The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing students’ academic performance in oral literature in public secondary schools in Lang’ata Sub-County, Nairobi County. The objectives guiding this study are: to determine students’ attitude towards oral literature in public secondary schools in Langata Sub-County, Nairobi County; to examine the role of teaching methodology in influencing students’ performance in oral literature in public secondary schools in Langata Sub-County, Nairobi County; to investigate how teaching and learning resources affect students’ performance in oral literature in public secondary schools in Langata Sub-County, Nairobi County and to establish the role of peer pressure in determining the performance of students in oral literature in public secondary schools in Langata Sub-County, Nairobi County. The study is grounded on the Social Cultural Theory by Lev Vygotsky. It employed descriptive survey design. The target population is drawn from 5 public secondary schools in Lang’ata Sub-County with close to 3000 students and 150 teachers. Using purposive sampling method, the study will use a sample of 105 respondents comprising of 90 students and 15 teachers. The results of this study are expected to add new knowledge in the area of teaching and learning oral literature.
The findings revealed that with adequate supply of teaching and learning materials in the school oral literature performance was enhanced in that, , 47.2% of the students agreed that the textbooks and supplementary materials provide a contextual base for the learning of literature which was backed up by 35.75% of the oral literature teachers. Also, on the attitudes 75.3% of the students agreed to be enjoying learning and participating in oral literature lessons and discussions. From the findings, the study recommended that parents should engage their children in traditional storytelling and other cultural activities so as to help the students deepen their appreciation and understanding of oral literature and to ministry of education they should ensure the curriculum the curriculum includes comprehensive and engaging content on oral literature with clear objectives and outcomes finally to the teachers it was recommended that they should use interactive and participatory teaching methods such as group discussions, role-playing and storytelling to make oral literature more engaging.