Improving overarm throwing skill among kindergarten pupils through selected traditional games in Esau Ofori Preschool of Akuapem North District, Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of selected traditional games on overarm throwing skill performance among kindergarten two pupils. A single group pretest posttest, quasi experimental design was used. Target schools for the study were 119 public preschools in the Akuapem North District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The Sample size for the study was made up of 37 kindergarten two pupils from one public preschool which was selected using purposive sampling technique. Data was collected using Test of Gross Motor Development -2 (TGMD-2) instrument designed by Ulrich in the year 2000. It is a norm-reference test designed to assess the fundamental motor skills of children between the ages of 3 to 10. The process and product measure of overarm throwing skill was assessed by observation (video recording) and coded with the TGMD-2 instrument. A dependent t–test statistical method was used to analyze the overhand throw performance at both the pretest and posttest stages with alpha level set at 0.05 for two tailed test. Also, a two sample t-test assuming unequal variance was used to analyze the gender difference in pupils overarm throwing performance at both pretest and posttest stages. The results of the study revealed that traditional games have a significant effect on kindergarten two pupils’ overarm throwing skill performance. Also, the findings of this research indicated that traditional games help improve upon pupils overarm throwing skill performance with a moderate effect of 4.59. It is therefore recommended that traditional games should be incorporated into the teaching of fundamental motor skills in the early childhood years of schooling in Ghanaian schools.