Language Competence in Selected Functional Writing Skills in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Aguthi Division Nyeri County

Abstract

Functional skills play a great role in a learner’s life both at school and after school. At the end of the course, the functional skills are examined in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in Paper One and it is usually the first question carrying 20 marks out of the 60 marks required in English Paper 1 (101 / 1). The Kenya National Examinations Council (K.N.E.C) has continually reported decline in this paper especially in Question One which is functional writing skill. In life after school, the form four leavers apply these skills in their everyday life as they join the job market. In consideration of this academic and operational importance laid on functional skills, the study sought to identify and describe learners’ writing difficulties in selected functional writing skill areas, investigate and describe the kind of support and exposure teachers give learners in their functional writing tasks and establish how this support and exposure influence the teacher in assessing functional writing for effective communication in selected functional writing skills like internal memos and formal letters. The study was carried out in Aguthi division, Nyeri County. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n2s1p88