THE EFFECT OF CONTENT OF GUIDED CLASSROOM TALK ON IMAGINATIVE WRITING SKILLS IN ENGLISH OF PUBLIC BOYS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KIMILILI/BUNGOMA SUB COUNTY, KENYA

Writing is a process that must follow an established structured approach that is used for every assigned paper in one way to create independent writers and ensure generalization of writing skills. A typical writing process consists of steps. These steps form a method used by teachers to lead students from random thoughts to a cohesive, written paper. In a classroom, teachers meet learners who are diverse hence differentiating writing instruction for a population of diverse learners may sound difficult; but, it does not have to be. Scaffolding or guided classroom talk is one process that allows teachers to organize a writing activity systematically to meet the needs of all students. This study therefore focused on the effect of guided classroom talk on imaginative writing skills of public boys’ secondary school students. The study was anchored on Output hypothesis. The study was guided by the research objective: determine the effect of content of guided classroom talk on imaginative writing skills of public boys’ secondary school students. The study used prospective self-control cohort research design. The study was carried out in Kimilili-Bungoma Sub-County. The target population of the study comprised Form Three students of public boys’ secondary schools and their English language teachers. The study randomly selected one public boys’ secondary school and used purposive sampling to select 400 Form Three students in that school together with 10 English language teachers. Data were collected using teacher questionnaires and individual interviews, classroom observation and documentary analysis checklists and preand post-tests. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with aid of SPSS. The findings of the study indicated that content has an effect on students’ imaginative writing skills. Findings also showed that familiar content is the greatest motivation for discussions in class. This meant that guided classroom talk has an effect on students’ imaginative writing skills. It is recommended that topics for writing should be chosen according to learners’ age, and teaching writing should be done in a free and friendly environment. Findings of the study should form the International Journal of Arts and Entrepreneurship Vol. 6 Issue 9 (2017) http://www.ijsse. org ISSN 2307-6305 Page | 33 basis for policy reviews by the Ministry of Education on teaching imaginative writing in secondary schools in Kenya. Scholars can use these findings to establish effect of guided reading on imaginative writing skills. 1 Background to the Study English Language classrooms are characterized by academic discourse (Bakhtin, 1981) between teachers and learners and among learners themselves. Academic discourse is often referred to simply as classroom talk, scaffolded dialogue or dialogic teaching (Mohr & Mohr, 2007). Scaffolding is the process of supporting learning by a teacher, coach or more experienced peer (Vygotsky, 1978). The teacher or coach builds a framework to guide the student’s own construction of ideas, skills, concepts and/or processes being learnt (Mercer & Littleton, 2007). Dialogue allows participants to have thoughts they could not have had on their own, yet to recognize these thoughts as developments of their own thinking (Game & Metcalfe, 2009). Classroom talk uses carefully-structured extended exchanges or dialogue to build understanding through accumulation; and throughout children’s own words, ideas, speculations and arguments feature much more prominently (Alexander, 2005). That also means that classroom talk is collective, supportive and genuinely reciprocal and the quality and quantity of talk is important. Classroom talk differs from traditional approaches evident in many classrooms where teachers use question-and-answer technique to invite learner participation (Durkheim, 1978/1979; Cazden, 1988). The procedure begins with the teacher posing the question and students competitively bidding for the opportunity to answer the question. In contrast, classroom talk is characterized by International Journal of Arts and Entrepreneurship Vol. 6 Issue 9 (2017) http://www.ijsse. org ISSN 2307-6305 Page | 34 comparatively lengthy interactions between a teacher and a student or group of students in a context of collaboration and mutual support. These interactions can occur in the context of whole class, small group or one-on-one learning activities and are designed to help the child to build understanding, explore ideas and practice thinking through and expressing concepts. During these interactions teachers deliberately model and explicitly teach strategies for reasoning, enquiry and negotiation, among others (Mohr & Mohr, 2007). Language is not merely seen as a tool for describing what one already knows. It is a pervasive process through which students learn about their world and develop creative and problem solving skills (Smith, 2001). A similar observation (Fisher, 2007) also draws attention to the role of talking in developing relational and emotional skills, as well as those necessary for creativity and problem-solving. Human intelligence is primarily developed through speaking and listening. The quality of our lives depends on the quality of our thinking and on our ability to communicate and discuss what we think with others. Talk is intrinsic to literacy and to our ability to form relationships with others. It is the foundation of both verbal and emotional intelligence. Vygotsky (1962) argued that language is the medium by which children acquire more than information. By participating in guided interactions (or scaffolded dialogues) with more experienced members children also acquire the ‘mental tools’ of their culture. Vygotsky (1962) observed that tools begin as social products but become the property of individuals by the process of internalization. In the most conspicuous and significant example, language becomes thought. Interaction in the classroom is crucial because it is the necessity for child learning and growth. Interactions with more experienced others are vital for children’s acquisition of the key mental tools of their culture. Language is an aspect of such culture. Aspects like etiquette in conversation are taught through classroom talk. Working with an adult or more accomplished peer allows the International Journal of Arts and Entrepreneurship Vol. 6 Issue 9 (2017) http://www.ijsse. org ISSN 2307-6305 Page | 35 child to internalize knowledge, ways of thinking and ways of doing. Guided participation in both learning activities and conversation about these activities help the child not just to acquire information but to learn how to use this information, to transform it and make it a part of his or her own mental toolkit. Classroom talk is a key part of this process of ‘handing over’ knowledge and skills. It shapes the learner’s brain and expands its power, develops their capacity for learning, memory and language itself (Alexander, 2006). It also helps the learner to form their world-view that is often manifested in imaginative writing. Teachers get a glimpse into the learner’s world view through their essays. Writing is a technical skill that cannot be acquired by chance or innate ability (Sure, 1982). It takes techniques, tasks and materials for the learner to acquire the skill (Byrne, 1988). The language teacher has the arduous task of looking for the best instructional approaches to teach writing skills effectively. Based on the power and promise of guided classroom talk as a successful instructional approach to bolster student learning, would it help improve student’s imaginative writing skills? Would learners benefit from carefully-structured extended exchanges, dialogues and scaffolded interactions to build their understanding to explore ideas concepts, skills, processes, speculations and arguments and practice thinking through and expressing themselves in imaginative writing? Would content of discussion, length and frequency of interactions between a teacher and a student or group of students in a context of collaboration and mutual support augment imaginative writing? Cormack, Wignell, Nichols, Bills and Lucas (1998) argue that by setting the topic for classroom talk and keeping the talk going in the intended direction, key literacy outcomes can be achieved. According to Cormack et al. (1998), control by the teacher of classroom talk, topic and direction had a positive effect on student’s learning. Cormack et al. (1998) assert that effective classroom talk for learning did not just happen. For such talk to be effective there had to be clarity of task International Journal of Arts and Entrepreneurship Vol. 6 Issue 9 (2017) http://www.ijsse. org ISSN 2307-6305 Page | 36 setting (e.g. that the students knew what kinds of talk were required) and appropriate selection of topic (e.g. so that it had relevance to students and they had knowledge to bring to the task). Findings of Cormack et al., (1998) study concurred with those of a research study conducted in primary classrooms in five countries (the ‘Five Nations Study’) that demonstrated the powerful learning effects of skillfully used classroom talk (Alexander (2000). According to Cormack et al. (1998), both teachers and children made substantial and significant contributions through which children’s thinking on particular ideas and/or themes was moved forward (Mercer & Littleton, 2007). Godhino and Shrimpton study concluded that for students to engage in classroom talk they need to be familiar with the discussion process, and teachers must enact enabling strategies that support the talk. Godhino and Shrimpton identified three factors upon which exploratory talk is dependent: teacher and student knowledge of what constitutes a discussion, teacher enactment of strategies that support dialogic talk, and classroom pedagogy that embraces collaborative inquiry. Nuthall (2005) has argued that the amount of time given to classroom t