ABSTRACT
The study investigated the effects of
early childhood education on the cognitive development of primary one pupils in
Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. In this study, extensive and
relevant literature review was carried out under related sub-headings. The
descriptive research survey was used in this study in order to carry out the
objective assessment of the opinions of the respondents selected for this
study. In addition, the questionnaire was adopted for the collection of data
necessary for this study, while the sampling technique was applied in selecting
the samples for this study. In total, four null hypotheses were generated and
tested in this study, with the application of both the Pearson Product Moment
Correlation and the t-test of independence variable. At the end of the
analyses, the following results emerged: that there is a significant
relationship between pre-primary school education and cognitive development
among children in schools, there is a significant difference between pre-primary
school education and children’s school achievement in schools, that no
significant difference exists between the speech development of children taught
by parents and those taught by teachers and that there is a significant gender
difference in cognitive development by children due to attendance of
pre-primary education. Based on the conclusions of this study, the researcher
recommended that the National Policy on Education should be reviewed to include
among others the education of the Nigerian child from 0 – 2 years.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
page i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgements
iv
Abstract
v
Table
of contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 4
1.3 Purpose of the Study 5
1.4 Research Questions 5
1.5 Research Hypotheses 6
1.6 Significance of the Study 6
1.7 Scope of the Study 7
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
•
Introduction 8
•
Language and Linguistic Development 8
•
Intellectual Growth and Potential for
Learning 10
•
Personality and Emotional Development 11
•
Early Childhood Education Curriculum 12
•
Objectives of Early Childhood Education 13
•
Designing a Curriculum for ECE 14
•
The Philosophical Bases of Pre-Primary
Education 15
•
The National Policy on Pre-Primary
Education 17
•
Early Child Care Development and Education
(ECCDE) Project 18
•
Characteristics of Early Childhood
Development 20
•
Parental Role in Early Childhood
Development 23
•
Parental Education 26
2.8 Effect of Pre-Primary Education on Speech
Development of Children28
•
Summary of Review 31
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design 32
3.2 Sample and Sampling Technique 32
3.3 Population of the Study 32
3.4 Instrumentation 33
3.5 Reliability of the Instrument 33
3.6 Procedure for Data Collection 33
3.7 Method of Statistical Analysis 34
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA
ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
4.1
Interpretation of Data 35
4.2
Testing of Hypotheses 41
4.3
Summary of Findings 44
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1
Summary of the Study 46
5.2
Conclusions 47
5.3
Recommendations 47
REFERENCES 49
APPENDIX
53
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
A baby is in the making as soon as
conception takes place. Normally, it takes 9 months for a full grown baby in
the womb to be born into the world, barring all accidents and pre-mature
delivery. A baby right from conception is a unique individual with his or her
special characteristics, Caplan and Caplan (1995). According to them, the
nature of children is such that no two children are completely the same or
alike in everything not even identical twins. Thus, there are obvious
differences that differentiate one child from another. Nwagbara (2003), the
complexities in children result both from nature and nurture. Children go
through different stages of development that is, from birth to young adults.
This early years from 2 years to 6 years are critical in their development.
During this period, children’s physical, mental and psychological development
take a leap as they are in a constant state of flux. They are in the process of
undergoing great changes and making significant development strides, especially
in the area of language acquisition and development.
It is believed that children’s reading
matter should be linked to their own spoken language as well as to their
interest and experiences for intellectual growth. The focus on the cognitive
growth of children is a welcome development (Anyanwu, 1991). This is because
the brain of a youngster is “tabula rasa” ready to be occupied. Realizing that,
educators go into searching for the appropriate stimuli that can yield the best
result for the children. Webber (1970) opines that it must be recognized that
something can be done about children’s intelligence as a result of the type of
experiences provided for them.
Aiyedun (1984) is of the opinion that
story books provide such experiences that can make for the intellectual growth
of children. According to him, stories provide and improve reading, writing and
thinking skills especially as they stimulate the intellect. Stories foster
understanding of human actions. Just one story can form the bases for more
detailed exploration of other actions. Selected experiences as reflected in
story books give children the opportunity to use words that are familiar to
them through their family life. Children are thus encouraged to extend
vocabulary appropriately. Not only that they learn the vocabulary of colours,
shapes, textures etc early in life as their story books are almost always
pictorial. For the intellectual development of children, story books give the
practice of the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading and
writing. They also help children to learn new words as well as alternative
meanings of words contextually. This is possible, especially if the language of
the stories is not too simple.
According to Anyamelue (2003), it is
important to give young children the quality care, nutrition and stimulation
they need for healthy growth and development. Moreover, the holistic care of
young children has been receiving recognition both in Nigeria and
internationally. This was prominent in the CRC and re-echoed more recently at
the Dakar World Education Forum, 2000. At the forum, the goal of expanding and
improving comprehensive early childcare and education was re-affirmed.
One of the main features of early
childhood is the rapid development of the brain. According to Godges (2001)
“the last three months of prenatal life and the first two years after birth
have been termed the most critical period to brain growth spurt”. This is
because, during this period, more than half of the adult brain weight is added.
It grows tremendously in the first few years of life, increasing to about 2/3
of adult weight by the end of the first year and to about 7.5% by the age of
two years and 90% by the age of five. Thus, a five year old’s brain has
developed almost to the level of an adult’s.
However, because of the rapid growth of
the brain, the child needs adequate nutrition at this period. This is because,
poor nutrition before and after birth and in the first few years of life can
seriously hamper brain development. This can lead to neurological and
behavioural disorders, which may manifest in learning disabilities.
There is research evidence to show that a
baby’s brain is composed of trillions of neutrons waiting to be woven into the
“intricate tapestry of the mind”. The experiences of childhood determine which
neutrons are used, that wire the circuits of the brain. According to Hodges
(2001), Begley observes that “the experiences of childhood determine whether a
child grows up to be intelligent or dull, fearful or self assured, articulate
or tongue tied”.
As Munonye (2002) puts it, there is also
scientific evidence on the importance of adequate stimulation during early
childhood period, necessary for the child’s cognitive development. There are
definite periods in childhood development when the environment can influence
how the brain is “wired” for certain functions like language, music, physical
activity and even mathematics. It therefore means that the brain must receive
the appropriate stimuli at the crucial time to perform these functions, else it
may be impossible for it to “re-wire” itself later in life. Early childhood
period therefore is a period that should be handled with utmost care. The
decision to use primary one pupils was informed by their comparative level of
advancement which diversifies their areas of possible testing when compared to
their junior counterparts. In addition, the decision to use Kosofe Local
Government Area in this study was borne out of its closeness to the
researcher’s residence, hence its familiarity.
1.2
Statement of the Problem
Most children these days do not develop
well cognitively due to lack of early childhood education which is mainly given
to children firstly by their parents and secondly by their teachers who are
also regarded as surrogate parents in the school (Adebesin, 2010). Majority
of pupils in primary one in the Nigerian school system, did not pass through
the pre-primary schools where children are taught basically through the methods
befitting to the children’s learn ability and comprehension in the early stage
of life (Oyewale, 2006). Because of
this lapse, most children in the primary schools fail to grasp the content of
their lessons due to the fact that they started their early education from the
stem instead of from the root (Oyewale,
2006).
Also, most of the teachers who are
employed to teach at the primary one schools, do not apply the correct teaching
methods that are comprehensible to the child, hence most children do not have
high academic achievement in the early stages of their primary school
education. Due to low cognitive development of the children, there has been
poor academic performance virtually at all stages of our educational system.
This is because what a child could not achieve during the early education, will
be difficult for him/her to achieve at the apex stage of his/her educational
life. (Oyewale, 2006).
This study sets out to examine the effect
of early childhood education on the cognitive development of primary one
pupils.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to examine
the effects of ECE( write in full) on the cognitive development of primary one
pupils.
The objectives are to:
•
determine the degree of connection between
early education and cognitive development among children in schools;
•
determine the effects of early education
on the developmental needs among childtren in schools
•
investigate if there are human resources
who can help with ece.
·
determine the developmental difference of
children that attended ece school with those that did not.
•
compare the gender difference in the cognitive
development and social development of children due to early education
1.4 Research Questions
To
achieve the objectives of this study, the following research questions were
raised.
(1) Is there any connection between primary
school education and cognitive development among children in schools?
(2) Does
early education have any effect on development among children in schools?
1.
Are there sufficient human resources to
meet the cognitive and social developmental need of children in schools?
2.
Is there any developmental difference
amongst children that attended early childhood education and those that did
not?
3.
Will there be any gender difference in the
cognitive development of children due to pre-primary education?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses were
formulated and tested in this study:
•
There is significant connection between
pre-primary school education and cognitive development among children in
schools.
•
There is significant difference between
pre-primary school education and children’s school achievement in schools.
•
There is significant difference between
the speech development of children was taught by their parents and those who
were taught by teachers.
•
There is no significant gender difference
in the cognitive development of children due to pre-primary education.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study was a great benefit in the following ways:
•
With the recommendation of this study,
teachers would be exposed to know how best to go about teaching or handling
children at the lower level of the school system, the early childhood classes.
•
Teachers would be exposed to the
appropriate methods to be used in teaching language to the child in school,
especially at the nursery and primary
school system.
•
Parents would have a better insight on the
essence of teaching the child to gain mastery of the language of his/her
environment This study will expose them to the knowledge that they should be
the first people to impart knowledge to the child, especially concerning
children’s language development.
•
With this study and its recommendations,
parents would be able to know the best techniques to always use in teaching language to the
children.
(4) The
society will be exposed to the process of language acquisition by the child in
the society. With the recommendations, the society will also be able to know
how best to assist the child in the area of acquisition and mastery of
language.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study covered 5 primary schools in
Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. Its main focus will be on the
investigation of the effect of pre-primary education on the cognitive
development of the child in the primary schools in Lagos State.
The sample size of this study will
comprise of 200 (two hundred) teachers and pupils, made up of fifty (50) (25
males and 25 females) teachers; and 150 (one hundred and fifty) pupils (made up
75 males and 75 female pupils) who will be randomly selected from the five
primary schools in the Local Government under review. The stratified method of
random selection was used. The stratified sampling method was applied in order to
select the respondents in their strata.
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