English as Second Language in Education: Challenges and Opportunities for the Kenyan Teachers and Learners

Abstract

In any given social settings, people acquire, learn and use language in different ways and for different purposes. These purposes can be driven by either instrumental or integrative motivations. Within the Kenyan context, English is learnt and used for its instrumental purposes; a practice common in situations where a language is learnt and used as a second language (SL). Kenya is a multilingual setting with estimated 42 languages, rendering it multicultural. English is learnt as a SL and used as an official language while Kiswahili doubles up as the National and official language alongside English. Indigenous languages are valued as vehicles of transmission of the rich and diverse Kenyan culture. Learners’ and teachers in Kenya are orientated to use and learn English for its extrinsic and instrumental motivations rather than the intrinsic motivation associated with the integrative motivation. This paper therefore examines the challenges learners encounter learning and using English as a SL; the role of English within the Kenyan education system given its centrality as language of instruction (LOI) and subject within the curriculum; the existence of varieties of English in the world, and the rise to the Kenyan English variety. This is examined in the context of the cultural- linguistic inclinations and identifies, juxtaposed against the demand in Kenya that only the Standard English variety should be taught and used. The paper underscores both the challenges the Kenyan English SL learner and teacher face and the opportunities available in knowing and using English not only in their local but also from the global context. It then provides reflection points for negotiating English SL teaching and learning based on the existing sociocultural-linguistic realities.