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VISUAL ART SKILLS, MATERIALS AND

ACTIVITIES

TOWARDS ENHANCING TEACHING HOW TO BEGIN READING

AND WRITING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN

UGANDA

Principal Investigator:

Josephine W. Mukasa Senior Lecture, CIAD NKUMBA UNIVERSITY

Co-Investigators:

Mrs. Rose Kirumira (PhD) Senior Lecturer, Art education

Mr. Paul Lubowa Lecturer, Art Education

Nkumba University2011


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CONTENTS

Contents ..................................................................................................................................................... .2

LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................... ....4

LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................................5

PREAMBLE .................................................................................................................................................6

CHAPTER ONE ...........................................................................................................................................7

BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................................7

1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... .7

1.1 Background to the study ....................................................................................................................8

1.2 Problem statement ..........................................................................................................................10

1.3. Purpose of the research ..................................................................................................................11

1.4 Overall objective ..............................................................................................................................11

1.5 Specific objectives ...........................................................................................................................11

1.6 Research assumptions ............................................................................................................ ........11

1.7 Main research question ....................................................................................................................12

1.8 Research questions .........................................................................................................................12

1.8 Justification for the study ..................................................................................................................12

1.9 Scope of the study ...................................................................................................................... .....13

CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................... .........13Literature review ............................................................................................................................... .........13

2.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... ...13

2.1 Role of visual art skills, materials and activities in reading and writing ............................... .............14

2.2 Characteristics of visual art skills, materials and activities ..............................................................15

2.3 Role, developments and application of visual art skills, materials and activities in Uganda .............16

2.4 Process of teacher preparation ........................................................................................................18

2.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................19

CHAPTER THREE .....................................................................................................................................21

Methodology ............................................................................................................................................ ..21

3.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... ...21

3.1 Study area and population: .............................................................................................................21

3.2 Data collection: ...................................................................................................................... .........21

3.3 Data collection methods and tools: .................................................................................................22

3.4 Data analysis ............................................................................................................................. ......22


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3.5 Role of local population ....................................................................................................................23

3.6 Research ethics .......................................................................................................................... .....23

3.7 Dissemination of research outputs ...................................................................................................24

References ................................................................................... .......Error: Reference source not found


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LIST OF TABLES


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LIST OF FIGURES


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PREAMBLEThe research sought to investigate the role of visual art and promote an awareness,

understanding and appreciation and application of visual art skills, materials and

activities into the enhancement of teaching and learning of reading and writing atearly child hood education. It was observed that there were vital contributions and

challenges by some schools and teachers towards education and development in

teaching reading and writing at lower primary levels. However, according to most

of the teachers, using visual art approaches to teach reading and writing did not

have a systematic design and production guidelines. No significant research had yet

been done to assess the contribution of visual arts in enhancing beginning to teach

reading and writing by lower primary teachers. In this regard the research used

observation, focus group discussion and classroom engagement to identify, analyze,

document and disseminate concepts and processes that were found relevant in

enhancing quality of teaching how to begin reading and writing in early childhood

education.

Literature suggested that researchers, government programmes, non-governmental

organizations, training institutions, schools and the teachers had taken efforts in

supporting teaching beginning reading and writing during Early Childhood

Development. Most of them agreed that visual art practices and experiences in the

early childhood education even though simple were important and were a beneficial

means to promoting healthy reading and writing environment.

Findings in this research show that teachers especially in rural areas found

challenges in using visual art skills, material and activities while teaching beginning

how to read and write. Among those are several factors such as cost of art materials

and unsupportive school administrations which affect teachers own initiative that

made it difficult for them to use appropriate visual art skills, material and activities

in reading and writing lessons.

The research however, established that there were definite visual art skills, material

and activities that could be documented and made accessible to teachers of reading

and writing for their use in all levels of early childhood education. Therefore the

investigations confirmed that the effective use of visual art skills, materials and

activities have made a big role in the enhancement of teaching how to begin to

read and write at lower primary level. Experiences and good practices andchallenges have been illustrated and presented for use by the teachers at lower

primary classes.


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CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND

1.0 Introduction

This research set out to investigate and promote an awareness,

understanding, appreciation and application of visual arts skills, use of

appropriate materials and activities towards the enhancement of teaching

how to begin reading and writing in early childhood education. It has been

observed that there are challenges and vital contributions by some schools

and teachers towards education and development in teaching reading and

writing at lower primary levels (NAPE, 2003; Dr. Nanzozi K. Muwanga, 2004;

Mukasa, Kirumira, Lubowa; 2006). Among the said challenges andcontributions towards early childhood education is the application of unique

but innovative approaches to teaching beginners to read and write (Mukasa,

Kirumira, Lubowa, 2006). However, most of the teachers in using visual art

approach to teach beginning reading and writing, seem not to have

innovative visual art skills, related resources and learning activities. There

also seems not to be significant research done to assess the contribution of

innovative visual art skills, related resources and learning activities in

enhancing the teaching of beginning reading and writing to pupils by

teachers of lower primary education.

Therefore, the research team resolved to critically examine three factors that would

establish the status of existing visual art skills , materials and activities applied by

teachers at lower primary level of teaching how to begin reading and writing in

early childhood education.

First, the team sought to examine the context of global education systems vis--vis

Uganda education system in early childhood education. The focus was how visual

art skills, materials and activities contributed to understanding of the circumstances

within which the research is situated. Emphasis was based on the following:i. What are the characteristics of visual art skills, materials and activities?

ii. What are the developments and application of visual art skills, materials

and activities?

iii. Arguments for role of visual art skills, materials and activities in early

childhood reading and writing


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iv. Evidence of role of visual art skills, materials and activities in early

childhood reading and writing

Secondly, an understanding of early childhood education visual art skills, materials

and activities in Uganda environment provided an informed background to the

research problem in terms of the following:i. Nature of local visual art skills, materials and activities

ii. Development and application of visual art skills, materials and activities

iii. Role of the visual art skills, materials and activities in beginning to teach

reading and writing

Lastly, the research explored the status of using visual art skills, materials and

activities in teaching and learning of reading and writing at early childhood

education and identifying the gaps and the nature of intervention. There was need

to investigate as appropriate for teaching how to begin reading and writing:

i. The awareness of visual art skills, materials and activitiesii. Understanding of the role of visual art skills, materials and activities

iii. Appreciation of the existing visual art skills, materials and activities

iv. Application of some of the appropriate visual art skills, materials and

activities

1.1 Background to the studyThe introduction in 1997 of Universal Primary Education revolutionized access to

primary schooling and a high percentage of children = enrolled in Primary Schools

in Uganda. However there arose increasing concerns about the quality of

education, the processes, skills and methods of teaching and learning. A range of

performance and achievement tests have been conducted by different interventions

and have revealed very low levels of pupil performances in basics skills of reading,

writing comprehension and speaking (Kyeyune, 2008).

The National Assessment of Progress in Education (NAPE) conducted by UNEB in

2003 indicated 82% of children had inadequate literacy skills. A report of the

Curriculum Review presented to national conference May and June 2004 also

confirmed the low level of acquisition of basic literacy skills where many children

especially in rural areas were not learning to read and write. In the same reports it

was established that there was a lack of reading materials and inadequate teacher

knowledge of basic techniques for teaching literacy.


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Between December 2003 and December 2004 the Rockefeller Foundation supported

Makerere University to carry out a project on Literacy Practices in Primary Schools

in Uganda led by Dr. Nanzozi K. Muwanga of the Department of Political Science and

Public Administration. The studys overall objective was to examine and document

current literacy practices in primary schools, distinguishing between good (i.e.

effective) from poor (i.e. ineffective) literacy policies and practices. The studysmethodology was empirically-based on providing an objective account of: (a)

current literacy policies and practices; (b) the backdrop against which these policies

and practices had been developed and disseminated; and (c) stakeholders views

and perceptions about these policies and procedures. The study was conducted in

43 primary schools, was done by carrying out observations over a three months

period to find out how reading and writing are taught at Grade 1 and the ways in

which reading and writing and overall literacy is introduced to children.

Among the key policy level findings of the study were the following three:

1. All schools had serious gaps in their practices related to reading andwriting where it was consistently admitted that there is a problem generally

with the way in which reading and writing is taught and especially with the

way in which it is introduced to infants.

2. All schools pointed to the fact that in teaching reading and writing,

teachers were constrained by lack of a curriculum. While the teachers

developed schemes of work and lesson plans supervised by their heads, the

reading and writing syllabus for Grades 1 and 2 had to be generated

internally. Because of this, schools that did not have enthusiastic heads

taught reading and writing without any syllabus.

3. All schools and many senior teachers pointed out that there wereseveral problems which are outside the control of the school management,

especially the training of teachers as highlighted by the following quotation:

The preparation of teachers leaves a lot to be desired teacher tutors

commit less time to teach teachers how to read than it was at the time I

trained as grade two teacher. Many recent teachers cannot answer well

questions such as: What is reading? Do we all know where to start from

when teaching reading? How should it be facilitated in terms of materials?

How do we equip everyone to become a master teacher at reading? When

should a child start reading? When is a child ready to read in a target

language? What are the stimulants to reading? When should other reading

stimuli be introduced to children? Could children who cannot read be having

a disability? (Master Teacher, 2005)

Studies on the assessment of Primary Teachers Colleges (PTC) curriculum revealed

that: there is minimal effort on the part of tutors to relate knowledge acquired in

PTCs to previously knowledge acquired in primary and secondary schools which


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would enable them to build on the already existing knowledge (REFERENCE ??).

There is inclusion of visual arts in the teaching but no emphasis is highlighted

towards its role. Yet the studies indicate that young children use visual arts not only

to communicate but to express their understanding and interpretations of the world

before they acquire means of conveying their thoughts.

It is noted that in the early years of schooling, [visual] art can be sidelined, left to

Friday afternoons, or called upon only for special occasions, such as festivals or

school fetes. In addition school [visual] art often can involve children in activities in

which they are more acted upon, rather than being active participants in [visual]

artistic processes. The messages of such didactic approaches to the [visual] arts are

that adults make the rules about how [visual] art should look, and that young

children are incompetent or incapable of making artistic decisions (Fucigna, Ives, &

Ives, 1982). This research agrees that the curriculum seems not to guide teachers

about the following:

i. How much teaching should the teacher do in the [visual] arts?ii. [How much] should young children be left to artistically express

themselves, without interference from the teacher?

iii. When is it right for the teacher to intervene when conducting a reading

or writing lesson?

iv. What is the best way for the teacher to help the young childs

developing artistry?

v. Will too much interference damage the young childs artistry, or worse,

damage their self esteem?

1.2 Problem statement

There is an overall concern about the quality of teachers and teaching reading and

writing. Though there is inclusion of visual art skills, materials and activities in

primary education, it seems that not enough emphasis has been put on its role in

contributing to the teaching of beginning reading and writing. Teachers at the lower

primary level seem not to be adequately resourceful and innovative in the

application of visual art skills, materials and activities to teach beginning reading

and writing. The teacher trainers, teachers, parents and pupils need the capacity

and knowledge on various visual art aspects of teaching and learning to enable

effective writing and reading competences and enhanced performance at lowerprimary level. The main question is what are the appropriate visual art skills,

materials and activities that would lead to the enhancement and of acquisition of

competencies and performance in beginning reading and writing at lower primary

level in Uganda.


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1.3. Purpose of the research

The research set out to provide teacher trainers, teachers, parents and pupils need

the capacity and knowledge on various visual art aspects of teaching and learning

to enable effective writing and reading competences and enhanced performance at

lower primary level.

1.4 Overall objective

The overall research objective was to establish ways of enhancing quality of

teaching how to begin reading and writing in early childhood education through use

of innovative and well established visual art visual art skills and methods by

teachers at lower primary level.

1.5 Specific objectives

i. To identify existing visual art skills, materials and activities applied by

teachers at lower primary level of teaching how to begin reading and

writing in early childhood education.

ii. To analyze and establish the relationship between unique visual art

skills, materials and activities and enhancement of teaching how to begin

reading and writing in early childhood education.

iii. To document Visual skills, materials and processes relevant in

enhancing quality of teaching how to begin reading and writing in early

childhood education.

1.6 Research assumptions

1. Use of innovative system and well established visual art skills, materials and

activities would enhance acquisition of competencies and performance in

beginning reading and writing at lower primary level.

2. An innovative teaching structure with a well established use of visual art

skills, materials and activities would enhance acquisition of competencies and

performance in beginning reading and writing at lower primary level

3. If unique and innovative visual art skills were documented and standardizedthey would easily be used by all teachers to enhance the process of teaching

how to begin reading and writing in early childhood education. The question

focused on in this phase was which visual art skills, materials and activities

applied by teachers in early childhood would be relevant in enhancing

reading and writing in early childhood education?


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1.7 Main research question

The main question of the research was what are the appropriate visual art skills,

materials and activities that would lead to the enhancement and of acquisition of

competencies and performance in beginning reading and writing at lower primary

level in Uganda?

1.8 Research questions

i. What are the global arguments towards the use of visual art skills, materials

and activities in the teaching of beginning reading and writing in early

childhood education?

ii. What are the existing visual art skills, materials and activities applied by

teachers in early childhood education in Uganda?

iii. What is the status of visual art skills, materials and activities in beginningreading and writing in early childhood education in Uganda?

iv. What are the existing modes of visual art skills, materials and activities in

beginning to read and write in early childhood education?

v. How do the teachers within the selected primary schools apply visual art

skills, materials and activities in reading and writing lesson plans?

vi. Does the application of unique approaches of visual art skills, materials and

activities applied by teachers in early childhood education improve reading

and writing?

1.8 Justification for the study

In Uganda, it is becoming increasingly difficult for children and teachers to acquire

quality skills of beginning to read and write possibly due to lack of exploration of

creative and innovative learning and teaching facilities. Strenuous economic and

increased student population and more expensive educational conditions have

forced teachers to haphazardly introduced learning activities through ill-prepared

methods especially in the beginning of reading and writing at lower primary level.However, the teachers seemed to be aware that visual art is included in the basics

for teaching beginning reading and writing, yet they hardly have a clear process on

its application and to the relationship to teaching other subjects.

This study by Nkumba University was intended to investigate and analyze the visual

art skills, materials and activities in Ugandan situation especially in the semi-urban,

peri-urban and rural areas. It was found necessary to establish the challenges that


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schools faced and how they could be addressed. The study laid a foundation for an

advocacy campaign to lobby stakeholders, government policy makers and

educators to set up appropriate institutional support mechanisms to improve the

teaching of reading and writing at the beginning level through realizing and using

visual art skills, materials and related activities.

1.9 Scope of the study

i. Eight Government institutions related to Ministry of Education were selected to

give a background and views about the status and use of visual art skills,

materials and activities to begin reading and writing in early childhood

education system globally and Uganda.

ii. Four Non-governmental Organisations and research programmes were

approached to give information and views about experiences that they have

acquired about use of visual art skills, materials and activities to help pupils

begin reading and writing.

iii. Five categories of schools are targeted considering five schools per category.

In each school the teachers in the lower primary classes were the contact

group. The following are the five variables that were considered while selecting

each school:

a. Nature of schools i.e. government or private, boarding or day

b. Nature of pupils i.e. gender and age,

c. Teachers i.e. nature and level of training, experience

d. Learning environment i.e. urban or rurale. Language of instruction

CHAPTER TWO

Literature review

2.0 Introduction

The first activity based on objective one wastoidentify existing visual art skills andactivities applied by teachers at lower primary level of teaching how to begin

reading and writing in early childhood education. The first concern was analyzing

the status of local education system vis--vis global education system early

childhood education visual art materials


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2.1 Role of visual art skills, materials and activities in

reading and writing

Several arguments have been made for attention to the role of visual art skills,

materials and activities in early childhood reading and writing. According to Erica

Loop (2008) visual arts, viewing experiences and processes are largely ignored in

the field of early childhood teaching and learning; yet incorporating visual arts

experiences and production explorations can be simple and highly beneficial means

of promoting healthy development. The quality of early childhood visual arts

experiences and production may largely depend on the expertise of the teacher.

Unfortunately, the teachers seem not to be adequately trained to prepare the visual

art materials or to determine visual art activities (Mukasa, Kirumira, Lubowa 2006).

Providing early visual arts experiences to the young child within the school setting

can greatly impact practical and cognitive development. The primary means by

which development occurs is through visual viewing experiences and hands on art

production. Early childhood educators have long recognized the importance of

creative activities and are passionate about promoting childrens creativity. (Elliot,

2010)1 Secondly, the study focused on creative activities influence the development

and general well being and later on the academic performance in school. Story

telling, art and craft activities are especially significant. However, national

programmes do little to draw a attention to the connections that focus on the best

ways to develop literacy and ensure reading and writing skills. Childhood

experience, while developing a curriculum, should undoubtedly be arts-based with

childrens painting, drawing, singing and storytelling activities. Cognitive, emotional,social, physical, and aesthetic developments are all affected through the

exploration of artistic subject and artistic process (Erica Loop, 2008). Incorporating

[visual] art viewing experiences into the early childhood classroom can be a simple,

yet highly beneficial, means to promoting healthy [reading and writing]

development.2

Though early childhood education teachers are aware of the importance of visual

art in the development of children they face several problems such as the social

and cultural dominance of literal language and written modes of expression (Eisner,

2002; Kress, 2000)3 . The teachers who in most cases non-specialists fail to apply

visual art knowledge that they have received in their teacher education to allow

children the opportunity to express their knowledge, ideas and feelings in ways that

1New evidence linking the arts and learning in early childhood. Last Updated Tuesday, 05 June 2007 http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.auPowered by Joomla! Generated: 16 March, 2010, 22:342Erica Loop (2008) Early Childhood Visual Arts: Creating Art Viewing Experiences in the Classroom3The challenges of implementing primary arts education: what our teachers say. Australian Journal of early Childhood. Volume 34 No4December 2009, pp22-30 accessed: 16th March 2010


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do not necessarily involve words (Livermore, 2003; Robinson, 2001). Various studies

carried out in Uganda, in addition to overall challenges to teaching reading and

writing cited the non-use of visual art in this area. Although the curriculum clearly

indicated in its teaching methodology the importance of drawing, painting or even

the use of picture to teach reading and writing, there was an overall lack of on

ground practice by the teachers. Studies on the assessment of Primary TeachersColleges (PTC) curriculum revealed that: there is minimal effort on the part of tutors

to relate knowledge acquired in PTCs to previously knowledge acquired in primary

and secondary schools which would enable them to build on the already existing

knowledge. There is inclusion of visual arts in the teaching but no emphasis is

highlighted towards its role. Yet the studies indicate that young children use visual

arts not only to communicate but to express their understanding and interpretations

of the world before they acquire means of conveying their thoughts. In essence, the

studies indicate that young children use visula arts not only to communicate but to

express their understanding and interpretations of the world before they acquire

means of conveying their thoughts4.

According to Amundson, S.J.(2000)5, the following are the sequential stages of

prewriting and handwriting letter acquisition of children between 3 and 5 years old:

i. Controlled scribble,

ii. Discrete lines, dots, or symbols

iii. Straight-line or circular letters

iv. Then upper case and lower letters

That position is supported by the research by Gesell (1993), that children gradually

develop their ability to copy form in order of Vertical line, horizontal line, circle,

cross, square, and triangle. The results also conform to the fact that copying can beenhanced by providing perceptual prompts like visuals and verbal cues that

increase the accuracy in reproducing letter forms.6

2.2 Characteristics of visual art skills, materials and

activities

In understanding the characteristics of visual art skills, materials and activities to

enable children begin reading and writing, the research looked at the critical levels

of development in early childhood education. Well as some educationists,researchers and teacher at this agreed that there three levels of learning others

including Thompson (2001) it was established that there are four levels

4 Ji-Hi Base learning to teach Visual Arts in Early childhood classroom: The Teachers Role as a Guide, Early

childhood Educational Journal, Vol. 31, No. 4, Summer, 2004.5Amundson,S.J.(2000).Prewriting and Handwriting Skills . in J .Case smith, Columbus,Ohio6Handwriting Without TearsHandwriting, http://www.hwtears.com/files/HWT%20Research.pdf
http://www.hwtears.com/files/HWT%20Research.pdfhttp://www.hwtears.com/files/HWT%20Research.pdf


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(Mukasa,Kirumira, Lubowa 2006). This research importantly will focus on the four

levels of systematic teaching process of beginning reading and writing in as far as

visual art skills, materials and activities are concerned. These stages include:

a. Introductory/getting started stages

b. Readiness stagesc. Pre-reading and writing stages

d. Actual reading and writing stages

2.3 Role, developments and application of visual art

skills, materials and activities in Uganda

There are several developments in application of visual art skills, materials and

activities within the general area of early childhood education. The study identified

several that were being applying internationally within the philosophies of

Montessori, Madarasa, Froebel and Marion Richardson. Well as all the above

mentioned philosophies have been introduced by schools in Uganda, the research

found out that previous studies had located locally other developments and

application of visual art skills, materials and activities used by teachers in early

childhood education in Uganda.(Mukasa,Kirumira, Lubowa 2006)

Early childhood education learning materials in Uganda

Learning materials refer to any form of material used to facilitate teaching

and learning process in a school setting. They are essential for boosting

teacher morale and pupils interest. Since the launching of UPE, the Ministry

of Education and Sports has spent a substantial proportion of its annual

budget to increase the supply of instructional materials to schools aimed at

improving quality of education. These include Core textbooks; teacher

guides; supplementary readers and non-text book materials. As a result of

these efforts, the Pupil Textbook Ratios have improved from 1:10 (1996) to

1:3 (2004). This is illustrated in the figure 7 below. The figure illustrates a

decline in the number of textbooks procured in 2004 because procurements

targeted the upper classes of P.5- P.7 only.

Figure 7: Instructional materials procured (1996 2004)


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Source: Instructional Materials Unit, MoES

According to Ministrys fact booklet7 which is an annual output of Education

Management information system(EMIS) cycle, all Pre Primary Enrolment is about

20,596 Male and 21,179 Female pupils. The Uganda Educational Statistics

Abstract 20088 , indicates that, Pre-School ownership is now standing at 42.6%

private; 23.1%.community. There was a percentage decrease in the share of private

schools between year 2007 and 2008 from 70.6% to 42.6%.

Pre-primary schools were more evenly distributed among geographical regions.Ministry of education Figures show that 29.1% of the schools were located in rural

areas; 18.4% were situated in Urban and 16.1% are in peri-urban areas. 8.87%

were founded by Church of Uganda (COU); 4.76 Islamic; 26.16% of the schools were

founded by Parents. 10.67% were founded by the Roman Catholic Church. The

Private Entrepreneurs founded schools are 18.85%. However, in Luwero district,

about 27.2% preschools are located in peri urban areas while about 70.3% are in

rural areas. While In Wakiso district, 36.5% are based in peri-urban, 32.2% are in

rural environment and 4.7% are in urban areas. In Wakiso district 7.4% pre schools

are based community owned, 26.8% are government owned and 42.3% are owned

by private entrepreneurs. While in Luwero district, 9.3% pre schools are basedcommunity owned, 60.1% are government owned and 17.6% are owned by private

entrepreneurs,

At National level, government has integrated instructional materials supply for core

textbooks in the recurrent budget. In addition, there is a proportion 35% of the UPE

capitation grant set aside for the purchase of extra instructional/ supplementary

materials which include; supplementary books for readers, teacher reference books

charts, and black boards. There is a concern by the National Assessment of Prospers

in Education (NAPE) that 82% of children had inadequate literacy skills at end of P.6

and that 4-12% of those who enter schools actually achieves hardly any significantliteracy levels. This assessment was carried out at the beginning of key reviews in

Education system in Uganda (UNEB Report 2003, )

The 2004 Curriculum Review Report of the MoE&S also confirmed that the very low

levels of basic literacy and numeracy skill are the major learning problem in Uganda

7 http://www.education.go.ug/Fact_Booklet.htm8 http://www.education.go.ug/Fact_Booklet.htm


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early childhood education. This study was then concerned with the reports

assertion that the majority of children, especially from rural areas have difficulties in

learning to read and write. However, most of hindering factors which are teacher

training and curriculum related have also relationship to the role and application of

visual art. The study has analysed the relationships of the visual art component in

the systematic process of teaching beginners of reading and writing to acquisitionof skills by children.

Some NGOs have given support in area of teaching beginning reading and writing to

Early Childhood Development but on limited scope. There are community based

programmes for ECD managed by NGOs e.g. Madarasa Resource Centre, Feed the

Children, World Vision, Plan International, Children Christian Fund, Redd Barna,

Mother Child Day Care Centres, Mango Tree, Sunday School programmes managed

by churches etc. The Uganda Government and community thus recognize the

important role of Early Childhood and Development and plan to invest more in pre-

primary education

This study lays emphasis on the importance of visual art components in the pupils

reading and writing skills acquisition by elaborating the major reading and writing

activities at different stages of learning. The study is has been supported with

literature about the major known methods of teaching reading and writing in lower

primary classes in Uganda.

During the study, the research made attempts to identify major visual art skills,

materials and activities being employed with the collaboration early childhood

schools in the rural and peri-urban areas of Wakiso and Luwero. A list of majorreading and writing activities and skills has been compiled and analysed in as far as

visual art influences and is utilized in reading and writing in the primary school

curriculum.

Based on the recommendation given in the Teachers Guide to Uganda Primary

School Curriculum, Volume I (by NCDC) 2000, teachers were supposed to know that

the syllabus is not a prescription and it should not be used as such, therefore

teachers are expected to be resourceful and use as many and varied methods of

teaching as possible depending on ability of class, resources available and mood of

the situation.

2.4 Process of teacher preparation

The grade III teacher training course takes two years for Pre-service teachers and

three years for In-service teachers. In both categories, student teachers are


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exposed both to the theory and methods of teaching different subject/learning

areas that are taught in the primary school. The theory part exposes teachers to

content that is required in a particular subject at primary level, while at the same

time it widens their experiences about that specific subject. The methodology part

introduces and guides teachers on how content is supposed to be passed on to the

learners (methods of teaching), how to prepare for teaching (scheming and lessonplanning and preparation of instruction materials). Teacher trainers are also

supposed to conduct demonstration lessons, as well as exposing students to team

teaching and micro teaching. This is expected to equip teacher trainees with skills

that will enable them transfer what they are learning to the primary classroom.

As far as teaching reading and writing at lower primary is concerned, teacher

trainees at PTC are basically guided through Early Childhood Education, English

Language Education and Art and Crafts subjects to acquire knowledge and skills.

However, other subject areas are also expected to reinforce what the later has

taught. The PTCs said that equipping student teachers with knowledge and skills ofteaching reading and writing requires availability of materials from the environment

as well as those that are bought. In most cases, the funds availed to the PTCs do

not allow purchasing of materials for all students to use while at the same time

parents support to their students in this area is limited. As a result, Primary school

teachers in Uganda at the lower level, have developed several skills and activities

that complement their teaching of how to begin reading and writing.

2.5 Conclusion

The study established the following about visual art skills and activities of teaching

reading and writing in early childhood education in Uganda

a) 50% of researchers agree that use of visual art skills and activities enhance

beginning to read and write. Therefore collaborative efforts have

indicated the important role of visual art skills and activities in teaching

reading and writing.

b) Almost all the secondary data on lower primary education reveals that visual

art skills and activities are vital in teaching reading and writing. Findings

indicate that the stakeholders at this level are aware of the importance visual

art skills and activities at this level but they do not focus on them in their

teaching.

c) All the 26 core PTCs in Uganda operate on the same curriculum which

emphasizes using visual art skills and activities in teaching. Out of the 25

schools the research targeted, did not effectively use visual art skills and

activities to enhance their teaching. All the Primary school teachers in

Uganda are exposed to the method of using visual art skills and activities in

teaching but do not apply them due to some of the following reasons:


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i. Lack of innovation, creativity and initiativeii. Lack of support in schools by providing some of the basic materialsiii. Negative attitude by school administrators.

d) It was however discovered that the teachers managed to use some the

locally available materials in plenty such as banana fibres, craft paper and

charcoal. These materials were found to be cheap and available to all the

teachers both in the rural and urban schools.


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CHAPTER THREE

Methodology

3.0 Introduction

The overall objective of this research was to investigate and establish ways of how

to enhance quality of teaching how to begin reading and writing in early childhood

education through use of innovative and well established visual art visual art skills

and methods by teachers at lower primary level. In this regard a qualitative action

oriented research design was applied. The research methodology included

interviews with the teachers, site visits, observation of teachers activities, engaging

in focus group discussion and classroom engagement. The researchers

administered interview and observation guides. They identified, documented,discussed concepts and processes applies in visual art skills, materials and activities

of teaching how to begin reading and writing in early childhood education.

3.1 Study area and population:

The study was carried out in Luweero and Wakiso Districts to enable the

researchers get an insight in to both the rural and urban situations of teachers who

teach reading and writing. The population was selected using purposive sampling

included the eight government institutions, four non-government organization and25 primary schools as identified in phase One. The level of learning was delimited to

pupils of: Pre-reading, beginning, reading and writing i.e. Nursery, Primary 1 and

Primary 2 teachers. In total 75 classes and teachers were approached to generate

primary information about using visual art skills, materials and activities to begin

reading and writing.

3.2 Data collection:

The research team collected data from September 2009- December 2010. This was

done by carrying out desk research was carried out using fact sheets to generate

information from archives, websites, libraries of various organizations and keystakeholders. Site visits using fact sheets, interview guides and observation guides

were prepared for administering to teachers, key informants through focus group

discussion and interviews.


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3.3 Data collection methods and tools:

Four methods of data collection were used so as to help generate as much

information as possible and from different sources. The information that was

generated was compared against data from each of the other sources to allow for

clarification and fixing ideas.

i. Observation method: this was used to generate the following information

using a camera and video recording

a. Classroom arrangement

b. Observe the nature of visual aids in the classrooms

c. Observe an on-going lesson of reading and writing

ii. Record Search: was carried in various schools that were selected for the

study to generate an idea about the following issues

a. Establish performance of the 25 selected schools since 2006b. Level of teachers preparation for pre-primary and lower primary

teaching [academic background

c. Status of pupils and the school

d. Sources of funding and nature of expenditure with a focus on the use

of visual art skills, materials and activities in the school

iii. Interview Guide to teachers of reading and writing

a. Teacher education and professional background with emphasis in

visual art skills, resources and activities

b. Application of visual art skills, materials and activities in teaching

reading and writingc. Application of visual art skills, materials and activities in reading and

writing lessons

d. Performance and effectiveness of visual art skills, materials and

activities in teaching reading and writing

iv. Activity record by the teachers: the teachers agreed to participate in the

research by

a. Recording activities of an ongoing reading and writing lesson.

b. Visual art skills, materials and activities used during the lesson

c. Output or performance of the pupils

3.4 Data analysis

Stephen Kemmis has developed a simple model adopted from MacIsaac, (1995) of

the cyclical nature of the typical action research process (Figure 1). This model will


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be adapted to the research. The model has four steps which include: plan, action,

observation and reflection and analysis. The five phases were conducted within

each research cycle which was to initially identify a problem and collect data for a

more detailed diagnosis. This was be followed by a collective postulation of several

possible solutions, from which a single plan of action emerged and was

implemented. Data on the results of the intervention was collected and analyzed,

and the findings will be interpreted in light of how successful the action evolved.

3.5 Role of local population

The research has tried to produce a mutually agreeable outcome for all participants,

with the process being maintained by them afterwards. To accomplish this, it was

necessary to adopt many different roles at various stages of the process, including

those of planner, and leader, teacher, listener, facilitator, observer and reporter.

The main role, however, was to nurture the teacher and other stakeholders such

as parents, local communities, PTAs, community centers, PTCS to the point where

they can take responsibility for the process. This point is reached after

understanding the methods and all stakeholders are able to carry on and implement

the recommendations.

3.6 Research ethics

Because the research was carried out in real-world circumstances such as the

classrooms, and involves close and open communication among the teachers

involved, the researchers paid close attention to ethical considerations in the

conduct of their work. Richard Winter (1996) lists a number of principles that were

adopted:

Make sure that the relevant persons, committees and authorities have

been consulted, and that the principles guiding the work are accepted

in advance by all.

All participants must be allowed to influence the work, and the

wishes of those who do not wish to participate must be respected.

The development of the work must remain visible and open to

suggestions from others.


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Permission must be obtained before making observations or

examining documents produced for other purposes.

Descriptions of others work and points of view must be negotiated

with those concerned before being published.

The researcher must accept responsibility for maintaining

confidentiality.i[xi]

3.7 Dissemination of research outputs

It was important that the research be findings, analysis of those findings be

disseminated and institutionalized so that the concepts and processes relevant in

enhancing quality of teaching how to begin reading and writing in early childhood

education are assimilated by the teachers to improve quality of teaching. Thefollowing ways some of which have been effected were proposed by the study.

i. Blogs to academic sites and circles

ii. Summarized charts of activities

iii. Simplified user friendly booklets

iv. Disseminate reports to stakeholders


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