Effect of Learners' Accountability in Cooperative Learning on Preschoolers' English Language Achievement in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya

Abstract

The study assessed the impact of learner accountability within cooperative learning on preschoolers’ achievement in English language activities in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Despite the emphasis of early childhood education frameworks and the Constitution of Kenya (2010) on foundational competencies, low English language skills among pre-primary learners remain a concern, partly due to teacher-centred instruction. Guided by Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development and Social Interdependence Theory, the study conceptualised learner accountability through individual task completion, quality of work, responsiveness to feedback, and dependability. The study adopted a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control-group pre-test–post-test design. The study involved 48 learners from 24 public pre-primary schools. Data were collected using pre- and post-tests, observation checklists, teacher questionnaires, and documentary analysis, and analysed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, effect sizes, and ANCOVA. The treatment group recorded a higher mean accountability score (M = 18.58) than the control group (M = 14.63). ANCOVA revealed significant group effects on English language skills (F = 183.951, p < .001, R² = .757) and activity outcomes (F = 60.545, p < .001, R² = .482). Accountability also differed significantly between groups (t = 9.944, df = 46, p < .001), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.38). The findings indicate that structured learner accountability within cooperative learning enhances learner accountability and English language outcomes. The study recommends integrating learner accountability into early childhood education, strengthening teacher professional development, and incorporating cooperative learning and peer scaffolding into pre-primary teacher training. The study findings provide evidence to inform teaching practices, teacher training, and future curriculum development.