Hearing impairment has been linked to low self-esteem in children. Many teachers have noted that a growing number of students are unwilling to wear hearing aids, even though non-governmental groups such as the Starkey Ear Foundation provide them free of charge. The study aimed to discover how learners with hearing impairment in integrated units in Nairobi City County, Kenya, felt about hearing aid use and how it affected their self-esteem. Peter Burke's Identity Control Theory directed the research. The study was conducted using a descriptive survey design. Headteachers, teachers in charge of learners with hearing impairment, parents, and learners with and without hearing impairment were the target population. A total of 90 participants were surveyed, including 8 headteachers, 15 parents, 8 teachers, 51 learners with hearing impairment who used hearing aids, and 8 learners who did not have hearing problems. Data was gathered by the distribution of questionnaires to learners, parents, and instructors, as well as a complementing interview with the headteachers. Pilot research was undertaken in a Nairobi primary school. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The computer programme SPSS version 22.0 was used to do inferential statistics. Thematic analysis was done on qualitative data. The study discovered that learners with hearing loss had generally positive attitudes concerning hearing aid use. Hearing aid use had a weak positive influence on the self-esteem of learners with hearing impairment as per the study's overall findings. The study recommends that the government provide schools with speech therapists/audiologists to follow up on language intervention of learners with hearing impairment who are wearing hearing aids, as well as encourage collaboration of a multi-disciplinary team that includes teachers, parents, headteachers, audiologists/speech therapists to ensure that they benefit from hearing aid use and improve their self-esteem.

This study sought to examine the explanatory variables on self-esteem and academic achievement of girls with hearing impairments (HI) in selected Secondary Schools for the Deaf in Kenya. The study was guided by Carl Roger's personcentred or client-centred theory. The study used an ex-post facto research design. Participants for the study were drawn from schools for girls with hearing impairment in Central and Western provinces of Kenya constituting a sample of fifty-three girls. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences programme. Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used to measure self-esteem dimensions whereas school academic scores were used to measure mean academic achievement. The study revealed that there was a moderate and positive correlation between self-esteem and academic achievement of girls with hearing impairments. The in-depth interviews indicated that the low achievement of girls with hearing impairments could be attributed to current curriculum which was not only less diverse but also that the mode of examination was too conventional and did not take into account the peculiar problems of learners with various disabilities The situation could be improved through concerted efforts among various education stakeholders. Thus, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development should devise a more diverse curriculum that could be examined through various strategies such as observation and use of sign language. It was further recommended that teachers should make deliberate use of positive reinforcement techniques geared towards the promotion of the self-esteem of girls with Hearing Impairment and encourage them to accelerate their quest to academic performance

Purpose: This research aimed at determining the influence of socialization on performance of learners with hearing impairment at Thawabu Inclusive Public Primary School in Nairobi, Kenya. The objectives were to; establish modes of communication that promote socialization in an inclusive environment; establish strategies for boosting socialization to enhance academic performance; and establish challenges facing teachers in enhancing socialization to improve academic performance of learners with hearing impairment. Methodology: The research design was a case study design. Structured questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Purposive sampling was employed to select the school and learners with hearing impairment while hearing learners were randomly selected. Findings: The study found that: modes of communication among learners with hearing impairment, hearing learners and teachers create social and educational change for improvement of academic standards in the school and narrows the gap between those with hearing impairment and their hearing counterparts. Strategies like family support program (assisting children and families in language learning), family-infant-toddler program, and competent and consistent administration system promote learning. Socialization influences incidental learning of learners with hearing impairment to put them at par with their hearing peers on matters related to both academic performance and social advancement. Socialization makes learners with hearing impairment comfortable, self-esteemed, and self-actualized, hence improving educational performance. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study may help to promote attitudinal, psychological and educational change in all stakeholders for inclusive education to be a success and meaningful to learners with hearing impairment. The study recommends that the government should add specially qualified teachers of learners with hearing impairment in Thawabu among other inclusive public schools in Kenya to help promote socialization and to increase inclusivity of leaners with hearing impairment.

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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ perception on the effectiveness of head teachers’ supervisory role on teaching and learning of adaptive skills by learners with Intellectual Disabilities (ID), Kenya. The study used Effective School Theory advanced by Lezotte. A descriptive survey design involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches was used. The target population was 227 respondents (207 learners, 5 head teachers and 15 teachers). The sample size was 124 respondents (104 learners, 15 teachers and 5 Head teachers). Purposive sampling was used to select special schools and units. Stratified sampling technique was used to divide population into strata and then through simple random sampling, the exact respondents were identified, i.e., head teachers, teachers and learners in special programmes. Data was collected by use of interview guide for head teachers, observational check list for learners and questionnaire for teachers. Piloting was conducted in Kathelwa Special Unit in Igembe Central Sub-county. Test-retest method was done and a coefficient level of 0.7 was obtained. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS Version 23.0 while qualitative data was analysed thematically. Data was presented using tables and figures for quantitative data while qualitative data was presented using reported verbatims and narratives. The key finding of this study was that majority of head teachers did not use appropriate instructional supervision skills due to lack of essential professional qualifications and knowledge of adaptive skills for learners with intellectual disabilities. The finding also established that teachers perceived majority of head teachers as ineffective in instructional supervision as they did not orientate or guide them in teaching strategies or even skills to teach their learners. The study also found that lack of adequate training and knowledge in adaptive skills, limited provision of teaching and learning resources hindered effective instructional supervision. The study recommended that there should be a policy that head teachers for special institutions be trained in the area of that disability so as to benefit both teachers and learners. The study also recommended that the government, through the ministry of education to provide and allocate adequate funds for both refresher courses and seminars for teachers and also for acquiring teaching and learning resources. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0876/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>