The Impact Of Reading On Academic Performance Of English: A Case Study Of Central Division Ole Sankale Zone In Narok North District-Kenya

ABSTRACT:

This study investigated the impact of reading on academic performance of English language in primary schools in Narok No1th District.

The researcher used both open ended and closed ended questionnaire and an interview· guide to get the relevant information (data) and the data collected was analyzed by use of

descriptive statistics that included measures of central tendency (mean, mode, median) measures of dispersion (i.e. range, standard deviation, variance) distribution (i.e. percentages and frequencies) and relationship (con-elations).

The reasons for the poor perfo1mance by the impact of reading on academic performance of English: In the target area will be examined. This is aimed at improving and motivating the output of the reader resulting in improving performance. The researcher

will also research from the library, newspapers, reports or other previous research materials on the subject in question.

Data collected by the researcher will be analyzed through comparison of the various respondents' submissions. The outcome of the research will provide the researcher with the information that will benefit the "Impact of reading on academic performance of English." The recommendation will uplift the academic perfmmance and education of the residents of the target area.

This will improve their living standards, which is in line with the philosophy that goes: "It is the ideal that makes the real reader" Bwabi 2004. Out of the sixteen schools in the '.v1unicipality. the researcher selected six schools to carry out the investigation. Seventy five students \Vas the sample population selected. Simple

random sampling procedure \Vas used to select the school to be studied from the total number of schools in the I\ilunicipality. Stratified random sampling \Vas used to select boys and girls from the schools selected. There was the use of ratio of girls to boys in class in selecting the same.

Lastly purposive sampling was used to select students who perform well and poorly in English. In this case the researcher made use of the regular teacher of English in the various schools to select the best and the poor performance as they are informative and posses the required characteristics under study.

The study showed that those students who are ardent readers perform better in English as

they are able to express themselves eloquently and intelligibly. Majority of learners gained the various reading skills which enabled them analyze various aspects of English language as well as literature texts. Besides, other subjects apart from Kiswahili also rely on students ability to express themselves well in English.

The researcher recommended that reading materials like story books and the like, should be introduced to learners at an early age in order for them to develop a reading culture.

The government should continue supporting parents by buying the necessary reading materials for the learners. The school administration and the Government to support or give incentives to those learners who excel in the subject in question by giving them rewards (at school level) and scholarships to further studies m English.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION .............................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL .................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION .............................................................................................................. iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMEN'f .............................................................................................. iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS································································································ V

LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................. vii

DEFINITION OF OPERATIONAL TERMS ............................................................. viii

ABSTRACT: .................................................................................................................. ix

CHAPTER ONE: ............................................................................................................ 1

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1

1.0 BACI(GROUND ....................................................................................................... 1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY .......................................................................... 1

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ........................................................................ 3

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY .................................................................................... 3

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: .................................................................................... 3

1.6 SCOPE OF Tl-IE Sl'UDY ......................................................................................... 5

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY .......................................................................... 5

CHAPTER TWO: ............................................................................................................ 7

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ...................................................................... 7

2.0 OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 7

2.1 INTRODUCTION TO READING: .......................................................................... 8

2.2 Characteristics features of reading ...................................................................... 9

2.3 TRADITIONS, HINDRANCES AND EMERGING TRENDS: ............................ 10

2.4 LICENCES, PROHIBITIONS AND HINDRANCES ............................................ 11

2.5 SCOPE AND INTENTION .................................................................................... 13

2.6 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 14

V

I I I I

f I

r

I

I !

I

~ i

I

CHAPTER THREE: ...................................................................................................... 17

RESEARCH, DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ........................................................ 17

3.0 RESEARCFI DESIGN ............................................................................................ 17

3.1 SAMPLING PROCEDURE .................................................................................... 17

3.2 SAMPLE ................................................................................................................. 17

3.3 INSTRUMENTS: .................................................................................................... 18

3.4 PROCEDURE ......................................................................................................... 19

3.5 DATA ANALYSIS ................................................................................................. 20

CHAPTER FOUR: ........................................................................................................ 21

FINDINGS, PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS ...................................................... 21

4.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 21

CHAPTER FIVE: .......................................................................................................... 31

INTRODUCTION, DISCUSSION, SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATION ................................................................................................. 31

5.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 31

5.1 DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................... 31

5.2 SUMMARY, ........................................................................................................... 31

5.3 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 33

5.4 RECOMMENDATION ........................................................................................... 33

5.5 AREAS OF FURTHER STUDY ............................................................................ 34

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 35

Appendix A : TIME FRAME ................................................................................... 36

Appendix B : BUDGET ............................................................................................ 37

Appendix C : STUDENT'S QUESTIONNAIRES .................................................. 38