Extent of provision and utilization of children‟s literature for effective literacy development of school children in Anambra State

This study investigated the extent of provision and utilization of children‟s literature for effective literacy development of school children in Anambra State. It was guided with two research questions. Census sampling technique was adopted for this study, with a population of thirty five teacher librarians in public primary schools, comprising five males and thirty females in Anambra State. The instrument used for data collection was structured questionnaire titled: “Extent of Provision and Utilization of Children‟s Literature for effective Literacy Development of School Children in Anambra State (EPUCLELDSCAS)”. The reliability of the instrument is at coefficient of 0.848. The researcher used on the spot method of data collection. The demographic data of the respondents was anlysed with simple percentage. The data collected was analyzed with weighted mean. The study found that children's literature essential for literacy development among school children encompasses biographies, poetry, novels, nonfiction, adventure stories, early readers, realistic fiction, traditional literature, folklore, and fairy tales. The availability of such literature for enhancing literacy among school children in Anambra State is insufficient. The use of children's literature for effective literacy development is also low. Due to the limited availability and utilization, children's literature is not effectively contributing to the literacy development of school children in Anambra State. The study concluded that children's literature essential for literacy development among school children encompasses biographies, poetry, novels, nonfiction, adventure stories, early readers, realistic fiction, traditional literature, folklore, and fairy tales. However, the availability of such literature for enhancing literacy among school children in Anambra State is insufficient. The study recommended that librarians should be employed and also receive training on how to effectively incorporate children's literature into their teaching methods to enhance literacy skills. This study contributes significantly to understanding the critical role of children's literature in literacy development among school children.