Evaluating the Effectiveness of Teaching Styles in Early Childhood Education.
CHAPTER ONE
Purpose of the Study
The study aimed at evaluating some teaching styles and their effectiveness among teachers in some selected early childhood institutions in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Objectives of the Study
The specific objectives of this study are to:
- Emphasize the need to use appropriate teaching styles and techniques in early childhood institutions.
- Identify some teaching styles that are highly effective in teaching young children.
- Ascertain the impact of inappropriate use of teaching styles and techniques for the child.
- Examine the teaching styles that are commonly used by teachers in some selected early childhood institutions.
- find out whether there will be any difference between learning outcome of children taught with appropriate teaching styles and those taught with inappropriate teaching styles at the early childhood education.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEWED OF RELATED LITERATURE
Early Childhood Education
According to the National Policy on Education (2004). Early childhood/pre-primary education is referred to as education given in an educational institution to children prior to their entering the primary school. It includes the crèche; kindergarten and the nursery. Osanyin, (2002) has written that early childhood education is the overall development of the child socially, physically and intellectually. Since it is seen as the first phrase in a life-time of continuous learning and experience from birth to old age. Akinbote (2001) asserted that as from conception to six years old the child undergoes rapid mental and physical development, demanding for encouragement from all and sundry. Akinbote, Oduolowu, and Lawal (2001) have written that the concept of pre-primary education like most other concepts in education cannot be pinned down to only one definition. Maduewesi (2005) defined early childhood education or pre-primary school education as a semi-formal education arrangement usually outside the home whereby children from about the age of three are exposed through play like activities in a group setting to mental, social and physical learning suited to their under developmental age until the mandatory age of government approved formal schooling.
In addition, Maduewesi (2005) further gave the following as other terms used for this level of education. (a) Nursery school (b) Pre-school (c) Pervert cooperative nursery schools (d) Laboratory or practicing nursery schools (e) Kindergarten (f) Day –care or child centres and (g) Play group among others
Purpose of Pre-Primary/ Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood Education assists in early monitoring and sustenance of the intellectual, moral and physical abilities of the children. Therefore the objectives of early childhood education as enunciated in the National Policy on Education (2004) are as follows:- (a) effect a smooth transition from the home to the school. (b) prepare the child for primary level of education (c) provide adequate care and supervision for the children while their parents are at work (on the forms, in the markets, offices, etc) (d) inculcate social norms (e) inculcate in the child the spirit of enquiry and creativity through the exploration of nature, the environment, art, music and playing with toys etc. (f) develop a sense of co-operation and team spirit. (g) Learn good habits, especially good health habits, and (h) teach the rudiments of numbers, letters, colours, shapes, forms etc through play. It is interesting to note that to achieve the above, government has a role to play which are as follow:(i) establish pre-primary sections in existing public schools and encourage both community/private efforts in the provisions of pre-primary education. (ii) make provision in teacher education programmes for specialization in early childhood education. (iii) ensure that the medium of instruction is principally the mother-tongue or the language of the immediate community. (iv) develop the orthography of many more Nigerian languages and (v) produce textbooks in Nigerian languages (vi) ensure that the main method of teaching at this level shall be through play and that the curriculum of teacher education is oriented to achieve this; regulate and control the operation of pre-primary education. (vii) Set and monitor minimum standard for early childcare centre in the country and (viii) Ensure full participation of government, communities and teachers associations in the running and maintenance of early childhood education facilities. Early Childhood Education and Development is in fact a start to life and a reliable foundation to continuing education. Learning begins at birth and at eight most brain wiring, language abilities, physical capabilities and cognitive foundations have been set in place. Investing in Early Childhood Education is investing in the whole child and dividends continue to pay off throughout the entire life cycle. According to Osanyi (2002), early childhood education programmes prepare the child for formal schooling. A child who has attended a day care centres or pre-school prior to entering primary school adjusts better and more easily and readily accepts to learn. He also readily accepts to be away from home for a part of the day as he has been exposed to group experience and sitting in a classroom for a length of time. Akinbote, Oduolowu and Lawal (2001) consider early childhood education as the education given to children from birth up to the age of six years. The implication of this is that education begins at birth and this levels of educations requires peculiar teaching methods which may be age bound. National Policy of Education (2004) stipulates that early childhood education is that education given in an educational institution to children prior to their entering the primary school. It includes the crèche, the nursery and the kindergarten.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain evaluating the effectiveness of teaching styles in Early childhood education. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing an evaluating the effectiveness of teaching styles in Early childhood education.
Summary
This study was on evaluating the effectiveness of teaching styles in Early childhood education. Three objectives were raised which included: Emphasize the need to use appropriate teaching styles and techniques in early childhood institutions, identify some teaching styles that are highly effective in teaching young children, ascertain the impact of inappropriate use of teaching styles and techniques for the child, examine the teaching styles that are commonly used by teachers in some selected early childhood institutions and find out whether there will be any difference between learning outcome of children taught with appropriate teaching styles and those taught with inappropriate teaching styles at the early childhood education. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected nursery and primary schools in mainaland, Lagos state. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
From the foregoing there is no gain saying that effective teaching can not take place in isolation most especially at the foundational stage which form the bedrock for subsequent education. However, teachers need support to develop and use child centered teaching methods so that children can participate more in the learning process. There is a need to shift the forms of teaching from gaining knowledge to using knowledge and skills based on cone of experience. Therefore, it is obvious that successful teaching at the pre-primary school level demands from teacher investigative capability in order to make sensible decision on the choice of method to adopt on the cone experience which is the process of learning that begins in concrete experiences and move toward the abstract if mastery is to be obtained in the child.
Recommendation
Having considered various teaching methods and their relevance to early childhood education, we should recommend as follows: That every care-giver should be trained for this level of education.
That care-givers should be interested in the progress of the child.
That teachers at early childhood level should adopt child centred methods in teaching.
That government should ensure that children should not be left in the hands of entrepreneurs – school owners.
That every school owners should possess a minimum certificate of NCE in Early Childhood and Care Education.
That government should ensure that unqualified teachers are floushed out of the system.
References
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