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Browsing Edu by Author "Abida Khan"

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    A study of teacher's role in cognitive development of children at pre school level in private schools of Lahore
    (UMT, Lahore, 2006) Abida Khan
    This iiuiiiiry is an attempt to look into the quality and standard of the iaeililies and oppDi liinilies heinp provided to determine the extent of the teachers" role in the cognitive development of 3-5 year olds in the private preschools of Lahore. Fifteen teachers of 5 private .schools offering pre school education, care and development in WAPDA 1 own, Lahore were interviewed in this regard. In addition the curriculum, teaching methodologies and resources used to teach, daily activities, class environment, routine classroom practices, as well as sources, frequency and uses of the assessment process of each school were observed in detail for over a period of 5 weeks and compared against the specified International Standards of Preschool Services. A descriptive analysis of the huge amount of qualitative data yielded by the study indicated that more than 50% of private preschool teachers were completely unaware oi the learning objectives and desirable outcomes of early childhood education and lacked awareness of the ways children learn and develop cognition. Some 30% oi them stumbled upon some good practices and only 20% teachers of private preschool teachers laeilitated cognitive development of the preschoolers. Suitability of the personnel supervising the kids, provision of facilities by the school and parental involvement needed lurther attention in all the preschools. All but one school were found lagging way behind the international standards in physical environment, curriculum planning, teaching methodologies, assessment and evaluation systems, as well as documentation and maintenance of records. The study showed that formal instruction in literacy and numeracy teaching was being directly and indirectly imposed upon 3 to 5 year olds, as the eurriculum and the teaching methodologies comprised mainly routine work that lacked creativity and haidly facilitated cognitive development in any way. Classroom practices also did not contiibute much to the use of thinking skills or intellectual faculty. A huge majority oi piivate preschool teachers were found to be following only the conventionally accepted methods of monotonous repetition, rote memorization, drill and practice on isolated academic skills, icachcr lecture, and repetitive seatwork (traditionally done elas,s-vvork). Teachers of private presehools were also found to be relying solely on making children learn things by rote, colour endlessly in worksheets, and generally being passive in most learning situations. Only one preschool owned a purpose built building and that too laeked adequate play spaee while only two presehools arranged (and continuously trained) elTective teachers to tap the huge potential of preschoolers. Moreover, the conventional assessment process of all the schools failed to observe children in ways that could help them overcome their problems or improve the delivery and design of the way they were laught and trained. The study recommended that children under the age of 5 must have separate lacilities and a different teaching approach from that of the older children specilically plaeing greater emphasis on active, practical and conceptual learning that leads to understanding as well as on acquisition of basic skills, meaningful and relevant learning e.Kperiences, interactive teaching, cooperative learning, and a broad range of relevant coiUenl. inlegraled across traditional subject matter divisions through play and \aii(Hi.s other activities