Evaluation of primary school physical education teaching and learning process for learners with intellectual disability in Kenya
Abstract
This study is an evaluation of the teaching and learning process for learners with
intellectual disability. It analyses how physical education is taught in schools referred to
as schools for the mentally handicap. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
teaching and learning process in physical education for learners with intellectual
disability. To achieve this purpose, five specific objectives which guided the formation of
five research questions were designed. These were based on a five point criteria used to
lead this study. They included: rationale, effectiveness, efficiency, relevance and impacts.
The target was the 44 schools for learners with mental handicap in Kenya. The study was
an evaluation research. The data for the study was drawn from: an interrogation of the
syllabus used to teach in schools for learners with intellectual disability , questionnaires
for 31 teachers from the 44 schools for learners with intellectual disability, questionnaires
for 30 principals, interview schedules for 240 learners with intellectual disability
organised into 31 focus groups, interview schedules for 30 parents of former learners
from these schools for learners with intellectual disability and interview schedules for 44
former learners from these schools of learners with intellectual disability. The data from
the questionnaires and interview schedules for teachers, principals, focus groups, syllabus
document was interrogated. It was found that, in terms of rationale, there is need for
proper editing of this syllabus so that it meets the required standards. Basics such as
capitalising the beginning of sentences and completion of the document as noted by
missing information under heading needs to be taken into account, There is need to
realise that the field of physical education, recreation and leisure are distinct areas of
study and cannot be equated. The intellectual disabled learner requires physical education
as it is correctly stated in the time tables. With knowledge acquired from physical
education, the learner can recreate and have leisure. In terms of effectiveness, it was
noted that the amount of time allocated to schools needed to be standardized. It was
further noted that individualised learning was not practised by the teachers. In terms of
efficiency it was noted that funds allocated to various disciplines in the schools for
learners with intellectual disability was arbitrarily done without any set criteria and varied
from school to school. This may have led to the limited equipment and facilities that in
turn could affect the number and choice of activity. Indeed it was noted that the repertoire
of activity provided may impact on the experiences that a teacher may be able to be offer.
In terms of relevance, the learners seem to have enjoyed the teaching of physical
education. In terms of impact, it was noted that most learners who go through the schools
for learners with intellectual disability have tended to show positive changes in
behaviour. Former learners from such schools have continued to show physical literacy
hence confirming the finding that the learners considered physical education their best
subject at school. It was concluded that the syllabus needed to be reviewed. It was further
noted that learners with intellectual disability takes a keen interest in number work
prompting the question whether it is possible that the learner with intellectual disability is
still grossly misunderstood and there is need to dig deeper to establish the underlying
potential for learners to excel in other areas hitherto not considered such as number work.