1.1 Introduction
Phonological skills refer to the ability of children to identify, differentiate, and manipulate sounds in spoken words, such as rhyming, blending, and segmenting sounds. In public early childhood education centres, particularly within the Nigerian context, play is expected to play a pivotal role in nurturing children's phonological development. The Nigerian National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014) accentuates the importance of play-based learning in promoting creativity, communication, and foundational literacy among preschoolers. However, in practice, many public early childhood classrooms continue to rely heavily on formal, teacher-centered instruction rather than experiential, play-oriented approaches that naturally stimulate sound and language awareness.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The early years of a child's life represent a critical period for language and literacy development, during which phonological skills emerge as fundamental building blocks for reading and communication. Phonological skills refer to a child's awareness of the sound structure of language, including the ability to recognize, differentiate, and manipulate phonemes, syllables, and rhymes. According to Adams (1990), phonological awareness is one of the strongest predictors of later reading success, as children who develop the ability to hear and play with sounds in words are better equipped to decode written language (Adams, 1990).
Play, on the other hand, serves as a natural and effective medium for learning in early childhood education. Piaget (1962) asserted that play is the child's work - a vital process through which learning and cognitive development occur. Through play, children experiment with sounds, words, and social interactions, thereby developing a deeper understanding of language patterns. Vygotsky (1978) reported that play provides a social framework for language acquisition, as children learn and internalize linguistic rules while interacting with peers and adults in imaginative contexts. Within this process, phonological development is strengthened as children engage in rhyming games, singing, word repetition, and storytelling.
The importance of play-based learning in fostering phonological skills has been widely emphasized in early childhood education research. According to Snow, Burns, and Griffin (1998), early exposure to playful, sound-based activities enhances children's ability to connect spoken and written words. Similarly, Neuman and Dickinson (2001) affirmed that play activities such as songs, chants, and storytelling nurture sound awareness and vocabulary growth, laying the foundation for reading fluency. Despite this, many public early childhood education centres, especially in Nigeria, still rely on formal teaching approaches that focus on rote memorization rather than interactive, play-oriented learning.
The Nigerian National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014) stated that early childhood education should be play-based and child-centered, emphasizing activities that stimulate curiosity and creativity. However, in practice, there is a significant gap between policy intentions and classroom realities. Olayiwola (2019) contended that most teachers in public early childhood centres lack the necessary training and resources to integrate play into phonological instruction effectively. Consequently, children's phonological development is often hindered by monotonous teaching methods that do not support active engagement or exploration of language sounds (Olayiwola, 2019).
Adewale and Ojo (2020) reported that children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have limited access to literacy materials and stimulating environments, both at home and in school. This restriction reduces their opportunities to engage in playful linguistic activities that promote sound awareness. Similarly, Eze (2021) asserted that inadequate teacher preparation, insufficient instructional materials, and overcrowded classrooms contribute to the poor implementation of phonological learning strategies in public early childhood settings.
Research from various educational systems has also shown that children who engage in frequent play-based literacy experiences demonstrate stronger phonological awareness than those taught through traditional methods. According to Berk and Winsler (1995), play enhances children's self-expression and symbolic thinking, both of which are essential for understanding the relationship between sounds and words. However, in many Nigerian public early childhood education centres, teachers often underestimate the role of play as a pedagogical tool for language development.
The neglect of play in early literacy instruction has broader implications for children's academic progress. Children who enter primary school without adequate phonological awareness are more likely to struggle with reading comprehension and spelling. As noted by Ehri (2014), the failure to establish a strong foundation in phonological skills at the preschool level can lead to long-term reading difficulties and lower academic achievement. This study is set against the backdrop of the need to explore the relationship between play and the development of phonological skills among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres.
1.3 Statement of Problems
In many public early childhood education centres, teachers often focus on rote learning and letter recognition rather than engaging children in activities that stimulate phonemic awareness, such as rhyming, segmenting, and blending sounds. As noted by Olayiwola (2019), a lack of interactive and play-based learning environments is affecting children's ability to recognize and manipulate sounds effectively. On the other hand, play is recognized as an effective pedagogical approach for enhancing children's phonological development. Play-based learning provides opportunities for children to explore sounds, rhythm, and language patterns in natural and engaging ways.
Furthermore, socioeconomic challenges facing public schools have contributed to disparities in the quality of early childhood education. Many centres lack the resources and instructional support necessary to implement structured phonological activities through play. As observed by Adewale and Ojo (2020), children from low-income backgrounds are at a higher risk of phonological delay due to limited access to stimulating literacy materials both at school and at home. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to investigate the role of play in the development of phonological skills among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The main aim of this study is to assess the influence of play on the development of phonological skills among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres.
The specific objectives of the study are:
- To examine the extent to which play contributes to the development of phonological skills among preschoolers.
- To identify the types of play activities that promote phonological awareness in public early childhood education centres.
- To assess teachers' attitudes and competencies towards using play in phonological instruction.
- To investigate the challenges that hinder the effective use of play-based methods in teaching phonological skills.
- To recommend strategies that will enhance the integration of play in phonological development among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- To what extent does play contribute to the development of phonological skills among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres?
- What types of play activities promote phonological awareness in public early childhood education centres?
- What are the attitudes and competencies of teachers towards using play in phonological instruction?
- What are the major challenges hindering the effective use of play in developing phonological skills among preschoolers?
- What strategies will enhance the integration of play in phonological development among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H0: There is no significant relationship between play and the development of phonological skills among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres.
- H1: There is significant relationship between play and the development of phonological skills among preschoolers in public early childhood education centres.
1.7 Significance of Study
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will improve their learning experiences by introducing enjoyable and interactive methods that will make phonological learning more meaningful and engaging. The study will also help policymakers, curriculum developers, and education administrators to integrate more effective play-oriented methods into early childhood programs.
Furthermore, the study will contribute to teacher professional development by emphasizing the need for adequate training and resources that will enable educators to effectively integrate play into phonological instruction.
Lastly, the research study will contribute to the growing body of knowledge on early literacy and will serve as a valuable reference for future studies on play and phonological development.
1.8 Scope of Study
This study will be carried out in selected public early childhood education centres in Rivers State, Nigeria. The focus will be on assessing how play influences the development of phonological skills among preschoolers in these centres.
The study will involve teachers and caregivers who are directly involved in early literacy instruction, as well as educational administrators who oversee curriculum implementation at the preschool level.
1.9 Limitations of the study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Play:
Play is a natural and voluntary activity through which children explore, experiment, and make sense of their environment while developing cognitive, social, and linguistic abilities (Piaget, 1962).
Phonological Skills:
Phonological skills refer to the ability to recognize and manipulate the sound structures of language, including syllables, rhymes, and phonemes (Adams, 1990).
Preschoolers:
Preschoolers are young children, typically between the ages of 3 and 5, who are enrolled in early childhood education programs prior to entering primary school (Neuman & Dickinson, 2001).
Early Childhood Education Centres:
These are educational settings designed to provide foundational learning experiences for children below primary school age, focusing on cognitive, emotional, social, and language development (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014).
Phonological Awareness:
Phonological awareness is the conscious sensitivity to the sound structure of language, which enables children to detect and manipulate sounds in spoken words (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998).
Public Early Childhood Education Centres:
These are government-funded preschools that provide free or subsidized early education to children, especially from low-income families, to promote literacy and school readiness (Olayiwola, 2019).
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