INFLUENCE OF TEACHER COLLABORATION ON USE OF A PLAY-BASED APPROACH IN TEACHING READING IN WUXI-XIEHE BILINGUAL KINDERGARTEN, CHINA

Reading is an important basic academic skill that has a major influence on learning and performance in other subjects. Studies have reported that using play in kindergartens helps learners acquire basic reading skills. Research has demonstrated that in China, there is limited use of play in kindergartens. Since teachers are key players in kindergarten learners’ experiences, it was important to establish the teacher factors that accounted for the limited use of play in kindergartens. This study sought to explore how teacher collaboration influences the use of a play-based approach in teaching reading in Wuxi-Xiehe Bilingual Kindergarten, China. The study was anchored on the Cognitive Theory of Development by Vygotsky (1978). A descriptive research design was applied, and the study targeted a population of 37 individuals from whom a sample of 13 respondents, comprising one head teacher and 12 preschool teachers, was obtained. A questionnaire, an observation checklist, and an interview schedule were used to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics that included frequencies and percentages, while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings showed that the majority (46.2%) of the teachers occasionally engaged in team inquiries and collaborative decision-making regarding teaching methods. Additionally, the study established a strong correlation(r=0.884, p=0.001 <0.005) between teacher collaboration and their use of play as a teaching approach. The study concluded that there was partial adoption of teacher collaboration in Wuxi-Xiehe Bilingual Kindergarten, which could negatively affect the implementation of play-based strategies for teaching reading. The study recommended that teachers should continue to foster collaborative professional learning, especially collaborative learning, on both structural and educational processes.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0257/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>