Special Needs Learners in the Mainstream Public Primary Schools in Kakamega East Sub – County, Kenya
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers characteristics influencing
performance of special needs learners in the mainstream public primary schools in
Kakamega East Sub-County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: to
establish teachers level of training, to examine methods used in teaching, to
determine teachers preparation and investigate teachers perception towards
special needs learners in the mainstream schools. The study was based on
Vygotsky theory of proximal development. Descriptive survey design was used.
The target population was 86 primary schools, 252 teachers 24 special needs
teachers, 24 head teachers, 40 mainstream special needs pupils and 2 Educational
Assessment Resource Centre officers. A total of 342 respondents were sampled
for the study. Sample size comprised of 76 regular teachers, 7 special needs
teachers, 12 mainstream special needs pupils, 24 head teachers and 2 Educational
Assessment Resource Centre officers. The data was collected using questionnaires
on the regular teachers, special needs teachers and special needs pupils. Interview
guide was used on head teachers and Educational Assessment Resource Centre
officers. Descriptive survey design was undertaken. Research instruments validity
was established by test and test in piloting schools. Reliability of the research
instruments was ascertained using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient
of which the results gave value of +0.72. Data was collected and analysed both
qualitatively and quantitatively and presented in frequencies and percentages in
form of tables, pie charts and bar graphs. The study revealed that regular teachers
had no training in SNE, lacked appropriate methods in teaching SNE learners,
prepare inadequately and have negative perception on SNE learners. The study
concluded that appropriate mechanism and structures should be put in place to
train teachers in SNE. The study recommended that Kenya Institute of Special
Education (KISE) and Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MOEST)
should consider training more teachers in SNE
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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