ECTESOL Review
Abstract
English is an international language, used in many countries for business, tourism, and education (Roy-Campbell, 2014; Crystal, 2003). In Kenya, it is the official language and language of instruction. The country boasts high youth literacy rates 93% (UNESCO, 2012). As university instructors, we have observed that although students have been in the formal educational system for a minimum of 9 years, their output does not match university expectations (KICD, 2016, p. 44; Jayasundara & Premarathna, 2011; Njoroge, 2008). This study assesses English language use in a Kenyan institution of higher education, identifies emergent linguistic patterns, and suggests some solutions to observed gaps between emergent patterns of English use vis-à-vis Standard British English (SBE).
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Bitrus-Ojiambo, Ukaiko A.; Mwaura, Iddah Wayumba; and Majanja, Annette Lutivini
(2017)
"English Language Competence: Why English Matters in Higher Education in Kenya,"
ECTESOL Review: Vol. 1:
No.
1, Article 3.
Available at:
https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/ectesol_review/vol1/iss1/3
Included in
Adult and Continuing Education Commons, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Technology Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Indigenous Education Commons, Instructional Media Design Commons, International and Comparative Education Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons, Other Education Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Secondary Education Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, University Extension Commons