Significance of the Availability and Adequacy of Play Materials in Teaching Religious Education Learners in Primary Schools in Baringo Central Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

The paper focuses on the use of play materials to support play method of teaching Religious Education subject to primary school children for acquisition of knowledge and skills. Teachers require play materials to be able to explore hands-on, interactive, and engaging way to explore abstract religious concepts and stories among primary school learners. Teaching requires use of play materials to make learners understand abstract concepts real and concrete. The theoretical framework of the study was guide by two theories; Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory perspective and Cognitive Developmental Theory by Jean Piaget . The study was carried out in Baringo Central Sub County. The objective was to determine the availability and adequacy of play materials to enhance the teaching of Religious Education content. The target population comprised 272 teachers in 136 primary schools in Baringo Central Sub-County. Descriptive survey design was used. Simple random sampling technique was used to identify the respondents. A sample size of 82 teachers was utilized for the investigation. Questionnaires were used for data collection. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics to determine frequencies and percentages. Play method through use of play materials in primary schools is widely accepted as a mode of teaching and learning. Children playful behavior has been found to positively affect their brain development and learning ability (Dewar, 2015). The play materials that can be used to facilitate effective teaching in Religious Education are; Modelling of Objects, Story Telling Flips, Role Play Materials, Games, Visual Materials, Touch Materials, Use of Dolls, and Object Constructions. Therefore, the importance of play materials on a child’s learning at this level cannot be ignored. Play materials in primary schools are required to support child play activities and to acquire knowledge and skills enabling them understand religious concepts. Various categories of child play do exist in primary schools, and the main ones that help to facilitate learning include: cognitive play, sociodramatic play, gross-motor play, language and literacy play, fine-motor play (Frost et. al., 2010). These categories of child play are reported to contribute increase motivation and enable acquisition of knowledge and skills.