The purpose of this study was to examine the strategies used in the teaching and learning of short
forms in English in public secondary schools in Lang’ata Sub County, Nairobi County, Kenya. It
was guided by the following objectives: to evaluate the impact of short forms on students’
grammar proficiency and writing skills; to identify the challenges faced by teachers in teaching
short forms; and to investigate the role of learning and teaching resources in the teaching of short
forms in English. The study was anchored on the Constructivist Learning Theory by Jean Piaget
(1950) and Lev Vygotsky (1978). A descriptive survey design was adopted, and the study
employed a quantitative approach. The study targeted a total of 135 respondents comprising 120
English students and 15 English language teachers drawn from three public secondary schools in
Lang’ata Sub County. Data was collected using questionnaires, organized, and analyzed using
the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that while teachers
employed literature-based strategies such as moral reflection and character analysis to teach short
forms, student engagement with texts remained inconsistent. The study also found that teachers
faced challenges including insufficient professional training, lack of standardized teaching
methods for short forms, and difficulty balancing formal grammar instruction with students’
exposure to informal digital communication. Furthermore, the study established that while
learning resources such as literature texts and multimedia tools played a crucial role in
supporting the teaching of short forms, disparities in access and effective utilization affected
instructional delivery. The study identified several strategies to enhance the teaching and
learning of short forms, including the use of interactive methods such as group discussions,
multimedia content, and context-based instruction to foster better understanding and application
of short forms. It also emphasized the need for equitable resource distribution and consistent
teacher training. Finally, the study recommended that school administrators prioritize continuous
professional development programs focused on grammar instruction; teachers should integrate
modern, engaging methods to make short forms relatable; and parents should support reading at
home to reinforce language skills learned in school.