Practices of kindergarten teachers in assessing kindergarteners' reading and writing skills in Bosomtwe District

Abstract

The study sought to investigate practices of kindergarten teachers in assessing kindergartners’ reading and writing skills in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The study adopted the sequential explanatory mixed methods design, which is characterised by the collection and analysis of quantitative data followed by the collection and analysis of qualitative data. A sample of 119 trained early childhood teachers were selected for the study. They were selected using simple random sampling and maximal variation sampling techniques. Questionnaires and interviews were instruments used to collect data for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that kindergarten teachers in Bosomtwe held a positive view on assessment practices concerning reading and writing skills for kindergarteners. Kindergarten teachers most frequently employ “teacher-made paper-and-pencil tests”, “observation”, and “checklist” in assessing kindergarteners’ reading and writing skills. Nonetheless, the results showed that most teachers do not use “anecdotal records”, “running records”, “portfolio”, “rating scale”, and “cloze assessment” in assessing Kindergarteners’ reading and writing skills. The study identified inadequate assessment standards, large class size, inadequate time, deficiency in aligning curriculum with reading and writing assessment tools as challenges kindergarten teachers face in assessing learners’ reading and writing skills. The study, among others, recommends that Ghana Education Service (GES) frequently organise workshops to update kindergarten teachers on contemporary assessment practices in assessing reading and writing skills.