Effectiveness of visual learning aids in enhancing reading and writing skills among secondary school students in Uasin Gishu county, Kenya

Abstract

Visual learning aids are important in an education system. Visual learning aids are those devices which are used in classrooms to encourage the teaching and learning process and make it interesting .Reading and writing skills are basically considered as advanced skills in the learning process, usually acquired after listening and speaking skills are acquired. Form one students come in to secondary school with varied abilities from varied learning backgrounds and thus the need for them to enhance reading and writing as essential skills in secondary school. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of Visual Learning Aids on reading and writing among form one students in rural secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The objectives that guided this study were: to determine the availability of visual learning aids in Cheplelaibei Secondary school in soy sub county ,Uasin Gishu County, to assess the usage of Visual Learning Aids in teaching of reading and writing skills, to determine the challenges encountered by teachers and learners in using Visual Learning Aids resources in secondary schools and to analyze the effectiveness of Visual Learning Aids on the reading and writing skills among form one students in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu county, Kenya. The variables of the study included; visual leaning aids as the independent variable and reading and writing language skills as dependent variables. The study adopted the dual coding theory which states that recall/ recognition is enhanced by presenting information in both visual and verbal form.The study used the quasi experimental research which is the Pre-Test, Post-Test Control Group. The target population comprised learners and teachers of English language in Cheplelaibei North secondary school in Uasin Gishu County. The school was chosen because of its rich cosmopolitan population and the different backgrounds of students, which provided the study with a target population that is representative of other schools in Kenya. The instruments of data collection were interview schedules, document analysis and observation schedules. A census technique was used. The findings from this study established that while certain visual learning aids like pictorials, charts, and posters were readily available and considered adequate in teaching English Language, shortages in other crucial resources such as real objects, textbooks, and flashcards were observed. The study also noted that despite the frequent utilization of traditional aids, such as pictorials, charts, textbooks, and posters, the less frequent use of real objects and flashcards highlighted potential limitations in diversifying teaching strategies. However, teachers and learners were found to encounter several challenges in utilizing visual learning aids, including issues related to availability, technological constraints, and catering to diverse learning styles. The study concluded that a balanced provision of visual learning aids is crucial to create a more comprehensive and effective language learning environment. Furthermore, the research findings confirmed the positive impact of using visual aids on students' reading and writing skills, highlighting the potential benefits even with a short duration of exposure. The study recommended continuous training for teachers to effectively integrate these aids into their teaching practices. Moreover, educators should adopt a balanced approach, combining various visual aids and other instructional methods to enhance both visual literacy and traditional reading and writing skills among students.