ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to establish any influence of mobile phone technology on learners‟ classroom English grammar in day public secondary schools, in Nakuru North district and Nakuru Municipality. Grammar is essential in any piece of writing for meaning to be realized yet from previous studies, the findings revealed that learners are performing poorly in written English where it is exclusively grammar. Studies done in and outside the country on mobile phones have revealed that the use of short message service (SMS) has contributed to learners‟ poor performance in grammar. The study was guided by five objectives: to establish how learners interact with mobile phone in writing, establish whether the differences in learners‟ interaction with the device in Nakuru North district and Nakuru Municipality are significant, examine mobile phone influence on learners‟ performance, identify features of the gadget that may enhance learners‟ grammar and finally examine teachers‟ perception on learners‟ use of mobile phone in teaching and learning of English language. The study employed a descriptive survey research design and the instruments used in data collection included composition essay test and questionnaires for 194 students while questionnaire and interview schedules administered to 14 teachers of English language. The study used the multistage sampling procedure, where day schools were purposively selected in the two locations. Students were sampled using proportional random sampling to include both boys and girls while teachers of English language were sampled using purposive sampling. Data was analyzed by employing Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) programme which produced statistical measures such as frequency, means, percentages and standard deviation. The different means were then subjected to a T-test which determined the level of significance of how different groups used mobile phones. The results revealed that 43% of the students in Nakuru Municipality accessed and utilized mobile phones 11-20 times compared to 66% in Nakuru North who accessed and used them 1-10 times each day; learners‟ interaction with the mobile phones in both locations varied slightly, with a mean difference of 2.38 with Nakuru Municipality outshining Nakuru North with a mean difference of 1.99 in vocabulary. (86%) of the teachers interviewed acknowledged that mobile phone usage affects learners‟ grammar both positively and negatively. In conclusion, most learners access mobile phone and use them for a range of purposes; learners‟ interaction difference with mobile phone between the two locations were statistically significant at P<0.05 with a t-value = 4.852 at 192 degrees of freedom; frequent access to the mobile phone correlates positively with learners‟ performance in English grammar; features that may improve learners‟ performance in grammar include Google search, SMS, facebook and twitter. Teachers observed that Google search can improve learners‟ grammar whereas SMS and Facebook can enhance writing skills. The study recommended that curriculum developers should include teaching of SMS language in the syllabus and sites that can improve learners‟ language skills such as You-Tube, WhatsApp, voice recorder, google search among others can be ventured.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Background of study
The invention of mobile phone is a great achievement in the area of communication because of its convenience and accessibility compared to the fixed telephony which is only used in specific areas and at specific time. However, this device has been blamed for learners‟ poor performance in grammar especially as they use the SMS feature to text. This particular study focused on the influence of mobile phone on the learners‟ English grammar in day public secondary schools because mobile phone usage is greater here once students are back at home. The chapter is discussed under the following sub- headings: the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, and significance of the study, scope of the study, limitation of the study, assumption of the study, theoretical framework and conceptual framework.
Technology in communication has made life very comfortable for many because of its convenience and comfort (Mphahlele, 2005). Before the device came to use, people relied mostly on fixed telephones for communication; however, this has its major limitation as it can only be used in certain places and at specific time (Ibid). The emergence of the mobile phone in Kenya in early 2000s has created a lot of excitement to almost all age groups with the learners being the most interested group because of its attractive features. According to Ling (2008), mobile phone is appealing to young people
because of its extension nature of social life, its role in the formation of identity, its influence in reshaping the temporal and spatial interaction.
Thurlow (2006) analyzed over 100 media reports, finding that the predominant themes were negative in tone about the effect of texting on Standard English. Typical descriptions, for example, from Sutherland (2002), are „„bleak, bald, sad shorthand‟‟ and
„„linguistically, it‟s all pig‟s ear‟‟. Thurlow‟s (2003) own work; however, has shown that the naturalistic text messages of older adolescents were generally comprehensible, contained few opaque abbreviations and showed a good sense of what Crystal (2006a) has referred to as lucid use of language, language rich from a playful use of words. Others have also been optimistic about texting (Lee, 2002; Bell, 2003; O‟Connor, 2005, Helderman, 2003) in that it „„gets children writing‟‟ where previously they may have been less likely to do so. In Crystal‟s view, text language fulfils the criteria of spoken language as follows: it is spontaneous, loosely structured, socially interactive and, in contrast to IM and speech, not time bound, as the message may remain as long as desired; it is immediately revisable, a feature Reid and Reid (2004) found made it the medium of preference for those with higher levels of social anxiety.
Despite its attractive and vital nature, its effects on learner‟ grammar has led to many researches (Lee, 2002; Mpahlele, 2005; crystal, 2003). In Kenya a similar research has been done on syntactic aspect in text messaging (Ongonda,; Matu, and Oloo, , 2011).
English language in Kenya plays a vital role in learners‟ lives since most class assignments, tests and national examinations are set and done in English. The secondary school English syllabus postulates that fluency in all aspects of English language will enable students to perform better in all other subjects whose medium of instruction is
English (K.I.E, 2006).The study; therefore, looked at the performance of English language in relation to mobile phone because of the many complaints that mobile phone is impacting negatively on learners class work because of the SMS use.
According to Doring (2002); Ling (2005); Segerstad (2002); however, for SMS language to be used, one has to think clearly on how to best phrase the message in order to put point across with the fewest possible words. Thurlow & Mckay (2003) aptly put it that certainly new communication technologies can empower young people and many do indeed explore and develop imaginative ways of making the technology work best for them. The study will set to establish whether the fears of parents and educators that mobile phone affects negatively on learners‟ grammar is true or the findings of other researchers that it affects learners positively is viable in the two locations in Nakuru county; that is, Nakuru North district and Nakuru Municipality which represent rural and urban respectively. Research done in Kenya at Makini primary school revealed negative influence of the device as reported in “ Business Daily Africa‟ 2010 that learners did not seem to distinguish when to use and not use SMS language as words like “be4”, “sori”, “coz”, were picked in compositions. English language is quite vital in Kenyan education system and this can be attested by the transformation that has taken place in the sector. The Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) came up with a new syllabus for English language in 1984/1985 as it was realized that the previous syllabus where English language was treated as two different subjects: English language and English literature did not meet Kenyan‟s expectation and so from 1985, the integrated approach was adopted (K.I.E, 2006). In the approach, both English and literature were to be taught as one subject to bring integration approach in teaching which came with changes on time
allocation to meet the task intended; that is, 6 lessons of 40 minutes each in a week for form (1 and 2) and 8 lessons for form (3 and 4). The reason for the changes was to ensure that learners improved their English language, especially the writing skills (Ibid).
Despite the attempts made to improve English standard, the performance is still dismal. A report released by Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) in 2009 revealed lack of proficiency in English language which was evident from some sampled compositions; students could hardly write English language correctly. Elementary words such as BALL, FIELD, TODAY, RAINING, were misspelt as “boll”, ”fild”, “tudeyi” “raning” respectively (K.N.E.C, 2009). The purpose of the study was to investigate learners‟ performance in English grammar in connection with mobile phone usage among learners.
Statement of the Problem
English language is essential in Kenyan educational system due to its various functions; English language is the language of instruction (LOI) from primary four (4) to university. It is also a key subject in primary and secondary curriculum as well as the language for administering class assignments, tests and examinations. In addition, it is also an international language. Despite its importance, English language has not met the expected standards in the writing skills especially, in English grammar. Grammar entails the punctuation, spelling, sentence construction, vocabulary among others. In a recent report released by Kenya National Examination Council (K.N.E.C), some sampled compositions were scrutinized and the findings were alarming as students could hardly write English language correctly. Elementary words such as BALL, FIELD, TODAY, RAINING, were misspelt as “boll”, ”fild”, “tudeyi” “raning” respectively (K.N.E.C,
2009). The alarm on English poor performance keeps recurring as noted in a report released by KNEC in 2011 that English is a widely used language in Kenyan schools today, yet the performance is still below the expected standard (KNEC, 2011). Ong‟onda, Matu & Oketch, (2010a) talks of how mobile texting affects learners‟ syntacs and define text messaging as a private communication that allows learners to rebel against the standard rules of English language. The study sought to establish whether this kind of rebellion is what is contributing to learners‟ poor performance in English language.
Purpose of study
The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of mobile phone technology on learners‟ grammar putting more emphasis on SMS language as there are other factors that influence grammar such as mother tongue interference, language spoken at school, home and with peers among others. The study was carried out in day secondary schools with the assumption that learners in day secondary schools access mobile phone once they are out of school since there is a government ban of students carrying mobile phone to schools.
Objectives of the study
The study was guided by the following objectives:
- To establish how learners interact with mobile phone in relation to grammar.
- To compare learners‟ interaction with mobile phones in Nakuru North District and Nakuru Municipality.
- To examine the extent to which the learners‟ performance in English grammar as influenced by mobile phone technology.
- To identify features of mobile phone that may influence learners‟ performance in English grammar.
- To determine teachers‟ views on mobile phone usage on teaching and learning of English language.
