An Assessment of the Appropriateness of Kenyan Sign Language Examination for Hearing Students

Abstract

Kenyan Sign Language is a vital language for the Deaf community in Kenya and plays a pivotal role in their communication and education. This study investigates the appropriateness of including hearing students in the Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) examination, originally designed and adapted for deaf students. The research employed a qualitative approach, exploratory design and drawn upon the foundation of Critical Pedagogy. Purposive sampling was used to select seven(7) participants who are teachers of KSL and have experience in teaching both the hearing and deaf learners. Data was collected through interviews and analyzed thematically. The study findings underscore the need for a comprehensive reassessment of the KSL examination, considering the linguistic diversity and cognitive abilities of both deaf and hearing learners. The suggested strategies aim to create a more inclusive and equitable assessment system that respects the unique needs of each group, fostering a fair and accurate evaluation of their proficiency in Kenyan Sign Language. The researcher firmly recommends the exclusion of regular learners from KSL, KCSE examinations administered by the Kenya National Examination Council. Citing the tailored nature of the current 8-4-4 system’s Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) curriculum and exams for deaf students, the proposal emphasizes that regular students desiring to acquire KSL skills could opt for extracurricular KSL club participation.