Home Environment and Utilization of English Language in Public Day Secondary Schools in Bunyala Sub County, Busia, Kenya

Abstract

Home environment as a context of learning outcome contributes to learner social interaction and self-actualization towards using English in a school setting. School systems expect learners to be competent in the English language being the medium for learning and instruction. However, social interaction at school and home varies, resulting in a need for more English input. The study focused on establishing the influence of the home environment on the utilization of the English language in school. Emphasizing language use at home, provision of reading materials, and attitude towards learning the English language, the study used descriptive survey design in six public day secondary schools in Bunyala Sub County. Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory and Krashen's Input Hypothesis theory were used in the study with a sample of 160 from two learners and 12 parents. Primary data was collected using self - administered questionnaires and an interview guide. The findings revealed that learners used their mother tongue while away from school, which interfered with the usage of English at school. In addition, most parents needed to be economically empowered to provide extra reading materials and a favorable reading atmosphere for learners to have sufficient English language input. Most parents had low academic backgrounds and did not monitor learners' knowledge of the English language. The study concluded that the home environment influenced the utilization of the English language. The study recommends that parents develop a positive attitude towards the need for learners to know the English language for successful learning.