Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Abstract

This research study aimed at examining teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study.

The review of related literature was carried out under the following sub-headings: concept of teaching methods, demonstration method and academic performance of pupils, discussion method and academic performance of pupils, role-play method and academic performance of pupils, and summary of the review of related literature. Quasi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population of this study consisted of all the six hundred and three (603) pre-primary school pupils in the study area.

Sample size of ninety (90) pre-primary school pupils was selected from six schools in the study area using intact classes, while the six schools were selected using simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was Physical and Health Education Achievement Test, while the data collected was analyzed using independent t-test statistical tool.

The result revealed that there is significant difference in the academic performance of pupils taught Physical and Health Education using demonstration method and those taught using role-play method. Moreover, the analysis also indicates that pupils taught using role-play method performed significantly better than their counterpart taught using demonstration method.

Similarly, it was also revealed that there is significant difference in the academic performance of pupils taught Physical and Health Education using discussion method and those taught using role-play method. Moreover, the analysis also revealed that pupils taught using role-play method outperformed their counterpart taught using discussion method. 

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the Study

The nation’s overall development is inextricably tied to its educational system since education is a light that shows mankind the right direction to surge. Education can also be seen as a process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, values, norms, traditions, and skills from one generation to another.

Education is any process by which an individual gains knowledge, experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual. The above functions of education cannot be achieved except the school system is conducive for teaching/learning process. To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods. Teaching is a process that involves bringing about desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific out-comes.

 Teaching methods can be refers to variety of ways in which a learning task is managed to facilitate the learning process. Teaching method could also be seen as a way of carryout the actual teaching in the classroom. Teaching method could also be describe as the general principles, pedagogy and management strategies used for classroom instruction. It can also be defined as the means which the teacher adopts to impart the desired learning or experience to the pupils.

It could be said that there is no suitable teaching method that is generally recommendable to the teachers to be use, but the method to be used at a particular time depends on so many factors such as the age of the learners, the content to be taught, the objectives which the teacher plans to achieve, the availability of teaching/Learning resources, the ability and willingness of the teacher to improvise if conventional teaching aids are not available, evaluation skills, and individual differences of the learner.

He therefore asserted that teacher needs to be conversant with numerous teaching methods. Findings have shown that there is a relationship between teaching methods and pupils’ academic performance. It is true that successful learning depends on various factors that are not teacher-related, but the methods that a teacher uses continue to play an important role in pupils’ learning and in their academic performance.

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Teaching methods can be categorized into two broad groups which are; conventional teaching method and psychologically based teaching methods. The conventional teaching methods are teaching methods that have been in use over the years by a classroom teacher.

They include; expository/lecture method, discussion method, demonstration method, discovery method, excursion/field-trip method, and simulation/games/role playing method. While psychologically based teaching methods are method of teaching based on psychological principles consequent upon numerous factors which include: individual differences, interests, needs, and motivation. Psychologically based teaching methods are team teaching, peer to peer technique, individualized instructional and computer assisted instruction.

Pre-primary school is the level of education which is also known as nursery school, kindergarten or play school. It is learning space that offers early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education. In teaching pupils in this level of education, special method of teaching should be employ. Such teaching methods include: role play method, supervised activity method, demonstration method, game method, drawing method, discussion method, excursion method, story-telling method, and pictorial method.

Physical and Health Education for Pre-Primary schools is designed to help children in developing physical fitness. On the other hand, academic performance is refers to the grade or scores which the learners obtained in an examination or test.

Moreover, teaching methods could be classified as either teacher centered or pupils-centered. Since good teaching methods among other factors play significant role in enhancing pupils’ academic performance, it therefore motivated the researcher to examine the impact of teaching methods on academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education in Abak L.G.A.

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

• Statement of the Problem

Pre-primary school is the first level of education which a child is enrolls. Physical and Health Education for Pre-Primary schools is designed to help children in developing physical fitness. But the poor academic performance of pupils in this important subject has become a source of worry to the parents, teachers, and government. The causes of this poor academic performance has been attributed to so many factors such as school factors, pupils’ factors, home factors, environmental factors, teachers’ factors, and including teachers’ teaching methods. As the result of this pupils’ poor academic performance, the researcher considered it necessary to investigate the contribution of teaching methods on the academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education.

• Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to examine teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education in Abak L.G.A.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. Examine the difference in the academic performance of pupils taught using demonstration method of teaching and those taught using role-play method of teaching in Physical and Health Education.
2. Examine the difference in the academic performance of pupils taught using discussion method of teaching and those taught using role-play method of teaching in Physical and Health Education.

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

 Research Questions

The following research questions were raised to guide the study

1. Is there any significant difference in the academic performance of pupils taught using demonstration method of teaching and those taught using role-play method of teaching in Physical and Health Education?
2. Is there any significant difference in the academic performance of pupils taught using discussion method of teaching and those taught using role-play method of teaching in Physical and Health Education?
   • Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:

1. There is no significant difference in the academic performance of pupils taught using demonstration method of teaching and those taught using role-play method of teaching in Physical and Health Education.
2. There is no significant difference in the academic performance of pupils taught using discussion method of teaching and those taught using role-play method of teaching in Physical and Health Education.

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

• • Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of great importance to the pupils, teachers, educational policy makers and other researchers in the following ways: it will help to increase the teachers’ level of awareness and understanding of the use of suitable teaching methods for pre-primary schools.

The findings of this study will also provide data to the education stake-holders and curriculum planners for effective policy making. The pupils will also benefit in this study because when the teacher uses appropriate instructional method, their academic performance will be improved. This study will also serve as a reference point to the future researchers.

• Delimitation of the Study

The scope of this study is delimited to teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education in Abak L.G.A. The population of this study is all the kindergarten pupils in the study area. The sub-variables adopted are role-play method, and demonstration method.

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

• Limitation of the Study

The researcher met the following challenges in the course of conducting this research study:

1. Time factor: The period of time given for the completion of this study was not enough due to the fact that the researcher had other academic activities to carry out in school as at the time of this study.
2. Financial Factor: High cost of transportation to visit the selected schools for this study also constitutes some challenges to the researcher.
3. Low level of pupils’ maturity: most of the pupils were unable to read and response to the instrument, then the researcher had to read and explain to each of the pupils.

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

• • Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined for better understanding of the study:

1. Teaching method: This refers to the ways or skills adopted by a teacher in the process of lesson delivery.
2. Demonstration method: This is a method of teaching which involved display of the proper skills in doing something. It involves the use of instructional materials.

• Discussion method: This takes place when verbal exchange of views, opinions or ideas takes place between the teacher and the learners.

1. Role-play method: This is a method of teaching where pupils imitate the roles that their class teacher plays.
2. Pre-Primary School: This is the level of education which is also known as nursery school, kindergarten or play school. It is a learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education.
3. Academic Performance: This refers to the grade of the learners obtained in an examination or test.
4. Physical and Health Education: This is a subject for study in Pre-Primary schools which is designed to help children in developing physical fitness.

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Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education

Teaching methods and academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Physical and Health Education