Influence of Nursery Education on Pupils’ Achievement in English Language in Primary Schools
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The purpose of the study was to:
- Examine the performance of pupils in English language in nursery schools
- Assess the influence of nursery education on pupils’ achievement in English language in primary schools, and
- Compare performance of pupils in nursery/primary schools and public primary schools.
- Proffer measures for effective teaching of English language in primary schools in Itu Local Government Area.
Chapter Two
Literature Review
Conceptual framework
Nursery Education
Nursery education as defined by Omozeghian (2014) is the education meant for children between the ages of 3-5. The National policy on education (2014) sees pre-primary education as the education given in an institution to children aged 3-5 years plus prior to their entering the primary school. It means it is a special kind of education provided in an institution prior the children entering the primary school. Having known the importance of pre-school or nursery education, the government encouraged private efforts in the establishment of these institutions. Also, in recent years the government sponsors the pre-primary school levels in public primary school in the country (Nigeria).
Learning according to Osakwe (2006) is a natural process of pursuing meaningful goals, discovering and constructing meaning from information and experience filtered through the learners unique perceptions, thoughts, and feelings. Hence, when the child is born into the world learning commences immediately to enable the child get adapted to the new environment. The child learns to feed, hear, see and respond to stimuli, before learning to sit, walk, talk and behave like people around him. The drive for curiosity is innate in every child and can be developed to yield greater results by given him early education. Nursery education experience according to Barnard (2001) positively affects later home and school involvement in education. A child who fails to acquire early childhood education may suffer emotionally, socially, intellectually and even physically if he is taking to the primary school without nursery education experience that will give him a solid foundation in the primary school. Therefore, for effective and efficient unlocking and development of the child’s later abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviour of positive values in the society in which he lives early childhood education becomes very important. This is important because researches on early childhood education experiences have great impact on all areas of the child’s development and had suggested that the first teaches is extremely an important person in the child’s life.
According to Feeney et al. (2012) early childhood is an asset of immense value in the later academic pursuit of a child and much more later in life. This early experience exposes the child to all fields which give him an edge over those who did attend nursery school in the primary school as the confidence in his learning capability which he acquired from the nursery school is lifted to the primary school. This eventually aids and facilitates his learning. The early childhood institution aims at developing the cognitive and affective potentials of the child at an early age. Anderson (2002) is of the view that when children are exposed to early childhood education, they develop superior communication skills, necessary physical abilities and social unit needed in adult life and an increased cognitive and effect educational balance.
Having realized the importance of nursery education, the government encouraged private efforts in the establishment of this institution. Also, in recent years the government now sponsors the pre-school levels of public primary schools in the country. Also the government has a deliberate attempt to raise the quality of education at all levels in order to make the product of our educational system more useful to our society.
Therefore, early childhood education will provide that vital physical, psychomotor, affective, cognitive, social potentials which are fundamental to human life that will play essential role in the primary and even more in later life of the individual. This study attempts to analyze this problem.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
In this chapter, we would describe how the study was carried out.
Research design
The study employs quantitative descriptive research design to examine the influence of nursery education on pupil’s achievement in English language in primary schools.
Research settings
This study was carried out in Itu local government area in Akwa Ibom State.
Sources of Data
The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources include questionnaire, interviews and observation. The secondary sources include journals, bulletins, textbooks and the internet.
Population of the study
A study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description (Prince Udoyen: 2019). In this study the study population constitute of three (3) primary schools in Itu local government area in Akwa Ibom state.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND INTEPRETATION
Introduction
This chapter deals with the presentation and analysis of data obtained from the administration of the instrument (questionnaire) of the study. The data are arranged following the order of the research questions that guided the study.
Research question 1
What is the positioning of English language in nursery and primary schools in Itu Local Government Area?
Chapter Five
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
Summary
This work examines the influence of nursery education on pupils’ achievement in English language in primary schools. Five research question were formulated to guide this research work, the study employs quantitative descriptive research design to examine the influence of nursery education on pupil’s achievement in English language in primary schools in Itu local government area in Akwa Ibom State. Questionnaires were administered to the appropriate respondent and was collected back. Thus the findings shows that;
- There is an extent of positioning of english language in nursery and primary schools in Itu Local Government Area.
- That teachers accepted that the Parents / general public shows interest and preference for nursery education.
- That there are particular aspect of English language nursery education has made impact.
- That nursery schools are effectively attached to public primary schools in the teaching of English language
- That there are ways nursery education could be made more effective for English language teaching and learning.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Early childhood is an asset of immense value in the later academic pursuit of a child and much later in life, a child who fails to acquire early education may suffer emotionally, socially, intellectually and even physically if he is trusted into the primary school without a sustainable early childhood education experience that will give him a solid foundation in the primary school. Therefore, for effective and efficient unlocking and development of the child’s latent abilities, attitude and other forms of behaviour of positive value in the society, early education is important. Most parents are becoming aware of the gains of early childhood education (preschool experiences) thereby sending their children to organized environments where they experience preschool. The quality of learning environment that a child experiences will influence the child’s learning attitudes in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. This would influence academic performance either negatively or positively.
They following were recommended;
- Early childhood education should be encouraged by the government by providing preprimary educational facilities (classroom, Instructional materials and equipments) need for the success of the programme.
- There should be proper enlightenment campaign on the importance of early childhood education.
- Parents should be involved in their children’s early education experience by providing the necessary materials.
- Educational planners should provide adequate programmes, policies and curriculum for early childhood education.
- The government should adopt extra measures in making sure that all children have access to nursery education such as establishing at least six nursery schools in each of the local government areas.
- Subsequent studies should be conducted to determine nursery school enrolment among children in rural areas in Akwa Ibom State.
References
- Adebayo, R.I. (2005). Model Islamic Nursery Schools in Nigeria. Muslim Education Quarterly, The Islamic Academy, Islamization of the Curriculum: an agenda for model Islamic Nursery Schools in Nigeria Vol. 22. No. 3 & 4. U.K: Cambridge.
- Agbani (1997) Right from the start, early learners education policy and practice. http://www.atluk/result.from the start pdf
- Ajayi, H.O. (2008). Early Childhood Education, Education in Nigeria: A Reality or a Mirage?
- Contemporary issue in Early Childhood, 9(4) 375-380. http//dx doi / 10.2304/ciec, 200 9:4:375. (yhttp:// web. it edu/work replace centre/ doc pdf 2005).
- Akujo, D. (1990). Education Today Guides on pre-primary Education Quarterly Journal of Federal Government Nigeria, Lagos volume Number 2(1991 page1-2)
- Aldemir, J. & Sezer, (2009) Early childhood education pre-service teachers images of teacher and belief about teaching ,inonu university of journal of the facility of education page 105122.
