Academic Performance of the Emotionally and Behaviourally Disordered Girls in Mathematics, Kalawa Division, Mbooni District, Eastern Province, Kenya

ABSTRACT 

The study was carried out to establish academic performance of the emotionally and behaviourally disordered girls in mathematics. The population in this study involved teachers and girls of the ten sampled schools in the division. The main instruments employed in this study were open and closed ended questionnaires and structured interview guides. After analysis of the data, the following findings were noted; Girls with emotional and behaviour problems have a special need in education and those needs ought to be addressed, to enable them remain in school and perform almost the same with others in academic work. If their needs are not met, they end up performing poorly especially in mathematics which needs more concentration. They become aggressive, have negative relationship with peers, school authority and teachers. These affect their social life and also their performance in mathematics. The causes of the emotional and behaviour disorders although not very well known stretched from malnutrition of the mother during pregnancy up to the adolescent stage, cultural and traditional beliefs of the respective community, violent community into which the child is growing in, extreme poverty and feelings of hopelessness. Child's upbringing in the family sector, lack of co-operation with other learners in the class, lack of participation in the activities around, lack of early identification and management and absenteeism from school just to mention a few. The challenges faced by the learners with emotional and behavioural disorders vary from mild to severe. It is therefore difficult to specify the effects or challenges of emotional and behaviour problems. Although some of the characteristics are portrayed. Low academic performance for their age, deficits in social skills which IX affect ability to co-operate with teachers and learners, resulting into removal from the academic mainstream. Hyperactivity in which high level of activity is exhibited at in appropriate times and cannot be inhibited upon command. Aggression acts that are turned towards objects, towards the self, or towards others. Components of depression are displayed such as guilt, self blame, feelings of rejection, low self esteem and negative self image. Early identification and management of the learners with emotional and behaviour disorders will spare the gears of pain that accompany serious problems of such children when are not served early. It is true that the children with emotional and behaviour disorders medial work after return from hospital, residential facility, or correctional setting, the teacher and other school personnel will need to be especially sensitive to these students and their family's attempts to reintegrate into the school setting. By coordinating with the teachers and therapists at the facility from which the student is returning school teachers and administrators can ensure a smooth transition. In view of the above findings, the researcher recommends that the government to train more teachers in Special Needs Education at certificate up to degree level. Another recommendation was that it is important that seminars and work shops be conducted in order to create awareness to teachers in the area of emotional and behavioural disorders. The government should also provide adequate learning materials in schools special techniques should be addressed to so that the teachers and other associates could handle the learners properly.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration .................................................................................................. .

Approval . . . . . . .. . . ... . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . ... .. ....... .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . ........ ..... ... . . . .. . ii

Dedication ............ ........................... ..................... ...... ......... ...... ...... ...... ........ iii

Acknowledgement . . . ... . . . .. . ...... ...... ... . . . ............. .. . . . . .. . . . . ........ .. . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . iv

Table of contents ... ................................. ........... ................... ........ .............. v

List of tables ............................................................ ....................................... vi

Definition of terms........................................................................................... vii

Abstract . . . .. . .. . .. .. . . . .. . . . . ........ ......... ... . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. .. . . . ... . . . .. . . . ... . . . . . ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................. 1

1.1 Background of the study......................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the problem .......................... .... .............................. ...... .... 2

1.3 Objectives of the study . . . ... ... . .. .. . . . ... ....... .. .. . . ... . . ....... ... . . . ... . . . ...... .. . . ... . 3

1.3.1 General objective ................................................................................ 3

1.3.2 Specific objectives ............................................................................... 3

1.4 Scope of the study ...... ......... ..................... .... ..... ............ ...... .................. 3

1.5 Significance of the study ...................................................................... 4

1.6 Research questions .......................................... ........................ ......... .. 5

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................. ................... 6

2.0 Introduction ............................................................................................. 6

2.1 Types of behavioural disorders - internalizing and externalizing .......... 6

2.2 Causes of emotional behaviour disorders .............................................. . 7

2.3 Challenges faced by learners with emotional and behaviour disorder .... 9

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ............................................... 13

3.0 Introduction ............................................................................................. 13

3.1 Research approach ................................................................................. 13

3.2 Research design ..................................................................................... 13

3.3 Target population.................................................................................... 13

3.4 Sampling procedure .............................................................................. 14

3.4.1 Sample ................................................................................................. 14

3.5 Instruments ................................................ ............... ...... ....................... 14

3.6 Procedure ................................................................................................. 14

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

4.0 Introduction ............................................................................................ 15

4.1.0 Way how questionnaire were distributed ........................................... 15

4.2 Questionnaire .......................................................................................... 16

4.2.1 Teachers personal information ............................................................ 16

4.2.2 Frequency distribution for age ........................ ......... .......... ................. 16

4.2.3 Frequency distribution for present level qualification ........................ 16

4.2.4 Frequency distribution for teaching experience ................................. 17

4.2.5 Frequency for class teaching ................................................................ 17

2.4.6 Frequency for type of school ................................................................ 17

4.3 Interview guide for girls ............ ........................... .................................... 23

4.3.1 Liking of mathematics as a subject..................................................... 23

4.3.2 Teachers who teach mathematics ........................................................ 24

4.3.3 Absenteeism ........................................................................................... 24

4.3.4 Lack of competent teachers .................................................................. 24

4.3.5 Beliefs that mathematics is a boy's subject ........................... .............. 24

4.2.6 What makes most girls not like mathematics ...................................... 25

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 26

5.0 Introduction .............................................................................................. 26

5.1 Summary/ conclusion............................................................................. 27

5.2 Recommendation.................................................................................... 27

References . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . 29

Questionnaire ... . . . ... . . . . .. . . . .. . ... . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . .. . 30

Interview guide ........................... ............... ............ ... ............ ...... ............... ... 34