| dc.description.abstract | The study investigated the impact of instructional materials of performance on number writing
among pre-school children in Kamukunji District. It investigated the importance of instructional
materials, examined the number writing activities done by children to acquire number writing
skills, errors children make in number writing as well as the impact of in-servicing of pre-school
teachers to facilitate number writing activities with the aim of enhancing children’s performance
in number work positively. The research design used was quasi experimental. It had control
group and experimental group whose data was tabulated on the pre-test and post-test observation
checklist. The 5 pre-schools head teachers and 15 pre-school teachers completed questionnaires
which were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Children in the
experimental groups who used instructional materials in activities performed better than the other
two groups. Their number writing skills, number sequence, number shaping, number sizing and
number alignment performance improved tremendously due to active involvement in activities
that used instructional materials. Their level of number reflection errors, number omission,
number sizing, number spacing greatly reduced. The use of instructional materials helped the
children to use their senses as well as developing children motor muscles and eye hand
coordination. Those with special needs were easily detected. Material used helped to identify
children’s different multiple intelligences as well as children’s interest and ability which helped
in grouping them. The use of materials engaged children in activities and this provided a most
effective means of clarifying many mathematical concepts and relations through experience of
associating them directly with physical things. Activity methods increase concentration,
perception and retention. Teachers learnt that they could use children’s errors as learning agents
to understand the child’s thinking and hence become a basis of assisting the children. The
materials helped children to use their senses as they modeled and destroyed as well as feeling the
materials. They were also actively involved in manipulation of different materials. This helped in
detecting children’s weaknesses such as eye hand coordination and motor muscle problems and
this enhanced an opportunity for early intervention at an early age. The researcher found the
ECDE teachers had not been in-serviced for a long time and the issue needed to be addressed
urgently. The report recommended the need to examine other factors that may be affecting
children’s performance in number writing as well as other factors contributing to errors children
make in number writing | en_US |
