English-Literature Literacy and Integration in Kenyan Secondary Schools

Abstract

This piece of work made  an  evaluation  of  the  literacy and integration  of teaching  English  Language and  English Literature  subjects  in   Kenyan Secondary  Schools. The   two being as one  yet  different,  poses a  challenge on  how  to  deliver  them  in  our  Secondary  School classrooms. This study  investigated  the  advantages and disadvantages  of  integrating  the  two  subjects  and  sought  for  ways  of  overcoming  the  challenges. The study delved  on  the following objectives;  advantages  of  teaching  English  and  Literature  together  as  one  subject,  and two,  the  disadvantages  of  teaching English  and  Literature together  as one  subject. The study also posed  questions  whether  the  Kenyan  Secondary  School students are  benefitting  from  this  arrangement  or  are  they  receiving  a  raw  deal. Teachers  in  various  Secondary  Schools  teaching English  using  the  integrated  approach  responded  to  questions  raised  by  the  researcher  on  the  above  issues  through  an interview  conducted  by  the  researcher. The researcher being  a  Lecturer  who teaches English  Language  and  Literature subject methods  at  the  university  also  incorporated  university  students on teaching  practice  taking  English  and  Literature  and  using  the integrated approach. The  study  showed   that  disadvantages  of  teaching English  language  and  Literature  in  an  integrated  approach outweighed  the  advantages. It also indicated that the non-benefits outweighed the benefits. Therefore, the  study recommended  that either,  the  integration  be  done away with  to  allow  for specialization  or,  if  it  remains, teachers  be  trained  to  handle  the  integrated  issues  and  time  for  delivering  both  subjects  be   equalized.