GRAFFITI WRITING AND ITS LIKELY INFLUENCE ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE LARGER LAIKIPIA EAST DISTRICT, LAIKIPIA COUNTY BY FRANCIS G. MWANGI E55/CE/15106/08 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF EDUCATION DEGREE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, KENYATTA UNIVERSITY KENYATTA UNIVERSITY AUGUST, 2012 - 1 - DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for the award of a degree in any other university. Name: FRANCIS G. MWANGI Registration Number: E55/CE/15106/08 Sign:……………………… Date:………………… RECOMMENDATION This thesis has been submitted for the examination with our approval as the appointment University supervisors. Name: PROF. AGNES W. GATHUMBI Department: EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY. Sign: ……………………… Date:…………………… Name: DR. JOHN N. KIMEMIA Department: EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY. Sign: ……………………… Date:……………………… - 2 - DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my parents, my wife Naomi, daughter Sasha and my sons Lee and Collins. - 3 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to first thank the Almighty God for His immeasurable love and support throughout the course of my study. I thank the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST) for granting me the permission to carry out this study. I also wish to exceptionally thank my two supervisors, Prof. Agnes W. Gathumbi and Dr. John N. Kimemia, both from the Department of Educational Communication and Technology and the management of Kenyatta University. They tirelessly assisted, guided, encouraged and supported me from the initial stages of my work. I wish to also thank the staff members of the Faculty of Education and the Graduate school, Kenyatta University, who assisted me in many ways during the research process. I acknowledge the Principal, John K. Mwenja, the staff and students of Ngobit secondary school for their understanding, support and cooperation during my study. I also thank the staff and students of all the schools that I visited in the course of my study who assisted, cooperated and indeed made enthusiastic effort to facilitate this study. May God bless them all in a special way. Finally, I thank my dear family for their encouragement, patience and understanding during this study. - 4 - TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………….…………….………………....i DECLARATION ...... ………………………………………………..…………….............................ii DEDICATION………………………………………………………………………… …………iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………………………… …….…iv TABLE OF CONTENTS..………………………………………………………….……..….….v LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………….…………..….x LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………….……………..x i ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................……………………………………..………..…….....xii ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………………………….....xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………………….…..…..….…..…….1 1.0 Introduction …………………………….……………………………….…..…...….…………1 - 5 - 1.1 Background to the Study ...................... ……………………………………………………....…….………...1 1.2 Statement of the problem ................. …………………………………….………….….……….………...6 1.3 Purpose of the Study .......... ……………………………………….…………………….….………...6 1.4 Objectives of the Study .............. ………………………………………….………………….…………6 1.5 Research questions of the Study ............................ …………………………….………………………….…......7 1.6 Significance of the Study ................. …………………………………….…….…………………….……7 1.7 Scope of the Study…………………………………….………………………………………8 1.8 Limitations of the Study ............... ………………………………………….……………………………8 1.9 Assumptions of the Study .................. …………………………………………………..…………………8 1.10 Theoretical Framework…………………..…………………………………………………..8 1.10.1 Systems Approach…………………….……….…………………………….………....9 1.11 Conceptual Framework…………………………………………………….…………….....11 1.12 Summary………………………………………………..……………………………… …..12 1.13 Operational Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………...13 - 6 - CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE…..……...……….…………14 2.0 Introduction ...... …………………………………………………………..…….…………......14 2.1 Graffiti as a mode of communication ............................................ ……………………………………...……………..…14 2.2 Types of graffiti writing……………………………………………………………………..19 2.2.1 Political graffiti ..............……………………………………….………………………………….20 2.2.2 Gang graffiti……………………………… ........................................................... ……………………………………………..22 2.2.3 Existential graffiti………………………………………………….…………………….23 2.2.4 Summary of types of graffiti………………….……………...…………………………24 2.3 General studies on graffiti………………………………………………..……………….....24 2.3.1 The cultural approach ........................ ………………..……………………………...…….……….…….25 2.3.2 The quantitative approach…………………………………..……………..………..…..25 2.3.3 Linguistic approach ...................... ………………………………………….……………….………....26 2.3.4 The folkloric approach ........................... ………………………………………………………….…….,..26 2.3.5 The aesthetic approach ......................... ……………………………………...…………………….……...27 2.3.6 The motivational approach ................................ …………………………………...………………………….28 2.3.7 The preventive approach ............................ …………………………..…….……………………………….28 - 7 - 2.3.8 The popularization approach ....................................……………………….……..……………………….….....29 2.4 Graffiti and English language learning……………….……………………………….…..30 2.5 Graffiti and learning environment……………………...…………………………………33 2.6 Summary……………………………………….……………………………………… ….36 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY……………….……………………………..….....37 3.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………..37 3.1 Research design ... ………………………………………………………………………….37 3.2 Location of study ………………………………………………………………………..38 3.3 Target population ..... ………………………………………………………………………...38 3.4 Sampling techniques and sample size……………………………………………… ................................ …..38 3.4.1 Sample of respondents………………………………………………………………...39 3.4.2 Sample graffiti text…………………………………………………………………….40 3.5 Instrumentation…………………………………………………..…………… ….........41 3.5.1 Questionnaires for students……………………………………………………….…....41 - 8 - 3.5.2 School Administrators Interview Guides………………………………..…………....42 3.5.3 Interview schedule for teachers……………………………………………………….43 3.5.4 Respondents for focus group discussion……………………………..……………….43 3.6 Piloting of study instrument……………………………………….…………………...44 3.7 Validity of study instrument ……………………………………..….…………………44 3.8 Reliability of study instrument………………………………….………………………45 3.9 Data collection procedures……………………………………………..……..………...46 3.10 Data Analysis and Presentation…………………………………………………………46 3.11 Ethical and logistical consideration……………………………..………………………47 3.12 Summary………………………………………………………...…………………… …48 CHAPTER FOUR : DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION 4.0 Introduction ……………………………..…………………………………………………...49 4.1 Types graffiti writings found in schools …………………………………………………….49 - 9 - 4.2 Graffiti Texts in schools …………………………………………………………………….50 4.3 Types of graffiti in schools……………………………….………………………………….50 4.3.1 Single word graffiti………………………………...……………………………………51 4.3.2 Phrases in graffiti writing…………………………….…………………………………53 4.3.3 Sentences in graffiti writing ………………………………..……………………….….54 4.3.4 Graffiti in form of words and drawings ………….………..….……………………….56 4.4 Graffiti communicative strategies used by students ……………..………………………..65 4.4.1 Humour …………………………………………………………..……………………..65 4.4.2 Symbolism …………………………………………………………...…………………66 4.4.3 Irony……………………………………………...……………………………...…… …67 4.4.4 Imagery ………………………….………………………………………………………..67 - 10 - 4.4.5 Taboo words …………………… ………………………………………………………...68 4.4.6 Short forms, acronyms and abbreviations ………………..………………………………69 4.5 Messages recurring in graffiti in schools ………………….……………………………….77 4.5.1 Graffiti with messages on sex, love. Relationships admiration………………………..72 4.5.2 Graffiti with spiritual messages……………………………………………….…………74 4.5.3 Graffiti with messages on role models and celebrities………………..……..…….…..75 4.5.4 Graffiti with messages on Food …………………….…………………...……………...76 4.5.5 Graffiti on messages on drugs ………………………………………..………...……...77 4.5.6 Graffiti with messages on music and television programmes ……………….……..….78 4.5.7 Graffiti with message on emerging issues ………………………….………...………...79 4.5.8 Graffiti with messages on political issues ………..…………………………..………...79 4.5.9 Graffiti with messages relating to students‟ dissatisfaction with the authority ……...80 - 11 - 4.5.10 Graffiti with messages on remembrance of persons …………………….…………..82 4.5.11 Graffiti with messages that suggest occurrence of bullying in schools……….……...83 4.5.12 Graffiti with messages on territorial markings………………….…………...……..….84 4.5.13 Graffiti with messages on slogans and general comments…….………..……………85 4.6 How the administration viewed graffiti writing in schools …………….....………………..87 4.7 Gender difference in graffiti writing in schools……………………………...……………..89 4.8 Influence of graffiti on the learning of English language in schools ……………………...93 4.9 Effects of graffiti writing on classroom learning environment…………………….………97 4.10 Discussion………………………………………………………………….………… …..101 4.10.1 Types of graffiti writing in secondary schools………………………………..…..102 4.10.2 Communicative strategies used by students in graffiti writing ……….…………103 - 12 - 4.10.3 How the school administration responds to graffiti writing………..……..…….103 4.10.4 Gender difference in graffiti writing…………………………………….…….…..104 4.10.5 Speculation on how graffiti is expected to Influence learning of English language in