CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Federal government in realization of importance of early years in the education recommends the inclusion of pre-school education as the first stage in the education system. The early childhood education is the education given in an educational institution to children prior to their entry into pre-primary school. This type of education is a response to a change in the society, Marund, (2011). It has been observed by the researcher and stake holders in education that modern parents seem not to have adequate time to cater for their children at home because of the migration of working class women to urban towns.
The term ‘early childhood’ refers to the phase prior the age of compulsory schooling, which is different from one country to another; in Nigeria, it is 4 years, in United Kingdom, it is five years, in United States of America, it is six years, in France, Italy and Germany and seven years in Sweden and Netherlands. A preschool (also nursery school, kindergarten) is an educational establishment offering early childhood education to children between the ages of three and five, or seven, prior to the commencement of compulsory education at primary school, (Colker, 2013).
They may be privately operated or government run and the costs may be subsidized. According to National Policy on Education (2004), ECCDE includes the crèche, the nursery and the kindergarten. Children today are growing up in a fast changing world that continuously gives rise to dramatic shifts in what children are expected to know and do, (Smiths, 2011). Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) is the care, protection, simulation and learning promised in children from age 0-4 years in a crèche or nursery. The kindergarten is the education given to children aged 5 prior to their entering primary. The kindergarten is included in the free, compulsory, universal and qualitative basic education.
The teacher is the most indispensable factor in the effective administration of any education system. No matter what amount of resources we might put into the nation's education system without properly prepared and motivated teachers, we can never expect from the system. The importance of teacher in a meaningful education at all levels is reflected in the National Policy on Education (2004) as it declares that no educational system may rise above the quality of its teachers. This declaration in the policy document underscores the need for teacher effectiveness in schools. However, it is pertinent to note that the various dispositions that our teachers display at work betrayed their devotion. This has greatly affected the zeal and enthusiasm towards learning generally and reading skills in pre-primary schools in particular, and hence their poor performances in the subject. Many have no mastery of the curriculum content and the organization is highly detestable. Teachers' affective reactions to work are not as good as they should be in many of our schools.
According to Maxwell, (2012), preschool is an early childhood program in which children combine learning with play in a program run by professionally trained adults. Children are most commonly enrolled in preschool between the ages of three and five, though those as young as two can attend some schools. Preschools are different from traditional day care in that their emphasis is learning and development rather than enabling parents to work or pursue other activities, (Mark, 2014). A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, playschool or kindergarten, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school. Asarus, (2011), preschool education is education that focuses on educating children from the ages of infancy until six years old.
Also, these happen because most of the parents especially women have taken up paid jobs or are engaged in their own businesses, a situation which drastically reduces available time to cater for children at home. In the traditional settings in Nigeria, young children below school age were usually left in the care of grand-parents but this has changed.
The pre-primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner (Tebabal & Kahssay, 2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and learning outcomes. In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teacher-centered methods to impart knowledge to learners comparative to student-centered methods. Until today, questions about the effectiveness of teaching methods on student learning have consistently raised considerable interest in the thematic field of educational research (Hightowers, 2011). Moreover, research on teaching and learning constantly endeavour to examine the extent to which different teaching methods enhance growth in student learning.
Quite remarkably, regular poor academic performance by the majority of the pupils is fundamentally linked to application of ineffective teaching methods by teachers to impart knowledge to learners (Adunola, 2011). Substantial research on the effectiveness of teaching methods indicates that the quality of teaching is often reflected by the achievements of learners. According to Ayeni (2011), teaching is a process that involves bringing about desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific outcomes. In order for the method used for teaching to be effective, Adunola (2011) maintains that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of the concepts to be covered.
As an educator, the researcher has always been fascinated by the relationship between teaching methods and pupils' academic performance; especially when it comes to applications in the context of 21st century education. It seems that there is something in teaching that opens the gate of learning. It is true that successful learning depends on various factors that are not all teacher-related, but the methods that a teacher uses continue to play an important role in pupils learning and in their academic achievement. The challenges that educators face in the 21st century are so diverse that considering the individual differences of pupils is more crucial now than ever before.
A toy is an object for children to play with. They are physical items used in play by children. It’s a plaything for a child or infant. Toys, like play itself, serve multiple purposes in both humans and animals. They provide entertainment while fulfilling an educational role. Toys enhance cognitive behaviour and stimulate creativity. They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life. Toys can support cognitive growth, development of fine motor and gross motor skills, and improve problem solving and attention that are considered as the basis of education. Educational toys and games are among the most significant tools to create the right learning environment for a child and thereby improve the learning ability. In Nigeria, toys and dolls have a history as old as the icons and idols themselves. From the realm of divine inspiration day to day recreation, the craftsmen with their innate skills transformed mundane objects as toys into expressions of art.
The best toys engage a child's senses, spark their imaginations and encourage them to interact with others as they grow, infants can use toys to explore object permanence and cause and effect relationships. They also need objects such as blocks to help them build motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Pupils use toy to play in the course of teaching and learning in pre-schools. Children learn best in an environment which allows them to explore, discover, and play. Play is an important part of a developmentally appropriate child care program. Learning through play is an important part of a child's development. It also teaches children about sharing, helps develop their fine and gross motor skills and nurtures their creativity and imagination.
Toys, like play itself, serve multiple purposes in both humans and animals. They provide entertainment while fulfilling an educational role. Toys enhance cognitive behavior and stimulate creativity. They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life. Toys play an essential role in the development of kids throughout childhood. Through playing with toys, children develop their motor and cognitive skills, helping them to overcome all of life's obstacles. From an early age, toys help in the education of children. Hence, this study intends to examine the usage of toys for effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools in Ikorodu local government area of Lagos state.
Statement of Problem
There have been so much cry and agitation from the educational stake holders about the poor state of teaching and learning in pre-primary schools. Some children are not interested in attending pre-school. They want to stay at home or shops with their parents. Several factors could be linked to this disaffection pupils have towards going to pre-school. One of these factors is unavailability of toys and poor usage of the available ones. It is known fact that pupils like play and is one of things that draws their attention and interest towards attending pre-schools regularly. If this problem which is in part traceable to poor knowledge of making pre-school interesting to pupils through use of toys is not solved, effective teaching and learning process in pre-school may be hindered.
It is on the basis of those outlined facts that this study is carried out to find out the usage of toys for effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools in Ikorodu local government area of Lagos state
Purpose of the Study
The broad objective of the study is to investigate the usage of toys for effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools in Ikorodu local government area of Lagos state. The specific objectives of this study are to;
§ determine the influences of using toys on effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools.
§ assess the impact of using toys on pupils’ interest in learning in nursery primary schools.
§ find out how often does pre-school teacher use toys.
§ ascertain the effects of availability of toys on effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools.
Significance of the Study
This study is of great importance in the sense that, it will reveal the extent at which toys can contribute to effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools. Also it reveals other factors affecting student’s performance as a result of availability of toys for effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools. Furthermore, this study will help the school authority and teacher to design some measures to improve on the usage of toys for learning. And to the educationist, education curriculum as school structures will be carefully observed to help pupils learning with various learning facilities in primary schools.
It will provide the relevant knowledge and serves as a research tool for those who need such materials. This study could be useful to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance in formulation policies and strategies to boast development of infrastructure in the primary schools to increase pupils' access to education and disbursement of infrastructure funds to public schools in Nigeria.. The findings of this study will form a basis for further researchers who might be interested in advancing this study on the other regions of the country.
Scope of the Study
The study is delimitated to the usage of toys for effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools in Ikorodu local government area of Lagos state. The study covered the relevance of toys to teaching and learning in nursery primary schools. This study will look into these areas; overload of scheduled activities, weather, laziness and disinterest, supervision, distraction, trouble finding playgrounds, playground condition/community safety issues, how they make and mar effective usage of toys for teaching and learning in nursery primary schools.
Research Questions
Following research questions are generated to guide the study;
§ What are the influences of using toys on effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools?
§ What is the impact of using toys on pupils’ interest in learning in nursery primary schools?
§ How often does pre-school teacher use toys?
§ What are the effects of availability of toys on effective teaching and learning in nursery primary schools?
Definition of Terms
The following terms are operationally defined for the study;
Academic: Connected with education especially studying in schools and universities.
Classroom: A building or structure constructed for the purpose of organizing students for learning. It is referred to as the heart of any educational system.
Early Childhood care and education: It refers to a philosophy of providing opportunities/experiences to young children up to 8 years of age in order to promote their holistic development.
Early Childhood: The period from conception to age 8 of a child.
Learning facilities refers to physical infrastructures that support students stay in schools such as sanitation blocks, dining halls, dormitories among others.
Performance: An action or achievement, considered in relation to how successful it is. Retention refers to the state or action of retaining to keep possession
Toys: Toys are physical items used in play by children
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