Thesis:

An Assessment of Play as a Strategy on Pre-Scholars Classroom Participation in Public Pre-Primary Schools in Bunyala- Busia County, Kenya

Children’s development is contributed to by play amongst other parameters. Their cognitive, affective and psychomotor abilities are fortified by play. By adopting play as a classroom tool in early childhood, learner’s participation levels improve. Learner’s participation can be gauged by; confidence levels, turn taking, numeracy skills and manipulative competencies. However, over time, adequate inculcation of play in early childhood classrooms is yet to be achieved. This underscored the need of this study. The study assessed play as a strategy on pre-schoolers’ classroom participation in public pre-primary institutions of Bunyala sub-county, Busia County, Kenya. The location of the study was Bunyala sub-county in Busia County. The guide objectives of this study were: to establish the types of play used as a strategy on pre-schoolers’ classroom participation, to investigate the types of play materials used by pre-schoolers’ in public pre-primary schools and to explore public pre-primary school teachers’ preparedness in using play as a strategy on pre-schoolers to improve classroom participation. The findings of the study would be useful to pre-school teachers, the parents/community, the government et al. Methodology adopted was descriptive survey research design. Social-Cultural Development Theory (Vvygotsky, 1978) guided the study. Conceptual framework was employed to establish how the study variables interrelate. Research targeted a population of 27 public pre-primary centres. Of this population, 2 were used in piloting while in 25 actual study was conducted. The parameters of analysis were 25 heads of public pre-primary centres, 50 teachers of public pre-primary centres and 100 pre-schoolers. The sampling techniques adopted were purposive and simple random. Data was collected using questionnaire and observation guide. Reliability of the instruments was addressed through piloting in 2 public pre-schools. To ascertain the reliability coefficient of the study instruments, test retest method to about 0.7, was adopted. Expert judgment of supervisors gauged the validity of the research instruments. Measures of central tendencies were applied alongside inferential analysis for quantitative data. For qualitative data, content analysis was adopted. Regarding types of play, the study found out that all pre-unit teachers were engaging their learners in various play forms though unevenly with physical type being the most common (91%). The study also found out that there were various play materials available for the pre-school learners mostly the local ones. The study however, further established that there was acute shortage of some play materials especially the commercial ones. The findings from regression analysis revealed that 80.2% of the variations on classroom performance can be explained by type of play, type of play material used and teacher preparedness. The study finally, established that there were serious challenges facing play as a strategy on pre-schoolers’ classroom participation. It was concluded that pre-unit learners in Bunyala Sub-county were not adequately exposed to all forms of play besides inadequacy of play materials. The study recommended that play materials should be availed and pre-unit learners get exposed to them. A similar study to be carried out in urban setting to compare the difference since this was done in rural pre-unit centers.