Role of Teachers in Integration of Play in Early Childhood Development and Education Curriculum

Abstract

The role of a teacher in integration of play in ECDE curriculum is cruel as Play-based teaching and learning promotes positive social skills in children. Most of teachers in Kenya don’t integrate play in curriculum leading to poor performance of children yet the entire teaching and learning of small children should be entirely based on play. Public confidence in teachers’ role in integration of play is in question. The study therefore purposes to establish the role of teachers in integration of play in Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) curriculum. The study was based on Descriptive survey design. It involved; 430 teachers drawn from 215 pre-schools (33% of the study population) and1 District Program Officer, selected using Simple random sampling and Saturated sampling techniques respectively. Data was collected by a questionnaire, an interview schedule and a lesson observation schedule. The study found out that: Most teachers do not fulfill some of the roles specified to them in integration of play in ECDE curriculum. This inhibits the role of teachers in integration of play in ECDE curriculum. The study recommended that: Regular in-service training should be given to teachers to enable them learn their role and how to integrate play in ECDE curriculum.