Establishing the English Language Competencies of Refugee Teachers
Evidence from Kakuma, Kaloboyei and Daadab Camps in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57947/qrp.v65i1-3.233Keywords:
communication, English competencies, Langauge enhancement, refugeee teachers, KenyaAbstract
Concerns have been raised about teacher quality issues in refugee camps in the wake of extremely low learning outcomes in these contexts. In this regard, this paper reports the findings of a project that sought to establish the English language competencies of refugee teachers in Kenya, focusing on the following core skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The aim was to identify relevant interventions that can support these teachers’ instructional communication competencies across curriculum content delivery. Using questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs) and the English Language Diagnostic Tool (ELDT), data was collected from 343 teachers in Kakuma, Kalobeyei and Dadaab refugee camps from April to June 2024. A participatory mixed-methods research design was applied, combining quantitative English language proficiency assessments with qualitative inferences from key education stakeholders to generate insights. Findings revealed significant gaps in English language competencies across all four language skills, with particularly low performance in writing and speaking competencies. Qualitative results also highlighted contributing factors including limited prior training, inadequate institutional support, and sporadic in-service professional development opportunities. There is an urgent need for context-responsive English language enhancement programmes to strengthen instructional quality and improve learner outcomes in fragile education settings. The findings support the need for providing English language enhancement Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programmes to support refugee teachers whose proficiency in the language is very low.
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