Effect Of Teachers Understanding Of Use Of Play On Pre School Children Oral Literacy Development In Bomet County- Kenya

Children are growing up in a rapidly changing world characterized by dramatic shifts in what all children are expected to know and be able to do. Higher and tougher standards of learning for all populations of students are focusing on a narrow view of learning. Consequently, students have less time and opportunity to play than did children of previous generations. A developmental perspective pays attention to signs of maturing, whether of children maturing or, of the maturing of play (Scarlett et al., 2005). In this regard, Fromberg and Bergen (2006) highlight what they describe as the permeable nature of play as it interacts with, parallels, represents and integrates physical, social, emotional, aesthetic and cognitive experiences. Ethnographic studies have illustrated that young human beings play in all societies Abstract: Early childhood educators are faced with expanded academic expectations that have forced them to devise ways that will enhance effective learning in pre schools. Play is one of the activities adopted to promote effective learning in preschool classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of play in oral skills development among preschool children. The main objective of the study was to examine use of play in oral skills development among the preschool children. The specific objective of the study was to establish the teachers’ understanding of the use of play and how it affect the child's oral skills development. The study adopted the surveyresearch design. The target population was 185 ECD centres,with a total population of 370 teachers and managers in Bomet central division. A sample of 30% of the centers was selected to give a sample of 56 centres. All the 112 teachers and centre managers in the selected centres were considered for the study. The data collection instrument included a semi structured questionnaire designed for the teachers and an interview guide for the centre managers. Reliability of the study instrument was computed and a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability index of 0.733 obtained. Validity was established using lecturers who are experts in the area of ECD to provide their judgemental opinion. Data collected was organized and summarized with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Data was organised descriptively using frequencies and percentages. The results were analysed using pearsons correlation analyis and presented using frequency and percentage tables and charts. The study established that play has an effect on the oral skills development of the preschool pupils. The results also indicated that the nature of play was key in oral skills development, based on the factor analysis. The study concluded that use of play has an effect on the oral skills development of the pre school pupils. It was recommended that teachers need to be trained on effective use of play in enhancing literacy development and also there was need to have an effective play environment to ensure that pupils are effectively engaged in most constructive play to enhance their oral skills.