EFFECT OF DRAMA AND ROTE-LEARNING TEACHING METHODS ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AMONG NURSERY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN POTISKUM METROPOLIS, YOBE STATE

ABSTRACT

This study was on effect of drama and rote-learning teaching methods on language development among nursery school children in Potiskum Metropolis, Yobe State. The study was guided by four specific objectives, four research questions and four null hypotheses. This study was delimited to four indices of language development (oral communication, writing ability, reading skills and phonological skills). Quasi-experimental research design was used in the study. The population of the study was 430 nursery three children in the nine private nursery schools in Potiskum metropolis that registered with Primary Education Board Potiskum Local Government, Yobe State in 2016/2017 academic year. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in the selection of two (2) schools for the study. A total sample of sixty (60) nursery school children was used for the study. Pre-test post-test achievement tests were used for data collection. A pilot test was conducted using test re-test reliability method to ascertain the reliability of the instrument and reliability coefficient of 0.81 was obtained. The researcher personally taught the children using drama for experimental group one and rote-learning technique for experimental group two. Data collected were analyzed using frequency tables and percentages to analyze children based on their teaching method. Mean score, standard deviation and grades were used to answer the four research questions. The t-test statistics was used to test the four null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the analyses of data, the result showed that nursery school children taught using drama performed significantly better than those in rote-learning in oral language development. The result also revealed that there was significant difference between nursery school children taught using drama on written skill and those taught using rote-learning technique. Another result revealed that differences exist between reading skill of nursery school children taught using drama and those taught using rote-learning technique.

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The result also found out that there was significant difference between phonological skills of nursery school children taught using drama and those taught using rote learning method. Based on the findings, the researcher concluded that through drama teaching method, nursery school children perform better and develop confidence in oral communication, reading skill, writing ability and phonological skill of language development. The researcher therefore recommended among others that, nursery school teachers should develop a paradigm that shifts from teaching children language development using rote-learning teaching method which is teacher centered.

EFFECT OF DRAMA AND ROTE-LEARNING TEACHING METHODS ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AMONG NURSERY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN POTISKUM METROPOLIS, YOBE STATE