Emergent Approaches towards Sign Bilingualism in Deaf Education in Kenya

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Periodical article

Title:	Emergent Approaches towards Sign Bilingualism in Deaf Education in Kenya
Author:	Adoyo, Peter O.
Year:	2002
Periodical:	Stichproben - Vienna Journal of African Studies
Volume:	2
Issue:	3
Pages:	83-96
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Kenya
Subjects:	physically disabled special education sign languages Education and Oral Traditions
External link:	https://stichproben.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/p_stichproben/Artikel/Nummer03/Nr3_OrachaAdoyo.pdf
Abstract:	Deaf education in Kenya has faced a downward trend in recent decades. Findings over the years show that the deaf have consistently trailed behind their hearing counterparts in academic performances. All inquiries have pointed to teachers' lack of competence in the language of instruction as the major obstacle to their academic development. This paper discusses language accessibility for deaf children to enhance sign bilingualism and curriculum content understanding in the Kenyan deaf classroom. It highlights the changes in the teaching methodologies that have taken place without much success. The paper then argues in favour of the changes that recognize deaf children's use of natural language - Kenyan Sign language (KSL) within the sign bilingualism framework as the language of instruction. And lastly, the paper proposes high KSL competence for the deaf educator and suggests some steps toward sign bilingualism implementation in the way forward. Bibliogr., notes, sum. in English and German. [Journal abstract]