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

Abstract

Learner’s classroom participation can be gauged by; confidence levels turn taking, numeracy skills, manipulative competencies and task completion. However, over time, adequate inculcation of play as a strategy in early childhood classrooms is yet to be achieved. This underscored the need of this study. The study assessed play as a strategy on preschoolers’ classroom participation in public pre-primary institutions of Bunyala sub-county, Busia County, Kenya. The guide objectives of this study were: to establish the types of play used as a strategy on pre-schoolers’ classroom participation and to investigate the types of play materials used by pre-schoolers’ in public pre-primary schools in the said study location. Methodology adopted was descriptive survey research design. Social-Cultural Development Theory (Vvygotsky, 1978) guided the study. Research targeted a population of 27 public pre-primary centres in Bunyala Subcounty. 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 and validity of the instruments were addressed through piloting and test retest. Descriptive statistics for measures of central tendencies were applied. For qualitative data, content analysis was adopted. Regarding types of play, the study found out that all the pre-unit teachers were engaging their learners in various forms of play with physical type being the most common (91%) though with a myriad of challenges. The study also found out that there were various play materials available for the pre-school learners mostly the local ones though with acuteshortage especially the commercial ones. 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.