USING STORY-TELLING TO IMPROVE ATTENTION SPAN AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN AWKA SOUTH L.G.A

Abstract

This study was on Using story-telling to improve attention span among primary school pupils in Awka South L.G.A. The total population for the study is 200 selected staffs of selected primary schools in Accra, Ghana. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up of headmasters, headmistresses, teachers and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1Background of the study

Physically, six year old children have improved use of all their different body parts which allows for better gross and fine motor skills and they are more aware of their body positions and movements. Socially, they are very interested in their peers’ opinions and abilities, both for social comparison and for the sake of making friends.

Also, they have close emotional attachments with the pivotal adults in their lives including teachers. Emotionally, they are not good in understanding accurately another person’s emotions as awareness of others emotions may play a role in the reduction of aggressive and disruptive behaviours among primary school children (Tornlinson, 2009). Intellectually, Anthony (2014) noted that they are in the latter phase of Piaget’s preoperational period, the time during which children learn to use language. Children’s thought and communications are typically egocentric (about themselves). Another key feature which children display during this stage is animism.

Storytelling is one of the oldest methods of communicating ideas and images (Mello, 2001). In the traditional African societies, young children were told stories by their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. According to Omoleye (1977), folktales played a very important role in the community life of Nigerians. Although the stories were unwritten, they have been passed down from generations without losing their originality. As important as storytelling is to the education of young children, it is not accorded adequate attention in primary schools (Mello, 2001 and Philip 2000).

It has been observed that children spend more time with the electronic media and lesser time listening to stories because parents lead such busy lives that they no longer have time to read bedtime stories to their children (TalkTalk Group, 2011) instead they prefer their children to fill their evenings watching the television and playing games (Paton, 2012).

Statement of the problem

Storytelling is one of the oldest methods of communicating ideas and images (Mello, 2001). In the traditional African societies, young children were told stories by their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. Tales and stories are effective and useful listening materials for children to develop listening comprehension and literacy both in their first and second language (Zevenbergenn and Whitehurst, 2003).

According to Omoleye (1977), folktales played a very important role in the community life of Nigerians. Although the stories were unwritten, they have been passed down from generations without losing their originality. As important as storytelling is to the education of young children, it is not accorded adequate attention in primary schools (Mello, 2001 and Philip 2000).

It has been observed that children spend more time with the electronic media and lesser time listening to stories because parents lead such busy lives that they no longer have time to read bedtime stories to their children (TalkTalk Group, 2011) instead they prefer their children to fill their evenings watching the television and playing games. Based on this the researcher wants to investigate Using story-telling to improve attention span among primary school pupils in Awka South L.G.A.

Objective of the study

The objectives of the study are;

1. To ascertain whether stories improve attention span among primary school pupils at Anglican primary school.
2. To examine the effect of gender on the listening skills of primary school pupils at Anglican primary school.
3. To ascertain the impact of stories on pupil and their academic performance

Research hypotheses

The following have been put forward for testing

H0: stories do not improve attention span among primary school pupils at Anglican primary school

H1:  stories improve attention span among primary school pupils at Anglican primary school

H0: there is no impact of stories on pupil and their academic performance

H2: there is impact of stories on pupil and their academic performance

Significance of the study

The study will be very significant to students and ministry of education in Ghana. The study will give a clear insight on the Using story-telling to improve attention span among primary school pupils in Awka South L.G.A. The study will serve as a reference to other researchers that will embark on the related topic.

Scope and limitation of the study

The scope of the study covers Using story-telling to improve attention span among primary school pupils in Awka South L.G.A. The researcher encounters some constraints which limit the scope of the study namely:

The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

 Definition of terms

Attention span: Attention span is the amount of time spent concentrating on a task before becoming distracted. Distractibility occurs when attention is uncontrollably diverted to another activity or sensation.

Story tale: A fairy tale, fairytale, wonder tale, magic tale, fairy story or Märchen is an instance of a folklore genre that takes the form of a short story

Listening: Listening is the active process of receiving and responding to spoken (and sometimes unspoken) messages. Listening is not just hearing what the other party in the conversation has to say