PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) TEACHERS USE TO TEACH LITERACY SKILLS IN RURAL CENTERS OF PEMBA DISTRICT IN ZAMBIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess Pedagogical Practices Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers use to teach Literacy Skills in Rural Centers of Pemba District in Zambia. The study objectives included finding out the strategies teachers use to teach literacy in ECE centers in Pemba rural schools, identifying the teaching learning method (TLM) being used to teach literacy in ECE center in Pemba district and assessing the challenges faced in teaching literacy in rural ECE center of Pemba district. This study used a qualitative research approach and employed a phenomenological design. To obtain data for the study, the target population for the study consisted of the District Official School managers, ECE teachers and learners. Purposive sampling was used to come up with the 7ECE teachers and School managers. The findings of the study indicated that there were a number of methods that were being employed in the teaching of literacy which included role play, songs games and dramatizations. The study also established that play methods were usually the most effective technique because this method helped learners to learn on their own will and pace. The study further established that the major challenges teachers faced were lack of understanding of the language policy, lack of teaching and learning materials and inconsistent in administrative material support from the school administration. The study concluded, there were various pedagogical practices that early childhood education teachers used to teach literacy skills in rural centers of Pemba district in Zambia such as role play, songs games and dramatizations. The study recommends that teachers should intensify incorporating of teaching strategies into their teaching because this will help in enhancing children's understanding, socialization, and problem-solving skills.