Challenges Facing Children With Hearing Impairment in Primary Schools in Abogeta West Division Imenti South District in Meru -Kenya

ABSTRACT

The learners who are hearing impaired have for years been stigmatized although their potentiality in performing duties does not differ from that of non-hearing impaired learners. In our learning institutions, both teachers and follow learners have always despised these learners. The teachers take little care or no care to these learners. What they have done so far is to stigmatize them. They have been labeled with all sorts of adjectives that are so discouraging and not motivating at all. They refer to them as slow learners, idiots, semi-deaf and many adjectives. Due to this, the researcher resorted to· researching on the problems facing the hearing impaired learners. If these problems are identified, then ways of solving them will be found. As concerns the methods used for the collection of information from the respondents, the researchers will use mainly questionnaires, however, observation will also be used. As a teacher and being with these learners and because he will take the questionnaire out, he could get more information through observation. This is more especially from the reaction of the respondent as they will ask questions for clarifications. The researcher will mainly deal with one group of respondents who are teachers. He specifically chose this group of respondents because they are the ones who handle the hearing impaired learners in school. To the researchers, this is the group of respondents that could give the most appropriate result of the problems facing these learners.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ......................................................................................... i

DECLARATION ....................................................................................... ii

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

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................... ~ .................. iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................... v

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................... ix

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................. x

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

1.0. Introduction .............................................................................. 1

1. 1. Background information of the study ......................................... 1

1.2. Statement of the problem ........................................................... 3

1.3. Purpose of the study ................................................................. .4

1.4. Objectives of the study ............................................................... 5

1.5. Research questions .................................................................... 5

1.6. Significance of the study ............................................................ 5

1.7. LIMITATIONS ............................................................................. 7

1. 7 .1. Delimitation ........................................................................... 7

1.8. Definition ofterms ..................................................................... 8

CHAPTER TWO ...................................................................................... 9

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ...................................................... 9

2.0. Introduction .............................................................................. 9

2.1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ................................................... 11

2.2. Classification of hearing impairment ........................................ 12

2.3. Causes of hearing impairment ................................................. 12

2.4. Effects of hearing impairment .................................................. 13

2.5. How to overcome these challenges ........................................... 16

V

CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................ 19

METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 19

3.0. Introduction ............................................................................ 19

3.1. Research approach .................................................................. 19

3.2. Research design ...................................................................... 19

3.3. Target population .................................................................... 19

3.4. Sample .................................................................................... 20

3.5. Sampling procedures ............................................................... 20

3.6. Instruments/ tools ................................................................. 20

3. 7. Procedure of the study ............................................................. 21

3.8. Data analysis ........................................................................... 22

CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................. 23

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF .................. 23

FINDINGS ............................................................................................ 23

4.1 Introduction ................................................................................... 23

4.2 Procedures ..................................................................................... 23

4.3 Teacher's Awareness of Learners with hearing impairment in their

Classes ................................................................................................ 25

4.4 Emotional Disturbances That Hinder Educational Performance of

Learners with hearing impairment in their Classes ............................... 25

4.5 Learners with hearing impairment in their Classes responses on the

emotional disturbances that hinder their educational performance ....... 26

4.6 Teachers' Responses on the emotional disturbances hindering the

educational .......................................................................................... 28

4.7 Head Teachers' Responses on emotional disturbances hindering the

educational .......................................................................................... 31

4.8 Observation analysis on emotional disturbances that hinder the

educational .......................................................................................... 33

4.9 Social problems that hinder the educational performance of Learners

with hearing impairment in their Classes ............................................. 33

Vl

4.10 Teachers' responses on the social problems that hinder the

educational performance of Learners with hearing impairment in their

Classes ................................................................................................ 36

4.11 Observation analysis on social problems that hinder educational

performance of ..................................................................................... 40

4.12 Economic problems that hinder educational performance of

Learners with hearing impairment in their Classes ............................... 41

CHAPTER FIVE .................................................................................... 43

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................ 43

5.0. Introduction .................................................................................. 43

5.1. Summary ...................................................................................... 43

5.2. Conclusions .................................................................................. 44

5.2.1. Conclusions on the Emotional Problems Hindering the Educational

Performance of Learners with hearing impairment.. ............................. .44

5.2.2 Conclusions on the Social Problems affecting them strive higher

Educational ......................................................................................... 45

5.2.3. Conclusions on the Economic Problems Hindering the Educational

............................................................................................................ 46

5.2.4. Conclusions on the Problems of Adjustment Hindering the

Educational ......................................................................................... 4 7

5.3 General Conclusions of the Study .................................................. -4 7

5.4 Recommendations for the Improvement of the Educational

Performance of ..................................................................................... 48

5.5. Suggestions for Further Research .................................................. 52