| With the increasing challenge of cultural and linguistic diversity, deliberate steps must be taken to ensure that all children are given the necessary language experiences that enable them to succeed in school. The current study examined the effects of two different language policies in the Kenyan system, one policy for the urban students and another policy for the rural students.; Archival data was used to compare Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) scores for urban and rural students in all the subject areas. A two-way ANOVA and a Pearson Product-Moment correlation were utilized for the comparison.; Results of the study indicate that there is a positive correlation between high scores in the KCPE English test and high scores in the content areas (Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Creative Arts, Home Science, and Business Education). Secondly, the students in urban schools in Kenya significantly outperform students from rural schools in the English Language Test of the KCPE. Lastly, the students from urban schools of Kenya scored significantly better than students from rural schools in all content areas of the KCPE.; In conclusion, the findings of this study have implications for current early language policies in Kenyan rural and urban preschools and primary schools. First, language arts teachers must be given special preparation. Second, reading specialists need to be introduced in the early grades. Lastly, other forms of assessment need to be used in conjunction with KCPE for Comprehensive and valid appraisals of children's language abilities. |
