Types of Non-Verbal Cues Used by Tambach Kiswahili Teacher-Trainees During Teaching Practice

The main objective of this study was to be establish the types of non-verbal cues frequently used by Tambach student teachers in teaching Kiswahili language. The study was guided by the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) theory. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design. The target population included teachers of Kiswahili, student teachers of Kiswahili language and pupils of selected primary schools in Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties in Kenya. Purposive sampling technique was used to single out Kiswahili teachers for Focus Group Discussions. Stratified random sampling method was then used to select 234 student teachers and 210 learners. Methods of data collection included: Questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions and Direct Observations. The questionnaires provided quantitative data, which were fed in SPSS version 23.0. Qualitative data obtained from the focus group discussions and observation was fed in NVivo 11. Lastly, the data was presented descriptively and graphically as tables, graphs and charts. The findings uncovered that silence, tone of voice and pitch, eye contact and physical appearance were among the most common non-verbal cues employed in Kiswahili language lessons. This study anticipated to improve the teaching and performance of Kiswahili language, build a suitable teacher-student bond in the language classroom, further develop the cognitive abilities and heighten the learning capabilities of pupils by using non-verbal communication.