Impact of instructional materials on performance of number writing among pre-school children in Kamukunji district of Nairobi county

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of instructional materials of performance on number writing among pre-school children in Kamukunji District. It investigated the importance of instructional materials, examined the number writing activities done by children to acquire number writing skills, errors children make in number writing as well as the impact of in-servicing of pre-school teachers to facilitate number writing activities with the aim of enhancing children’s performance in number work positively. The research design used was quasi experimental. It had control group and experimental group whose data was tabulated on the pre-test and post-test observation checklist. The 5 pre-schools head teachers and 15 pre-school teachers completed questionnaires which were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Children in the experimental groups who used instructional materials in activities performed better than the other two groups. Their number writing skills, number sequence, number shaping, number sizing and number alignment performance improved tremendously due to active involvement in activities that used instructional materials. Their level of number reflection errors, number omission, number sizing, number spacing greatly reduced. The use of instructional materials helped the children to use their senses as well as developing children motor muscles and eye hand coordination. Those with special needs were easily detected. Material used helped to identify children’s different multiple intelligences as well as children’s interest and ability which helped in grouping them. The use of materials engaged children in activities and this provided a most effective means of clarifying many mathematical concepts and relations through experience of associating them directly with physical things. Activity methods increase concentration, perception and retention. Teachers learnt that they could use children’s errors as learning agents to understand the child’s thinking and hence become a basis of assisting the children. The materials helped children to use their senses as they modeled and destroyed as well as feeling the materials. They were also actively involved in manipulation of different materials. This helped in detecting children’s weaknesses such as eye hand coordination and motor muscle problems and this enhanced an opportunity for early intervention at an early age. The researcher found the ECDE teachers had not been in-serviced for a long time and the issue needed to be addressed urgently. The report recommended the need to examine other factors that may be affecting children’s performance in number writing as well as other factors contributing to errors children make in number writing