Influence of teaching and learning materials on children performance in pre-schools in Borabu district, Nyamira County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of the use of teaching and learning materials on children performance in pre-schools in Borabu District, Nyamira country. The following were objectives of the study: to establish the teaching and learning materials used in pre-schools, to find out the effects of teaching and learning materials on children performance in pre-schools, to determine the attitude of teachers towards the use of teaching and learning materials in pre-schools, to establish the importance of using teaching and learning materials in pre-schools and to establish the availability of teaching and learning materials in pre-schools.

The study adopted a descriptive survey design to establish the influence of teaching and learning materials on the performance of learners in Borabu District. The study targeted a sample of 97 teachers and 52 head teachers. Data were collected using questionnaires and an observation schedule. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically by classifying into major themes from which opinions from respondents were coded and put into frequency tables. Data analyzed formed the basis for research findings, conclusions and recommendations of the study.

Findings from the study indicated that majority of teachers use visual materials such as charts and pictures. The findings reveal that there are minimal resources the classroom teacher needs to use to achieve a long lasting learning in preschools. Findings obtained from the study indicated that teaching and learning resources create motivation in learning by supporting the learning process. Findings obtained from pre-school teachers revealed that pre-schoQllearners seem to enjoy learning when teaching and learning materials are used resulting in achievement. '

The following recommendations were drawn from the study. In-service courses for pre-school teachers should be held to remind them the importance of using teaching and learning materials. The government should employ pre-school teachers and ensure that they are well paid so as to create a service of motivation which could be in turn ensure that teachers do their work perfectly.

The government should take an initiative to ensure that it takes up the responsibility of financing pre-schools in Kenya, the way it was done with the free primary education to eradicate the problem of inadequacy of teaching and learning materials. There is need to sensitize parents and the community on the provision of adequate teaching and learning materials in pre-schools through holding workshops and seminars with ECD facilitators, to create awareness.