Effectiveness of Play-Based Learning Method in Promotion of Early Literacy Skills Among Early Childhood Development Education Children

Literacy skills for children in their early years are critical to their cognitive development and future success in primary, secondary and higher education levels. Children acquire literacy skills early through listening and interacting through play-based activities both at home and school with their teachers, colleagues and parents. This paper looks at the effectiveness of play-based learning in promotion of early literacy skills among children in early childhood development education level. Specifically, the paper analyses the conceptual and theoretical perspectives of play-based learning and literacy skills acquisition by children through the theories of Maria Montessori, Vygotsky social constructivism theory and Jean Piaget cognitive theories. The study uses secondary sources of information for analysis based on the following objectives; types of play-based approaches used by teachers in ECD setting, teachers’ role in the implementation of play-based learning and effect of play-based learning approaches towards promotion of early literacy skills by ECD pupils in schools. The paper has found out that acquisition of early literacy skills by learners was dependent on the degree to which teachers were utilising play-based learning methods in classroom. The review of studies has shown that majority of teachers are not using play-based teaching methods and hence promotion of early literacy skills for children was significantly affected. Further, time allocated for play-based learning processes was inadequate and majority of public ECD centres were found not to have adequate infrastructure and materials to support play-based learning. The paper recommends that teachers need to be supported in implementation of play-based learning through attendance of in-service training programmes and benchmarking sessions in other schools, schools to upgrade the infrastructure and instructional materials required to support play-based learning and education officials to conduct supervision of implementation of play-based learning in schools