Literacy practices among Kapsabet residents

Abstract

This study sought to examine literacy practices among Kapsabet residents. This is because different literacy practices among communities in multilingual contexts remain under investigation. This is the case obtained in Kapsabet Sub-county, Nandi County, Kenya. The residents in this sub-county are largely multilingual, with a majority being speakers of English, Kiswahili and Kalenjin. The aim of the proposed study was to examine literacy practices in the everyday life of these residents. The study adopted a largely qualitative research design underpinned by Street’s theory of literacy as a social practice. A social perspective on literacy focuses on the ways in which people employ literacy in their daily lives. The study used a purposive stratified sample of 20 respondents obtained in specific areas of the sub-county. Data was collected using the following research instruments: face-to-face interviews, observations, literacy diaries, documentation and inbuilt audio recorders. The results indicate significant ways in which Kalenjin residents of Kapsabet use literacy in their everyday lives. The study is expected to benefit scholars in applied linguistics, policymakers, and the general public by allowing them to use the study's results in their operations.