Influence of indoor and outdoor environment on language development of pre-schoolers in the effutu municipality

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.