ABSTRACT: This study examined teaching methods and academic achievement in social studies among primary five school pupils. From the population size of 1264 pupils, 120 primary five pupils were randomly sampled for the study from five selected schools in the study area. Three questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and a quasi experimental research design was adopted. Instrument for data collection was Teacher-Made Social Studies Achievement Test (TMSOSAT). Data obtained were analyzed using independent t-test.
Findings indicated that pupils taught using demonstration method and role play method achieve academically better than those taught using play-way and traditional method. It was recommended therefore that teachers of social studies on the primary level should endeavour to use demonstration method as well as role-play method in teaching the subject to effectively ensure pupils achievement.
Teaching Methods and Academic Achievement in Social Studies among Primary Five School Pupils
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
The quality and intellectual aims of education in Nigeria society has become the concern of educationists being looked upon to bring to fruition the attainment of a society backed strongly by future citizens who are conscious and innovatively oriented. She added that it is because of this that the teaching activity of the teacher falls under the search light of the larger society.
The National Policy on education cited in Ekanem (2006) clearly recognized the role of the teacher when it declares that teacher’s education shall continue to be given major emphasis in all educational planning and development.
According to Uwameiye and Ojikutu (2008), teaching can be defined as the action of a person (learner) teaching may also refers to instruction the education performed by teacher (Okon, 2014).
However, Ekanem (2003) has stated that teaching is a complex process in primary school because at this to be even more complex because at this level teachers are dealing with infants who needs more attention. The author added that teachers who teach in primary schools must be made to understand that they have a very important role to play in preparing the youngsters for the greater task ahead primary schools teachers therefore should be able to give good start to the pupils at this level to ensure better academic future of the learners.
Accordingly, Obuma (2004) has stated that teachers must be engaged in a constant search for teaching methods and learning. Teaching of social studies may require long hours of work and preparation. The critical annalistic nature of social studies requires that its teaching be carried out using appropriate method. Techniques and information which will help improve students or pupils learning and academic performance.
Teaching methods has been associated with students and pupil’s academic performance by educationalist, researchers and authors the teaching methods, according to Ekanem (2006) may be a teaching that is guided by certain basic beliefs.
Teaching methods that teachers adopt requires some preliminary parathion Kizlik (2012) stated that teaching methods that is right for a particular subject or topic depends on several factors such as the age of the learners, developmental level of the learners, what they already knout and what they need to know to succeed with the lesson, the available resources. For effective teaching of social studies, the following methods are usually adopted for teaching and learning of the subject they include discussion methods, team teaching methods, lecture methods, or play way method, field trip method and problem solving method, project or assignment method among others.
Among the aforementioned teaching methods, some methods can be better than others in the teaching of social studies at the primary level of education; it is on this ground that this study is conducted to find out how teaching methods influence academic performance of primary five pupils in social studies among primary studies.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The continuous issue of pupil’s poor academic achievement in social studies in primary schools in the study area has been the reason for undertaking this research study.
Despite the role of government, teachers and parents encourage proper education of the Nigerian child; academic performance of pupils in social studies is observed to be very poor. The report from the ministry of education promotion examination to primary six 2012 and 2013 show that pupils academic achievement depicts a disappointing falling standard.
The society seemed to blame the law academic achievement of pupils on a number of factors including the teaching methods in which this study seeks to confirm and identify the teaching method that can be used to improve academic achievement of pupils in social studies. The study if out into question is how does teaching methods influence primary school pupils academic achievement influence primary school pupils academic achievement in social studies the answers not readily available therefore it become imperative to carry out a research study to examine the influence of teaching methods on pupils academic achievement in social studies in primary schools in the study area.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The main purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of teaching method and academic achievement of primary five pupils in the study area. Specifically, the study aimed at the following objectives:
- To investigate the influence of play-way method on academic achievement in social studies among primary schools pupils.
- To examine the effect of demonstration method on academic achievement in social studies among primary school pupils.
- To investigate the influence of role playing method on pupils academic performance in social students.
Teaching Methods and Academic Achievement in Social Studies among Primary Five School Pupils
1.4 Significance of the study
This study would be significant in a number of ways:
- The findings of this study will help teachers to select among the teaching methods that can bring about effective teaching and learning of social studies at the primary levels.
- Finding of the study will help the educational planners to send primary school social studies teachers to various re-fresher courses on teaching methods.
- The findings of this study will help them to achieve more from teaching and learning.
- The findings will help academicians in theory development to explain academic achievement.
- The findings will be important for educational administrators who want to determine the possible required changes to improve academic achievement of students.