Utilisation of Child-Centered Approaches in Teaching and Learning of Language Activities in Pre-School Centres in Kenya

Abstract

This study investigates how utilisation of child-centred approaches influenced teaching and learning activities in Early Childhood Education Development (ECDE). The reason for looking at how teachers approach to teaching influenced learners’ development of language skills was due to the importance in helping them acquire foundation literacy skills. The head teachers and teachers of sampled public pre-schools in West Pokot County were selected. The study result showed that there was moderate application of child-centred approaches in teaching and learning of language activities in pre-schools. Out of the four child-centered approaches, activity based approach and child discovery approach (r=0.343) had higher correlation (r=0.375) on acquisition of language competencies by ECDE pupils. The study concluded that teachers continuous utilisation of childcentred approaches had significant influence on teaching and learning of language activities in ECDE centres in West Pokot County. The study recommends that language policy should be fully implemented in schools and teachers should be offered in-service training programmes to their pedagogical skills in teaching approaches.