Teachers' use of play in teaching and learning activities in kindergarten centres in the Ho West District

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate kindergarten teachers’ use of play in teaching and learning activities in the Ho West District. The study adopted a mixedmethod approach with the explanatory sequential research design. The total population for the study was 89 kindergarten teachers in the Ho West District. The census sampling was used to include all the 89 kindergarten teachers in the Ho West District, whereas the purposive sampling techniques were used to select nine (9) teachers from the same population. The instruments used for the collection of data were a structured questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The quantitative data were analysed descriptively (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations), whereas data from the interview were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that kindergarten teachers held positive perceptions of play-based pedagogy, valuing its role in cognitive, social, and emotional development. The findings revealed that kindergarten teachers viewed play as effective in enhancing learner engagement, achieving learning objectives, and supporting assessment. The study further revealed that kindergarten teachers in the Ho West District have foundational knowledge of play-based pedagogy but lacked sufficient practical training, continuous professional development, and systemic support. The study therefore recommended that kindergarten teachers in the Ho West District should be provided with regular, hands-on professional development opportunities that focus on practical strategies for implementing play-based learning. This should include workshops, classroom demonstrations, and peer mentoring sessions to bridge the gap between theory and practice.