Relationship between Teachers' Competencies and Learners' Achievement of Linguistic Skills: A case of Public Secondary schools in Bungoma County, Kenya

In spite of the efforts to enhance the performance of English in Kenyan secondary schools, there have been persistent challenges in using the integrated English approach on learning achievement of linguistic skills. The aim of this paper was to determine the relationship between teachers’ competencies and learners’ achievement of linguistic skills in secondary schools in Bungoma County, Kenya. The study utilized descriptive research design using mixed methods approach. A sample size of 251 teachers, 371 students and 134 heads of the languages department was used. Purposive, proportionate and simple random sampling techniques were used to obtain the respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. The validity of the instrument was tested through expert judgment while reliability was achieved using Cronbach Alpha. Quantitative data was analyzed by use of frequencies and percentages. Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in narrations and quotations. The study found out that there was a positive correlation between teachers’ competencies and learners’ acquisition of linguistic skills (r=.363; p=.000). The study concluded that enhanced teacher competencies lead to learners’ achievement of linguistic skills; writing, reading, speaking and listening. The study recommended that teachers of English at all levels need to enhance their competencies. The findings of this study will be significant to teachers of English to re-evaluate their teaching competencies and improve on them. It may also assist curriculum planners and developers at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) on the need to organize in-service courses for teachers of English in line with the revised curriculum. Besides, it may assist the educators in the university and teachers training colleges in preparing the teachers of integrated English curriculum and harmonize their programme with the changing trends in teaching of English.