Pupils’ Participation in Play Activities and Learning of Social Studies in Primary Schools

Abstract: The study investigated Pupils’ Participation in Play Activities and Learning of Social Studies in Primary Schools. The quasi-experimental design was adopted as the design for the study. The population of the study consisted of all primary school pupils from sixty four primary schools in Ukanafun Local Government Area. The sample size consisted of one hundred Primary four pupils randomly selected from two selected public primary schools in the study area. The instrument for data collection was Social Studies Achievement Test (SSAT). The data collected was analyzed using independent t-test statistical method.

Pupils’ Participation in Play Activities and Learning of Social Studies in Primary Schools

Findings revealed that there is a significant difference in the academic performance of pupils who participate in play activities and those who do not participate in play activities in Social Studies. Also, that there is no significant difference in the academic performance of male and female pupils who participate in play activities in Social Studies in primary schools in Ukanafun Local Government Area. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that the pupils should be allowed to engage in planned play activities as they aid their development and that parents and older siblings should be concerned with the kind of play activities their children are exposed to.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Plays is an essential aspect of the child’s life in village yards, schools and even in church premises, children are always seen playing. In their play, they carry out a lot of activities much of which border on presence of fantasies and develop secret cultural understanding which allows children to express their thought and feeling, faster flexible and divergent thinking provides opportunities to mere and solve real problems (Copple, 2012).

Play had been recognized by educators and researchers as the primary means through which young children learn, without the provision of play space in the school time table in a school, the children will definitely have limited opportunity for play. Among the benefits of play are; opportunity to refine motor skills, positive inter-personal interaction (Gallahue & Ozmun, 2011); self-concept development (Ignico, 2014); and developing children attention span (Benelli and Yongue, 2015). The provision of play in nursery schools is necessary and could promote the general development of the child.

The National Policy on Education (FRN, 2014) emphasized the use of play way method as the method of instruction at the pre-primary level of education. The implication of this policy is that there must be adequate time and space within and outside of the classroom for children to play. Jeansonne (2014) opined that helping a child succeed in cognitive development tasks requires play opportunities for a child to practice the desired skills.

Providing a play opportunity for nursery children to move, run, jump, climb, paint colour objects and to interact with their environment could therefore be considered as an appropriate practice for children to develop their learning abilities. In addition, Brotherson (2016) has it that most 3 and 4 year old children are matured enough and will be ready to actively use their large muscles in running, jumping, climbing and to participate in play activities  with peers.

Gallahua and Ozmun (2011) agreed with the fact the children are ready to begin learning  fundamental  motor skills by age  three or four and that play is an indispensable requirement in nursery school environment in other to enhance a smooth transition of the child from home to school. Play provides the child with the opportunity to carry out activities that enhance motor development.

Out-door play also offer opportunity for pupils to constantly perform the fundamental movements that should be encouraged and developed through nursery school education. The author suggested that a schedule for using the play space and materials should be made in a situation where the number of children is high and the space is limited, so that all the children are not outdoors at the same time in other to provides opportunity for actives and spontaneous movement as children consolidate and against this background that the present study focused on pupils participation  in play activities and pupils learning of social studies in primary school in Ukanafun Local Government Area.

Pupils’ Participation in Play Activities and Learning of Social Studies in Primary Schools

1.2       Statement of the problem  

Naturally, play is essentials to everybody in time past people use to come over by night to play all sorts of play without being fearful, after a whole day work. But now, most parents seem to be very angry when their wards are found engaging in one form of play or the other. This make some children become smart behind them.

In schools, some allow their learners to play for a short time, but spend much time on teaching. It’s pertinent to state clearly the adage “All works and no play make Jack a dull boy” cannot be taken for granted. But also, all play and no work has a negative emphasizes on play participation and pupils learning development, there is need to examine the problem associated with these. The need to observe to know whether our children do interact during play is needful. Therefore, for this study the following problems are identified:

• Parents do not allow or watch their children play.
• Play is regarded as waste of time or has nothing meaningful to offer.
• Children play are not planned to enable some respect of their development.

Most parents care givers and schools do not understand the usefulness of play in children around development. This therefore motivated the researcher to investigate pupils’ participation in play activities and pupils learning of social studies in primary schools