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Nyamasyo, E. (1994). An analysis of the spelling errors in the written English of Kenyan pre- university students. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 7 (1), 79-92.

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Article

Analysis of the Spoken English Used by Teachers in Kenyan Primary School Classrooms: Phonological and Grammatical Variations

1Department of Communication, Languages and Linguistics, Pan Africa Christian University, Nairobi, Kenya


American Journal of Educational Research. 2017, Vol. 5 No. 10, 1087-1096
DOI: 10.12691/education-5-10-10
Copyright © 2017 Science and Education Publishing

Cite this paper:
Martin C. Njoroge. Analysis of the Spoken English Used by Teachers in Kenyan Primary School Classrooms: Phonological and Grammatical Variations. American Journal of Educational Research. 2017; 5(10):1087-1096. doi: 10.12691/education-5-10-10.

Correspondence to: Martin  C. Njoroge, Department of Communication, Languages and Linguistics, Pan Africa Christian University, Nairobi, Kenya. Email: martin.njoroge@pacuniversity.ac.ke

Abstract

The research reported in this paper identifies and describes phonological and grammatical variations in the English spoken by teachers at Kenyan primary school level, correlates the variations observed with the teachers’ amount of education completed in the English language and discusses pedagogical implications of the emergent patterns. First, the results indicate that the teacher’s spoken English varies from the British standard variety - the model of correctness at all the education tiers in Kenya - and second, that the amount of education a speaker has completed in the English language significantly influences language variability. The findings imply that if more primary school teachers were to receive further exposure to English grammar and phonology through the continuing education programs available in Kenyan universities, their spoken English would then vary less from the standard English and international mutual intelligibility would be improved.

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