Exploring Alternative Strategies For Teaching Music Theory And Aurals To The Hearing Impaired Learners In Kakamega County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Education for all (EFA) is a global commitment established in the year 2000.Vision 2030 also advocates for Education as an important pillar in development. The Government of Kenya has introduced free and compulsory Education. Learners with hearing impairment (HI) however do not learn music as a subject. This study aimed at filling this gap by exploring strategies to be used to teach music to learners with HI. The objectives of the study were to: establish the challenges likely to be experienced by learners with HI while learning Music theory and aurals; analyze pedagogical challenges likely to be faced by music teachers of learners with HI in teaching music theory and aurals; and to explore strategies to be used in teaching music theory and aurals. Purposive, stratified and random sampling methods were used to select target respondents. 2 primary schools and 2 secondary schools all from Kakamega County were sampled for the study. In addition, Mumias Education Assessment Resource Centre (MEARC) was used to provide information on the selection and placement procedure of learners with HI. 80 students from each targeted institution were sampled for the study. In addition, 5 administrators from institutions of learners with HI were interviewed. The study employed descriptive and experimental research designs. Data was collected using questionnaires, observation schedules, and interview schedules and then presented using charts and tables. The questionnaires, observation and, interview schedules were administered to learners with HI, their teachers, and MEARC officers. Some learners were subjected to selected teaching strategies (experimental group) and other learners not subjected to those teaching strategies (control group). Validity was ensured by using respondents versed with special needs education. Instruments for study were tested through piloting with few respondents. The experimental design targeted relevant respondents (HI).Music equipment used was tuned well to give correct pitch. Data was coded and presented using tables, figures and graphs. Collected data was subjected to content analysis in which triangulation was employed to get views from different sources. The major findings of the study are: learners with HI have a lot of potential in music and therefore can do music as a subject; assessment of learners with HI plays a big role in their learning ability; the learners with HI can substitute their sense of hearing with their sense of sight, feel and touch to learn music theory and aurals; and, teachers of learners with HI are not trained in the subject of music. The study recommends that: The learners with HI should be provided with adequate teaching and learning materials in Music; they should be given an opportunity to study music as a subject; KISE should introduce Music as a subject; and, KICD and KNEC should incorporate concerns of the HI in their syllabi. It is hoped that findings of this study will be beneficial to Curriculum developers (KICD), teachers, EARC officers, and learners with HI in regard to teaching Strategies for learners with HI. The study concluded that the hard of hearing (HOH) and the partial hearing impaired (PHI) learners are capable of studying music as a subject.