The Relationship between Resource Adaptation and the Teaching of Functional Skills to Learners with Cerebral Palsy in Special Units in Kilifi County.

Cerebral palsy presents significant challenges in the teaching of functional skills to learners in Kilifi County, Kenya. These learners face difficulties in mobility, communication, self-care and social interaction skills essential for independent living. Kilifi County records a high prevalence of cerebral palsy, with over 202 learners enrolled in public special needs units. Despite this, the teaching of functional skills remains limited, primarily due to insufficient teacher preparedness. Only 41% of teachers have received specialized training in teaching functional skills, while 53% report challenges in delivering individualized instruction and 47% struggle with curriculum adaptation. Additionally, 62% of teachers cite a lack of adequate teaching and learning resources. These factors hinder effective instructional delivery and the ability of teachers to meet the complex educational needs of learners with CP. This study sought to establish the level of teacher preparedness in teaching functional skills to learners with cerebral palsy in Kilifi County, focusing on four variables: teacher attitudes, teacher training, instructional strategies and resource adaptation. The study adopted a correlation research design, targeting 4 head teachers, 30 special needs education teachers and 119 learners from selected special units. Questions were gathered through the use of checklists for observations, interview scheduling, and document analysis. Results showed that the teacher questionnaire had a reliability coefficient of 0.82, the observation checklist had a coefficient of 0.78, and the interview schedule had a coefficient of 0.80, indicating that the research instruments were valid and reliable according to the test-retest technique and content and face validation, respectively. We used descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis to examine the quantitative data, and theme analysis to examine the qualitative data. With 84% of teachers believing in the potential of CP learners when properly supported, the data showed that positive attitudes greatly improve the teaching of functional skills (r = 0.65, p < 0.01). However, 53% of teachers faced difficulties in delivering individualized instruction (r = -0.50, p < 0.01) and 47% struggled with curriculum modification (β = -0.50, p < 0.01). Teacher training emerged as a key predictor of effective teaching (β = 0.66, p < 0.01), although only 41% of teachers had received specialized practical training. Furthermore, the use of structured, hands-on instructional strategies improved teaching outcomes (β = 0.61, p < 0.01), yet 62% of teachers indicated that resource limitations negatively impacted their ability to effectively teach functional skills (β = -0.55, p < 0.01). The study concludes that teacher preparedness particularly in attitudes, training, instructional strategies and access to adequate teaching resources which is critical to the effective teaching of functional skills to learners with cerebral palsy. It recommends the implementation of enhanced, practical teacher training programs, increased funding for adaptive learning resources and assistive technologies, structured interdisciplinary collaboration among teachers, therapists and caregivers and curriculum reforms that prioritize functional skills development for CP learners. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, curriculum developers and special needs education practitioners, informing strategies to improve the teaching of functional skills in resource-constrained settings like Kilifi County. Future research should explore long-term impacts of teacher training, investigate innovative approaches to resource adaptation and develop integrated models of support for teaching functional skills to learners with CP.