George O. Ogott, Francis Chisikwa Indoshi, Michael Okello Okwara
The teacher is an important factor in teaching and learning of language in Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) programme. A well prepared teacher could be very effective in the selection, development and use of materials. However, in Gem District in the Republic of Kenya, concerns have been raised regarding the preparedness of the ECDE teachers in language material selection, development and use. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of influence of teacher factors in selection, development and use of language materials. The study involved 68 teachers (representing 33% of the population) selected by simple random sampling from 115 ECDE centers in Gem District, Kenya. The study was based on descriptive survey design. Data was collected by the use of a questionnaire. The study found that teachers were academically and professionally ill equipped to effectively select, develop and use materials in the language classroom. The study recommends that the Government should harmonize ECDE teacher training program and widen the scope of the curriculum to include practical aspects to enhance sufficient and effective selection, development and use of language materials in the Early Childhood Development and Education Programme.
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