Abstract:
The study sought to find out the impact of indoor and outdoor environments on language
development of preschool children in Ghana. The study was conducted in the Effutu Municipality.
The mixed method approach was used for the study. The study sampled 215 participants. Purposive
sampling technique was used in selecting eight teachers teaching at the preschool level and 56
parents who enrolled their children in the four schools involved in the study. Semi-structured
interview and questionnaire were used to collect data. The interview data was analysed
thematically. The questionnaires were analysed using the SPSS software programme. The results
of the study from both the parents and the teachers revealed that language is a system that relates
sounds or gestures to meaning. The main findings of the study are: - First, environments rich with
teaching and learning materials promote language development in preschool children. Again,
environments in which children are given the opportunity to express their views promote language
development in preschool children. Also, the analysis revealed that indoor environments that are
print rich and full of picture books promote language development in preschool children. The study
further revealed that story-telling and reading to preschool children both indoor and outdoor
promote their language development. Furthermore, play materials, positive and quick adult
response to children’s requests both promote language development by preschool children. Finally,
the study revealed that environments that are loving, rich in language and allows free interaction
between pupil-pupil, pupil-parent, and pupil-teacher promote language development by preschool
children.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Educational
Studies, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Early Childhood Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
