The Nature of Interaction in English Language Classrooms

By Francis Chisikwa Indoshi, John Bett and Florence Y. Odera.

Published by The Learning Collection

Format	Price
Article: Print	$US10.00
Article: Electronic	$US5.00

Teaching and learning of English language occur as a result of the interaction among the teacher, learners and instructional media materials. The nature of this interaction determines the educational outcomes. In Kenya there has been public outcry over falling standards in English language as evidenced by poor performance by students in most secondary schools in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations. This has raised doubts about the effectiveness of classroom interaction in secondary school English classrooms. This article draws from a study that investigated the interaction processes in English language public secondary school classrooms in Kericho Municipality, Kenya Respondents in the study were 8 English teachers and 192 students. Based on an observation framework, direct classroom observation was used as the approach to data collection .Major findings in the study indicated that teacher talk still dominated classrooms processes and that teaching aids were rarely utilized during classroom interaction processes. The findings of the study may inform English teachers about necessary changes in classroom processes during teaching, policy formulation and for drawing up programmes to improve classroom interactions, and may help to relate the features of teacher and student behaviour in the classroom to learning outcomes.

Keywords:	Classroom Interaction

The International Journal of Learning, Volume 16, Issue 7, pp.217-228. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 1.300MB).

Prof. Francis Chisikwa Indoshi

Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational Communication, Technology and Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, Maseno University, Maseno, Kenya

Dr. Francis Chisikwa Indoshi is a senior lecturer in Curriculum and Instruction and also the chairman of Educational Communication Technology and Curriculum Studies at Maseno University. He is a Ph.D holder in Curriculum and Instruction of Maseno University. He also attained B.Ed (Arts) and M.Phil (Curriculum Development) degrees from Moi University, Kenya. His research interests cover the general area of curriculum, pedagogy and educational technology.

John Bett

Principal, Administration, Languages Department, Reresik High School, Roret, Kenya

John Bett is an experienced teacher of English language and currently the principal of Reresik high school in Bureti district, Kenya. He holds an M.Ed degree in English language pedagogy from Maseno University, Kenya. He went to school because his mother insisted and also because he would be lonely in the neighborhood if he did not. He is a senior national English Language examiner for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations. He is also currently pursuing online Ph.D programme in Education, focusing on language errors committed by learners of English language at the secondary school level in Kenya.

Dr. Florence Y. Odera

Lecturer, Department of Educational Communication, Technology and Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, Maseno University, Maseno, Kenya

Dr. Florence Yukabet Odera was, until recently, a lecturer in Educational Technology at Maseno University. She holds a Ph.D in Educational Technology from the University of Pretoria. Her research interest centres on design and application of media technology in teaching and learning.

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