DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2018.v06i03.005

Pages: 517-521

This paper is based on a study of the competence of language skills and its impact on the performance of Kiswahili literature among form two and form four secondary school students in Wareng’ Sub county of Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The author argues that for the students to perform well in Kiswahili literature, then they must have a high competence in language skills. This includes competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Once this is acquired or not, students will tend to have either a positive or a negative attitude which further would impact on the performance of literature in Kiswahili and the general performance of the Kiswahili subject. This paper uses the Pragmatic theory an approach whose main tenets states that practical approach to language skills is core in the foundation of competence in literature and language as a whole. The theory also postulates that students should be exposed to the language skills early in their education, so that as they progress from one level to the next, they will be able to build the necessary competence for good performance in their exams. The students were exposed to the practical literature excerpts where their interaction in usage of literature materials enabled the researcher to assess measure and record their competence in the language skills. The findings showed that the students had challenges in the language skills and that affected their performance in Kiswahili literature. This finding of this study makes recommendation that would mitigate the situation. First being the core importance of language in any society is communication. Secondly, knowledge generated will benefit students, teachers, scholars and the society in general, on the importance of competence in language skills, for communication and good performance among students.