OUPEA: Word Gap Could Affect Your Child’s Future Success
According to a research conducted by OUPEA, students, especially in the counties have difficulty in spelling.
Speaking during the regional Book Fair held in Kericho County, OUPEA General Manager, Mr. John Mwazemba called for key players in the industry to develop strategies to aid with transition of students by improving their vocabulary. He noted that there is a massive word gap with research showing that kids today spell 5,000 words less than their counterparts.
In May 2016, OUPEA conducted a research to determine whether there is a linkage between the use of dictionaries, smart phones and computers on spelling performance among secondary students in Kenya. It was noted that those who had dictionaries in school had an average score of 79 per cent in the spelling test compared to those who did not have dictionaries.
“As a leader in the field of education, OUPEA has made efforts to meet the growing demand and new thinking to help the learner develop 21st century skills, our intention is to promote a reading culture and help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabulary and develop English usage to help them in their studies and beyond” said Oxford University Press East Africa, General Manager, John Mwazemba.
According to OUPEA, language underpins progress, impacts on a student’s achievement throughout primary and secondary years, affects self-esteem and behavior and plays a huge role in a child’s future life chances. Without enough language – a word gap – a child is seriously limited in their enjoyment of school and success beyond.
“We believe that promoting a reading culture will play a major role in narrowing the word gap, this can only succeed if we encourage pupils, parents and teachers and the community as a whole to participate more in the process,” added Mr Mwazemba.