Influence of-instructional-drama-on-the-development-of-ecde-learners-in-elgeyo-marakwet-county

Africa International Journal of Management Education
and Governance (AIJMEG) ISSN: 2518-0827 (Online
Publication) Vol. 4 (2) 14-31, May, 2019 www.oircjournals.org
Boinett et al. (2019) www.oircjournals.org
Influence of Instructional Drama on
the Development of ECDE Learners
in Elgeyo Marakwet County
1Boinett F. Jepkogei 2 Professor Mwaka – Kyalo 2Dr. David
Wanyonyi
1
Ph.D Moi University 2
Lecturer Moi University
Corresponding Author- jepkogei67@gmail.com
Type of the Paper: Research Paper.
Type of Review: Peer Reviewed.
Indexed in: worldwide web.
Google Scholar Citation: AIJMEG
Africa International Journal of Management Education and Governance (AIJMEG)
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How to Cite this Paper:
Boinett, F. J., Kyalo, M. and Wanyonyi, D. (2019). Influence of Instructional Drama
on the Development of ECDE Learners in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Africa
International Journal of Management Education and Governance (AIJMEG), 4 (2), 14-31.

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Influence of Instructional Drama on the Development
of ECDE Learners in Elgeyo Marakwet County
1
Boinett F. Jepkogei 2
Professor Mwaka – Kyalo 2
Dr. David Wanyonyi
1
Ph.D Moi University 2
Lecturer Moi University
ABSTRACT
The ways in which drama is used today may
differ in a number of respects from the ways
it has been used in the past. This study was
designed to investigate the influence of
instructional drama on the development of
ECDE learners in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The study was guided by Piaget’s Cognitive
development theory and utilized a cross-
sectional descriptive survey research
design. It made use of 513 respondents
comprising 334 teachers, 172 Head
teachers, and 7 officials in charge of ECDE in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Data was collected through
questionnaire, interview schedule and observation checklist. Quantitative data was analyzed using both
descriptive and inferential statistical techniques whereas qualitative data was presented thematically and
reported verbatim. It was found that the use of instructional drama improves pupil ability to use symbols and
think abstractly, improves cognitive/intellectual capabilities, improves communication skills of the pupils,
improves reading skills of the pupils and improves pupils’ sense of sight, hear and touch. Drama play enable
children to express and communicate their feelings and understanding in their own ways and that using
instructional drama increases sensitivity involvement in sharing with other people and party by determining for
himself the sort of the world he wishes to live in. The study recommends that teachers of ECDE schools to join in-
service training so that they can learn about using instructional drama in ECDE and that there should be
partnership between schools and teachers training colleges to fully prepare teachers adequately for use of
instructional drama. It is hoped that the findings will be used by the Ministry of Education, ECDE head teachers
and other educational stakeholders to enhance the use of drama as an effective method for teaching and learning
process in ECDE centres in Kenya.
1.0 Background of the Study
Drama is an activity where the participant portrays
himself/herself in an imaginary situation providing
an opportunity for the learner to listen, speak, read
and write. Drama is considered to have a positive
impact on participants’ communicative competence.
It provides an opportunity for participants to learn
the language as an enjoyable experience. According
to Bergen (2009), dramatic arts education is an
important means of stimulating creativity in problem
solving and communication. It can challenge
students' perceptions about their world and about
themselves. Dramatic exploration can provide
students with an outlet for emotions, thoughts, and
dreams that they might not otherwise have means to
express. A student can, if only for a few moments,
become another person, explore a new role, try out
and experiment with various personal choices and
solutions to very real problems from their own life,
or problems faced by characters in literature or
historical figures. This can happen in a safe
atmosphere, where actions and consequences can be
examined, discussed, and in a very real sense
experienced without the dangers and pitfalls that
such experimentation would obviously lead to in the
"real" world. This is perhaps the most important
reason for dramatic arts in schools (Baldwin,
Patrice; Fleming, Kate, 2003).
O’Neil and Lambert (1982) have observed that
drama can provide powerful motivation to learning
and this does not occur in isolation. Learners are
provided with a context that enables them to learn
the concepts with ease. Drama provides an
opportunity for learners to practice what they have
ARTICLE INFO
Received 24th
April, 2019
Received in Revised Form 6th
May, 2019
Accepted 8th
May, 2019
Published online 9th
May, 2019
Keywords: Instructional, Drama, ECDE Leaners,
Development

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acquired in the classroom. Based on this proposition,
this study is designed to determine the use of drama
in the teaching and learning process in ECDE.
Drama gives an opportunity for actors to share
messages without having to worry about its
implications. It helps people learn how to participate
in open discussions without fear of tempers flaring.
Drama can provide a situation where ordinary
people can feel at ease in sharing their true feelings,
laying a basis for understanding their motivation and
concerns. It encourages children to use their
imagination and creativity. In drama opportunities
arise for role-play, expression of own identity and
how each individual views the self, teamwork and
story generation. Linguistically there are
opportunities for descriptive language, storytelling,
verbal prediction, giving directions, verbal
negotiation, expression of feelings and emotions,
use of abstract concepts and use of auditory and
visual memory (Chatterton & Butler, 1994).
According to the Kenya National Drama Festival
Syllabus (2013), learners are supposed to benefit
immensely from the use of drama in their
communication. Drama provides learners with
opportunities for practical language use that could
improve communicative competence. According to
Ochieng and Borg (2011) students who consistently
participated in drama achieved better
communicative competence in English language
than those who did not. Drama appears to be a very
appropriate mode of providing the learner with
opportunities to acquire effective communication
skills, values and attitudes (Andang'o & Mugo,
2007). Drama activities are important in helping
pupils become more confident in their language use
by allowing them to experience the language in
operation. In Kenya, schools that perform well in
drama have been known to also produce the good
results in KCPE not only in English but also in other
subjects offered in the primary school curriculum
(Lloyd, Mensch & Clark, 2000).
Linking the drama activities to the curriculum is also
a challenge, especially where there is no specific
provision for drama in education. While it may be
fairly straightforward to use drama to teach language
skills, it is not immediately apparent how they can
use drama to teach numeracy skills. This may be
complicated further by the lack of adequate
instructional materials, thereby making the teacher's
task seemingly impossible (McGregor, 1976). It is
with such concerns in mind that the current study
sought to inquire into the interaction between drama
and early childhood education and development.
Their interrelationship has not been adequately
studied, especially in the context of the developing
world, and thus the current study sought to redress
this anomaly by shedding light on how drama can
effectively be employed as a teaching method in
ECDE.
Statement of the Problem
Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) is
a crucial part of schooling, because it affects all the
subsequent education of individuals. Thus all
children require thorough ECDE if they are to be
competent in later levels of education. However,
there is no universal consensus on the methods that
should be applied to teach children during ECDE
(Wambiri & Muthee, 2010). While some are in
favour of formal instruction that mimics the type of
learning that they will later experience in primary
school, other authorities are in favour of a more
child-centred interaction with learning materials.
However, findings from other countries indicate that
drama can be used as a mode of instruction within
ECDE, and that it helps pupils to engage with what
they are learning, in a playful manner that takes full
advantage of children's characteristics, such as
curiosity, playfulness, and enthusiasm and so on.
Children also have a capacity for imagination which
can be realized through drama (Rogers & Evans,
2007). Encouraging imaginative play in the
classroom is an effective way to teach young
children how to think creatively and interact
socially- vital parts of their cognitive, social, and
emotional development. In this way, the cognitive
skills of children in ECDE will be improved, with
potentially positive outcomes for their transitions to
primary school.
Despite the significant role played by use of drama
in the teaching and learning, there is a tendency of
both teachers and parents to emphasize on reading
and writing well and even good performance
academically. This is, of course, very important, but
how well does the child communicates orally? Are
they confident, clear speakers? How do they interact
with others in the school and at home? Chances are,
that within the school system, a child spends
majority of the time focused on writing and reading
skills, while not so much time on oratory ones.
There has been a decline in children’s creativity
since 1990, especially in younger children
(Carlsson-Paige, 2008). Other research indicates
that teachers believe drama is an important part of
their curriculum, yet they often fail to plan for drama
experiences and rely on their instincts in lieu of
specific goals and objectives for drama (Bodrova &
Leong, 2004). It has been established that drama is a
dominant activity from birth through adolescence
and that it is a child’s way of understanding their

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world. Drama allows children to make important
discoveries, including what they like and what they
do not like. Drama is deeply satisfying to young
children. Children do not separate drama and
learning. Although research supports the value of
drama in the classroom, the jump has yet to be made
from theory to practice. Rote and drill activities have
replaced providing time for children to construct
knowledge and understanding in order for children
to arrive at the correct answer. Many opportunities
are lost in early childhood classrooms every day
because the contributions of drama to children’s
learning and development are ignored or
underestimated. By depriving children of drama
opportunities, implies depriving the opportunity to
learn critical social skills and develop flexibility and
strength to cope with difficult situations. Therefore
the current study sought to find out influence of
instructional drama on the development of ECDE
learners in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Objectives of the Study
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the
influence of instructional drama on the development
of ECDE learners in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Research Hypothesis
HO1; there is no significant relationship between the
use of instructional drama and the development of
ECDE learners.
Theoretical Framework
This study was guided by Social Cognitive Theory
by Bandura (1977)
The theory of Social Cognitive discloses that
environment and personal variables influence
human behaviour. Social Cognitive theory is based
on the construct of self-efficacy. According to the
Social Cognitive theory, behaviour is best
understood in terms of “triadic reciprocity” where
behaviour, cognition and the environment exist in a
reciprocal relationship and influence each other
(Bandura, 1986). In addition, Bandura (1982)
reveals that Self-efficacy influences behaviour
through selection processes. Teachers who feel that
they will be successful in using music as a medium
of instruction will be more likely to be so because
they adopt challenging goals, try harder to achieve
them, persist despite setbacks, and develop coping
mechanism for managing their emotional states.
Bandura (1982) further says that self-efficacy is
determinant of choice of behaviour because it
influences the choice of behaviour settings. When
people recognize coping as inadequate for
addressing threatening situations, they avoid the
situations. Bandura (1986) more specifically
believes that two cognitive processes influence
one’s behaviour. These are result expectancy and
self- efficacy. Outcome expectancy is one‟s beliefs
that behaviour for example use of music as a
medium of instruction will produce a desired effect
while self-efficacy is ones belief in his / her ability
to perform behaviour in a given situation.
According to Bandura, self-efficacy beliefs develop
in response to four sources of information. Bandura
(1986) also emphasized that the first is “enactive
experience” in which self-efficacy for behaviour is
increased by successfully performing the behaviour
during teacher training. The second is “explicit
experience” in which other people that is, model pre-
school teachers are seen to perform the behaviour
successfully by using music as a medium of
instruction. The third source of influence is verbal
point of view, which encourage efforts that are likely
to increase efficacy through success. This means that
the school management encourages teachers to use
music as a medium of instruction. Finally, self-
efficacy belief is also affected by physiological
factors for example stress and fear. Pre-primary
school teachers who fear music may not use music
as a medium of instruction.
Consequently, according to this theory, proper pre-
school teacher training increases self-efficacy and
can be achieved through proper demonstration to the
teachers on how to use music in teaching during
teacher training. Lack of adequate resources like
musical instruments may make it impossible for
teachers to develop positive self-efficacy beliefs and
hence may not use music as a medium of instruction.
This theory is therefore, relevant in this study
because teacher training” and “attitudes towards
drama are important variables in the study. The
theory describes the behaviour of pre- primary
school teachers in that, if they believe that using
drama as a medium of instruction will improve
pupils performance and feel competent in using it as
a medium of instruction, they will do so while the
opposite applies to those who do not believe.
Therefore, this study adopted the Social Cognitive
Theory by Bandura (1977) and Piaget’s Cognitive
Development Theory to investigate the use of
instructional drama in Early Childhood Education
centres in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya.
2.0 Literature Review
Influence of Instructional Drama on the
Development of ECDE Learners
Drama in the classroom is ultimately indispensable
because it offers a lens for learners to use their
imagination. It draws upon learners abilities to
imitate and express them and, if well handled, it
should arouse interest and foster personality
development. Drama encourages adaptability,

18 | P a g e
fluency and communicative competence. It puts
language into context and, by giving learners
experience of success in real-life situations; it should
arm them with the confidence for tackling the world
outside the classroom (Desialova, 2009). Drama has
been recognized for its pedagogical contributions to
learning by a number of scholars in the fields of
drama/theatre in education (Neelands, 2000),
process drama, role drama and story drama (O’Neill
1995) as well as drama and literacy (Baldwin &
Fleming 2003). Using various drama-based
approaches to teaching and learning, these scholars
propose, to varying degrees, aesthetic, creative,
imaginative, and educational experiences for
participants. The mentioned authors (as well as
others) offer insights as to how and why the
application of drama fosters learning in multiple
ways, in multiple contexts, and with multiple
learners including ECDE learners.
A detachment of scholars have focused some of their
thinking on ways that drama can support learners
(O’Neill, 1998). Their work points to ways that
educational drama supports learners to develop
expertise in a second language as they “actively
imagine and process information through the use of
language and other symbolic forms” (Baldwin &
Fleming 2003). Most often students who participate
in educational drama activities are invited to engage
with a story, looking at the narrative and characters
from multiple perspectives and interpretations, and
then responding to the work in diverse and often
interactive ways. These kinesthetic as well as
cognitive and emotional educational experiences
that drama often fosters are empowering to
classrooms (as well as other learning contexts). As
such, a pedagogical and scholarly interest in the role
of educational drama in children learning has
evolved in tandem with pedagogical attempts
towards more contextualized, communicative, and
socially attuned learning experiences.
To offer a critical perspective on the landscape of
recent scholarship in drama and learning, we closely
reviewed and synthesized published scholarly work
and research studies within the last 20 years. Our
research synthesis, largely North American-based,
along with some European studies, extends the work
of two key studies that gathered research in areas
closely related to educational drama: Deasy (2002)
looked at over 120 arts-based studies, of which 19
were in drama and its potential impact on learning;
and Podlozny’s (2000) meta-analysis about drama
instruction and student verbal achievement which
looked at 80 studies. This study looks at studies
published until 2012, as well as narrows the scope of
Deasy and Podlozny’s meta-analyses by specifically
looking at drama. This article builds on the scholarly
interest ignited by Stinson and Winston’s 2011
special issue of Research in Drama Education
where an insightful editorial essay along with seven
key articles on the topic of drama and learning were
gathered from international scholars. The use of
educational drama has increasingly been of interest
to teachers and practitioners, from ECDE to tertiary
levels, in the field of learning and teaching.
Application of drama in the classroom is based on
dramatic activity where physical and mental
involvement, often through improvisation, role play
and games, creates situations in which the
possibilities of life can be explored. When we put
drama into the service of education, it means that we
pick the content of the drama from curricular
subjects and the goals from the curriculum.
Therefore, which content is suitable for drama in
schools and which curricular goals and objectives
are achievable through the method of drama?
Although the ideas behind content selection for
drama vary, it may be meaningful to consider it from
an instructional perspective. When deciding content,
the drama teacher plays an important role. The use
of drama requires from teachers a special knowledge
about how to apply it to the selected content and how
to plan the process. Therefore, it is necessary to
know the features of dramatic contexts and build an
educational environment in which children can solve
problems through active techniques like
improvisation, role playing, still image and so on.
After applying this knowledge effectively, as Bolton
(1984) stated, content that allows children to discuss
different opinions and experience difference
perspectives with a universal understanding can be
selected. In that sense, it may be useful for the
teacher to ask him/herself which methodology is
more effective regarding time, energy, outcome and
permanence. Drama is a powerful tool for teaching
and learning through supplying an enjoyable,
creative learning environment which fosters
discovery and provides long-lasting knowledge
(Bolton & Heathcote, 1994), although neither the
planning nor the application of dramatic methods are
time effective.
Conceptual Framework
A conceptual framework is a scheme of concept (or
variables) which the researcher used to
operationalize in order to achieve set objectives.
This conceptual framework is presented as a model
where research variables and the relationship
between them are translated into the visual picture
below to illustrate interconnections between the
independent and dependent variables.

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Independent variable
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework
3.0 Research Methodology
Research Methodology
This study will employ mixed methodology. Mixed
methods research is a methodology for conducting
research that involves collecting, analyzing and
integrating
quantitative and qualitative research. This approach
to research is used when this integration provides a
better understanding of the research problem than
either of each alone. Quantitative data includes
close-ended information such as that found to
measure attitudes (rating scales), behaviours
(observation checklists), and performance
instruments. The analysis of this type of data
consists of statistically analyzing scores collected on
instruments (questionnaires) or checklists to answer
research questions. Mixed methodology enabled the
study to generate both qualitative and quantitative
data from early childhood education centres in
Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya.
Research Design
While carrying out the study, the researcher adopted
a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. This is
because it makes use of both qualitative and
quantitative data to describe the state of affairs as
they exist in the field. This design is simple and easy
to carry out yet can yield suitable information
desirable by the study (Mugenda & Mugenda,
2003). Descriptive studies are more than mere data
collection; they involve measurement,
classification, analysis, comparison and
interpretation of data (Kothari, 2009). Detailed
information can be gathered by subjecting the
respondents to a series of items in a questionnaire,
interview schedule and observations. Descriptive
survey design was useful in the collection of original
data from a population which is too large to observe
directly. In this case data were collected from head
teachers, ECDE teachers, and ECDE officials and
also through observations. The descriptive analysis
approach was chosen for the study, because it sought
to gain insight into a phenomenon as a means of
providing basic information in an area of study
(Koul, 2003). Finally, descriptive research design
was adopted in this study based on the conceptual
relationship between the independent variable and
the dependent variable.
Dependent Variable
Target Population
The population refers to the group of people or study
subjects who are similar in one or more ways and
which forms the subject of the study in a particular
survey (Kerlinger, 2003). The target populations in
this research comprised of ECDE tteachers, ECDE
head teachers and Elgeyo Marakwet county ECDE
officials. Elgeyo Marakwet County comprises of
Keiyo and Marakwet sub-counties. The county has a
target population of 573 ECDE centre, 1090 ECDE
teachers, 573 Head teachers and 7 ECDE officials
(Elgeyo Marakwet DICECE, 2015). The study area
was purposively selected due to significance of the
study information to the researcher and other
stakeholders. Therefore it is expected that this target
population provided the required sample size for the
study.
Table3.1 Target Population
Categories Target population
Head teachers 573
ECDE teachers 1090
ECDE officials 7
TOTAL 1670
Sample Size and Sampling Technique
This study employed both probability and non-
probability sampling techniques in selecting the
respondents who participated in this study. The
researcher used stratified sampling to stratify Elgeyo
Marakwet County into sub-counties that form 155
Keiyo North, 144 Keiyo south, 118 Marakwet East
and 156 Marakwet West. Simple random sampling
was used to select 47 ECDE schools from Keiyo
North, 43 from Keiyo South, 35 from Marakwet East
and 47 from Marakwet South sub-counties. These
represented 30% of the total number of ECDE
schools in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Simple
random sampling was used to select 2 ECDE
teachers from each of the selected schools. This
implies that 344 teachers participated in this study.
All the 172 head teachers in the schools selected
were included in the study.
Table 3.2 Sampling
Categorie
s
Target
populatio
n
Sampl
e Size
Percentag
e
Influence of Instructional Drama Use of instructional drama

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Head
teachers
573 172 30.0
ECDE
teachers
1090 344 31.6
ECDE
officials
7 7 100.0
TOTAL 1670 523
Research instruments
In this study, data was collected by questionnaires,
interview guide and observation checklist as shown
below. The selection of these tools was guided by
the nature of data to be collected, the time available
as well as by the objectives of the study (Cohen,
Manion and Morrison, 2007).
Questionnaires
Questionnaires were used to collect information
from ECDE teachers and head teachers. A
questionnaire consisting of a number of questions
printed or typed in a defined order or form. This is a
method of data collection by which the
questionnaires were mailed to respondents who were
expected to read, understand the questions and write
down the answers in the space meant for the purpose
in the questionnaire (Kothari, 2008).
The researcher prepared questionnaire for head
teachers and ECDE teachers. Bothe questionnaire
consisted of two sections; section A comprised
structured questions concerned with the respondents
demographic variables namely gender, age,
professional qualification, experience and number of
learners in the ECDE centres. Section B sought for
information related to research questions.
Questionnaires with both closed and open ended
questions were used because they were easy to
administer and are economical in the use of time and
money. They were also easier to analyze and
interpret. Likert Scale was used for some questions.
This is because they are easy to complete and are
unlikely to put off respondents. They also consume
less space and allow easy comparison of responses
given to different items. Also, when it is necessary
to protect the privacy of the participants,
questionnaires are easy to administer confidentiality.
Often confidentially is needed to ensure participants
respond honesty. To ensure this confidentiality, the
researcher administered and collected the
questionnaires personally.
Interviews
This study collected qualitative data from ECDE
officials using interview schedule. An interview
method of collecting data involves presentation of
oral- verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal
responses (Kothari, 2009). The interview schedule
was used for this study because it provided the
researcher with great opportunity to describe the
purpose of the study as stated by Best and Kahn
(2005). Interview method provides for qualitative
and in-depth data as it presents opportunity to
explain the purpose of the study. An interview
schedule was prepared with pre-coded questions to
produce quick, cheap and easy qualitative data
which is highly reliable but low in validity. The
researcher therefore prepared an interview schedule
to be used on the ECDE officials. The aim is to elicit
information on the subject matter. This helped
collect data and also assist in making clarification
where it is not possible through a questionnaire. An
interview allows the researchers to get a detailed
data (Kombo and Tromp, 2006). The researcher
noted down answers given during the interview.
This helped in capturing relatively adequate
information.
Classroom Observation Schedule
Observation means that a researcher studies or
observes a specific situation. This is a primary
technique for collection of data on non-verbal
behavior. Personal observation is a suitable technique
especially in ascertaining facts drawn from the
respondents; it provides basis to confirm or justify
some issues that may not have been clearly understood
by either party in the survey. This technique further
minimizes chances of recording incorrect data.
Observation indicators are useful for evaluation of
physical condition. The researcher was able to observe
various drama activities that teachers use to teach
ECDE pupils. The researcher observed the types and
state of drama instructional material, other
infrastructures and teaching session within the study
area.
Pilot Study
Pilot test was carried out in early childhood
education centres in Uasin Gishu, Kenya that was
not involved in the main study, in order to ascertain
validity and reliability of the research instruments.
The researcher administers 52 questionnaires to
respondents representing 10% of sample size
(Browne, 1995). Respondent who participated in
pilot were 17 head teachers, 34 ECDE teachers and
1 ECDE officials.
Validity of Research Instruments
Validity is the degree to which a test measures; what
it is supposed to measure. All assessment of validity
was subjected to opinions based on the judgment of
researchers and experts according to Best (2005).
The researcher piloted questionnaire to assess its
clarity as well as to improve the items. According,

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to best (2005), content validity of an instrument was
improved through the researcher’s and expert’s
judgment. Content validity was determined using
constructive criticism from thesis supervisor who
had an extensive experience and expertise in
questionnaire construction. Researcher revised and
improve according to the supervisor advice and
questions. The researcher also sought the assistance
of experts in the field of Early Childhood Education,
School of Education, Moi University and guidance
from fellow doctorial students. Their comments
were incorporated so as to improve the validity of
the instrument.
Reliability of Research Instruments
Reliability is the ability of research instruments to
generate same /consistent results when used
(Kimberlin, & Winterstein, 2008). Reliability was
ensured through piloting of research instruments.
Piloted data was used to test for reliability using
Cronbach's alpha. The Cronbach’s alpha ranges
between 0 and 1. The closer Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient is to 1.0 the greater the internal
consistency of the items in the scale. According to
George and Mallery (2016) if the value of alpha is
>0.9 = Excellent, >0.8 =Good, >0.7 = Acceptable,
>0.6 = Questionable, >0.5 =Poor, and <0.5 =
Unacceptable. The results of the piloted research
instruments enabled the researcher to determine the
consistency of responses to be made by respondents
and adjust the items accordingly by revising the
document. Research instruments were developed
carefully to fit the research design and the plan of
data analysis so that the data collected facilitate the
testing of hypotheses.
Data Processing and Analysis
The data collected for the purpose of the study was
adopted and coded for completeness and accuracy of
information at the end of every field data collection
day and before storage. The data from the completed
questionnaires were cleaned, coded and entered into
the computer using the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Qualitative data were
organized into themes which assisted the researcher
to analyses data in thematic way based on
objectives. The analyzed data were presented in
form of written reports. Quantitative data was
calculated from the data obtained in the field.
Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive
statistical techniques (frequencies and percentages).
Inferential statistics was also used to test the
hypotheses (Pearson’s chi-square). Quantitative data
were presented using frequency tables.
Ethical Considerations
In this study, the researcher sought permission from
NACOSTI. An introductory letter was presented to
the relevant office so as to carry out the research.
Participants were given enough information
pertaining to the study before the administration of
the research instrument. The possible benefits and
value of the study were explained to the participants.
To follow ethical principles, the researcher sought
informed consent from the respondents to participate
in the research study; the data was kept confidential
through using serial numbers. Their information’s
were not disclosed and their names were not
identified during and after collection of data.
In addition, no information revealing the identity of
any individual was included in the final report or in
any other communication prepared in the course of
the research, unless the individual concerned has
consented in writing to its inclusion beforehand. No
pressure or inducement of any kind was applied to
encourage an individual to become a subject of
research. The respondents had the right not to
associate themselves with the information they give.
Based on this background, respondent’s identity was
kept confidential. To establish good working
relationship with the participants, the researcher
developed a rapport with them.
4.0 Data Analysis, Presentation and
Interpretation
Response Rate
Data was collected from the teachers, head teachers
and education officers using questionnaire and
interview schedule. Out of 344 ECDE teachers 305
responded and completely filled the questionnaires,
out of 172 head teachers, 150 responded and
completely filled the questionnaires and all 7 ECDE
officials were interviewed. This represents a
response rate of 88.3%. This is in agreement with
Groves and Peytcheva (2008), who assert that high
response rates are preferable to reduce the risk of
non-response bias and ensure the sample is
representative.
Gender of the Respondents
As shown in Table 4.1, 54.8% (167) of the teachers
who participated in this study were male whereas
45.2% (138) were female.
Table 4.1 Gender of Respondents
Gender Frequency Percent
Male 167 54.8
Female 138 45.2
Total 305 100.0

22 | P a g e
Age of the Respondents
The respondents were asked to state their age
bracket. The results were presented in the Table 4.2.
Table 4.2 Ages of the Respondents
Age bracket Frequency Percent
Below 25 163 53.4
25-35 118 38.7
36-45 24 7.9
Total 305 100.0
As shown in Table 4.2, 53.4% (163) of the
respondents were aged below 25 years whereas
38.7% (118) were aged 25-35 years old. Only 7.9 %
(24) were aged 36-45 years old.
Professional Qualification
Good education comes from professional trained
teachers. The centre handled by trained teachers is
likely to have a higher enrolment as opposed to the
one handled by untrained teachers. The respondents
were asked to state their professional qualification.
Their responses are presented in Table 4.3.
Table 4.3 Professional Qualification
Professional
Qualification
Frequency Percent
None 52 17.0
Certificate 156 51.1
Diploma 62 20.3
Degree 23 7.5
Others 12 3.9
Total 305 100.0
Table 4.3 indicates that 51.1% (156) of the
respondents had Certificate, 20.3% (62) had
Diploma and 7.5% (23) had Degrees. However,
17.0% (52) had not attained any professional
qualification. According to KESSP (2005), children
at the pre-school stage almost entirely depend on
their teachers to guide them in their learning
activities. That is why teachers are left to interpret
and to implement the curriculum which seeks to
develop the child holistically. This demands that
teachers should have sound knowledge of how
children grow, develop and learn and they should
have the required academic qualification to be able
to guide the learners as expected.
Teaching Experience
There was need to determine the teaching
experience of the teachers who participated in this
study. This is because teacher experience might have
an effect on the use of drama in teaching and
learning in the schools where the study was done.
Teachers’ responses are presented in Table 4.4.
Table 4.4 Teaching Experience
Experience Frequency Percent
Below 1 year 171 56.1
1-5 years 106 34.8
6-10 years 18 5.9
11-15years 8 2.6
Above 15 years 2 .7
Total 305 100.0
It should be noted that 56.1% (171) of the
respondents stated that they had a teaching
experience of less than 1 year, whereas 34.8% (106)
had taught for 1-5 years. Another 0.9 % (18) had
taught for 6-10 years. Only 0.7% (2) had taught for
a period of more than 15 years. This shows that
majority of the teachers who participated in this
study had taught for less than 5 years. This implies
that majority of the teachers who participated in this
study did not have long experience in teaching
profession. This has a bearing on the way they use
drama as an instructional method and the attitude
towards the same.
Gender of the Head Teachers
The gender distribution of the participants indicated
that majority (Table 4.5) of the head teachers were
male 122(81%) and the rest 28(19%) were female.
However the study found no relationship between
gender distribution and the impact of head teacher‘s
role use instructional drama in early childhood
education academic achievements of the pupils.
Table 4.5 Gender of the head teachers
Gender Frequency Percentage
Male 122 81
Female 28 19
Total 150 100
Age Bracket of the Head Teachers
The study findings on the age bracket of the head
teachers showed that 6(4%) were between 26-30
years, 24(16%) were between 31-35 years, majority
60(40%) were between 36-40 years, 55(36.7%) were
between 41-45 years and finally 5(3.3%) were 46
years and above. Age is a factor that has been
observed to affect the performance of head teachers.
Hence the older the head teacher the more
experienced thus the more effective they are in
implementation duties.

23 | P a g e
Table 4.6 Age Bracket of the Head Teachers
Age Frequency Percentage
26-30 years 6 4
31-35 years 24 16
36-40 years 60 40
41-45 years 55 36.7
46 years and
above
5 3.3
Total 150 100.00
Highest Level of Education
Table 4.7 shows that the highest proportion of the
head teachers in academic education is diploma.
This was clear indication that the diploma academic
qualification of the head teachers was majority since
10.0 percent and 6.0 percent had masters and PhD
respectively. Teachers’ academic qualification was
high since most of the teachers indicated that they
were B.Ed. and Diploma holders (41.1 % and 42.2%
respectively.
Head teachers’ administrative role is essential in the
school, therefore there is need for head teachers to
have higher academic qualification more than the
teachers thus will enhancing effective leadership
which is essential to the provision of quality
education.
Table 4.7 Highest Level of Education
Level of
education
Frequency Percentage
Diploma 63 42.2
B.ED 62 41.1
M.Ed 15 10.0
PhD 10 6.7
Total 150 100.0
Head Teachers Stay in Their Current Stations
The table 4.8 reveals that majority of the head
teachers had stayed in their current stations for over
6 years and above. This length of stay was not
satisfactory for the head teachers’ competence in
implementation of school rules and regulations;
hence they are in the capacity of instilling discipline
and are in a better position to give information about
the area of study.
Table 4.8 Head Teachers Stay in Their Current
Stations
Frequency Percentage
1-5 years 7 4.7
6-10 years 45 30
11-15 years 40 26.7
16-20 years 20 13.3
21-25 years 20 13.3
26-30 years 18 12
Total 150 100
Influence of Instructional Drama on the
Development of ECDE Pupils
Greenberg et al. (2003) assert that school-based
prevention programming with coordinated social,
emotional, and academic learning should be a
fundamental aspect of preschool and beyond. There
is a perception that to use drama the ECDE
practitioner will have to have strong personal acting
skills. However, drama in education is not trying to
make children into actresses and actors any more
than physical education is trying to make them into
the athletes or gymnasts of the future (Dodge &
Colker, 2012). Using drama activities with young
children puts them on the path of a creative journey
and helps them to develop their social, cognitive and
language skills. Children who experience better
quality preschools were more advanced in their
development over a five-year period. It is necessary
to provide the highest quality programs to children
of all races and levels of social-economic status.
High quality child-care, with attention to social-
emotional development as well as overall mental
health is imperative for successful preschool
programs. Studies show that between one-third and
one-half of children are not ready for school because
they lack the needed social and emotional skills.
Therefore, the skills include the ability to follow
directions, relate to others, and manage their own
impulses and behaviors appropriately. It has become
a national priority to make certain our young
children enter school socially and emotionally ready
to learn.
Teachers response on the influence of
Instructional Drama on the Development of
ECDE Pupils
The study also sought to determine the influence of
instructional drama on the development of the
ECDE pupils. The areas of development
investigated were: cognitive, emotional, social and
physical development. The teachers were given 20
items that they were to indicate the extent to which
they agree to each of the items. The results are
presented in Table 4.9.

Table 4.9 Influence of Instructional Drama on Development of ECDE Pupils
Statement SD D N A SA TOTAL
F % F % F % F % f % f %
Cognitive development
Imaginative play is so central to
children’s development
62 20.3 110 36.1 29 9.5 37 12.1 67 22.0 305 100.0
Using drama activities with young
children puts them on the path of a
creative journey
55 18.0 54 17.7 44 14.4 74 24.3 78 25.6 305 100.0
Creative problem solving through
drama works because drama is a
social activity.
27 8.9 28 9.2 80 26.2 86 28.2 84 27.5 305 100.0
Experiences in the drama play a
valuable role in helping pupils to
achieve their potential
34 11.1 61 20.0 98 32.1 62 20.3 50 16.4 305 100.0
Emotional development
children’ emotional development
53 17.4 37 12.1 14 4.6 116 38.0 85 27.9 305 100.0
creative journey and helps them to
develop their emotional development
46 15.1 58 19.0 16 5.2 114 37.4 71 23.3 305 100.0
With drama play children will be
able to express and communicate
their feelings
15 4.9 44 14.4 10 3.3 158 51.8 78 25.6 305 100.0
Drama is the catalyst for the
establishment of interpersonal
relationships
28 9.2 51 16.7 4 1.3 107 35.1 115 37.7 305 100.0
Social development
children’ social development
28 9.2 65 21.3 15 4.9 163 53.4 34 11.1 305 100.0
creative journey and helps them to
develop their social development
55 18.0 54 17.7 8 2.6 129 42.3 59 19.3 305 100.0
Using drama to teach ECD pupils
increases the sensitivity involved in
sharing with other people
28 9.2 58 19.0 62 20.3 103 33.8 54 17.7 305 100.0
Drama is a catalyst for the
establishment of interpersonal
relationships outside of the classroom
so that it will lead to social
development
24 7.9 114 37.4 6 2.0 80 26.2 81 26.6 305 100.0
Drama provide a natural vehicle
through which ECD pupils can
explore and express themselves
37 12.1 51 16.7 63 20.7 98 32.1 56 18.4 305 100.0
To engage in dramatic play with
others, children have to negotiate
roles
31 10.2 64 21.0 57 18.7 87 28.5 66 21.6 305 100.0
Play gives children a venue to make
sense of the world
40 13.1 44 14.4 65 21.3 98 32.1 58 19. 305 100.0
When children engage in dramatic
play they deepen their understanding
of the world and develop skills that
will serve them throughout their lives
52 17.0 84 27.5 7 2.3 106 34.8 56 18.4 305 100.0
Physical development
children’ physical development
12 3.9 66 21.6 5 1.6 170 55.7 52 17.0 305 100.0
Using drama to teach ECD pupils
enable the children to acquire skills to
cooperate with peers
46 15.1 46 15.1 77 25.2 67 22.0 69 22.6 305 100.0
Using drama to teach enhances
proper coordination in large and
small muscles enabling children’s
growth
6 2.0 70 23.0 2 0.6 172 56.4 55 18.0 305 100.0
Use of drama creates coordination
and balance in organs, flexibility in
movements and agility
53 17.4 49 16.1 4 1.3 93 30.5 106 34.8 305 100.0

Table 4.9 shows that 34.1% (104) of respondents
stated that imaginative play was central to children’s
development particularly cognitive and social
development whereas 56.4% (172) disagreed.
Another 49.9% (152) of the respondents stated that
using drama activities with young children puts
them on the path of creative journey and helps them
to develop their social, cognitive and language skills
whereas 35.7% (109) disagreed.
There were 49.9% (152) of the respondents stated
that with drama play children will be able to express
and communicate their feelings and understanding
in their own ways while 19.3% (59) disagreed and
30.8% (94) were neutral. Further, 51.7% (157) of the
teachers who participated in this study stated that
using drama to teach ECD pupils increases
sensitivity involvement in sharing with other people
and party by determining for himself the sort of the
world he wishes to live in. Only 28.2% (86)
disagreed. Majority (53.7%) of the teachers stated
that the creative, problem solving is a social activity.
There were 59.9% (182) of the teachers who stated
that drama is the catalyst for the establishment of
interpersonal relationships outside of the classrooms
that it lead to personal or emotional development,
whereas 25.9% (79) disagreed. This shows that
majority of teachers have strong believe that drama
is very important in the social development of ECD
pupils.
It should also be noted that 36.7% (112) of the
respondents stated that experiences in the drama
play available role in helping pupils to achieve their
potential as learners and to participate fully in their
community. Only 31.1% (95) disagreed and 32.1%
(98) were neutral. Table 4.11 also shows that 50.5%
(154) of the respondents agreed that drama provides
a neutral vehicle through which ECDE pupils can
explore and express themselves through which they
can discover and interpret the world around them.
Less than half (28.9%) or the respondents were of
contrary opinion. As shown by the Table 4.11,
50.1% (153) of the respondents agreed that to
engage in dramatic play with others, children have
to negotiate roles, agree on a topic and cooperate to
portray different situations. However, 31.1% (95)
disagreed. Another 44.6% (136) of the teachers who
participated in this study were of the opinion that
using drama to teach ECD pupils enable the children
to acquire skills to cooperate with peers, control
impulses and are less aggressive than children who
do not engage in this type of play. On the contrary,
30.2% (92) of the teachers were of different opinion
and 25.2% (77) were neutral. The findings indicates
that 50.1% (156) of the respondents stated that play
gives children avenue to make sense of the world,
and to practice, consolidate and externalize newly
acquired skills whereas 27.5% (84) disagreed.
It should be noted that poor social and emotional
development predicts poor academic outcomes
(Raver & Knitzer, 2002). Blair and Peters (2003)
found a relationship between the development of
social and academic competence and adaptation to
preschool among Head Start children. They
postulated that emotionality and the processes
relating to social competence are most important for
future academic success. Their findings appear to
provide evidence for correlations between social and
adaptive behavior and success in meeting preschool
academic expectancies in children from low-income
families. They proposed more than one pathway
(academic skills training, social emotional training)
to competence in the early school years among
children. From this study, it is evident that all
options need to be explored as part of those early
interventions that are designed to promote academic
success and prevent school failure. Blair and Peters
(2003) argued for the importance of examining
several aspects of child regulation for preventive
intervention. Examining externalizing (i.e.
disruptive) and internalizing behaviors, as well as
adaptive skills would provide a more in-depth look
at the child’s behavior.
Early childhood is a vital period for socio emotional
advancement. Although emotion regulation skills
and related behaviors improve as children mature
(Cole et al., 2003), there are strong individual
variations in the development of early regulatory
abilities. Linking these differences to intrinsic and
extrinsic influences provides a foundation for
understanding the development of children’s social
and emotional competence during the school-age
years (Blandon et al., 2008).
According to a research conducted in the University
of Texas, when the variable of time is held constant,
the rate for remembering is as follows; people
remember 10% of what they read, 20% of what they
hear, 30% of what they see, 50% of what they see
and hear, 70% of what they say, 90% of what they
do and say. As can be observed, as the number of
active sense organs increases, permanency of
education increases at the same rate. Therefore the
most effective method in learning is being active
during learning. In addition, in other words learning
by doing and experiencing.
In his work, Fulford et al. (2001), state that
participants make sense of themselves, others and
many aspects of the world they live in by creating,
progressing and reflecting the same. In this case,
people, by presenting different opinions, are able to
analyze their own opinions against others’.
Establishing empathy and different perspectives
through theatre and drama, as revealed by the
findings of our study, correspond to this
information. In his study, Akyol, A. K. & Hamamci

26 | P a g e
(2007) states that getting to know different lives,
gaining experience for various incidents and
occasions through enacting different roles,
perceiving life in multi-dimension and providing
development for will for research, learning through
doing and experiencing, providing permanent
learning are among expected individual gains as
result of drama studies.
Taking a lead in showing the important role of
outdoor play in the development of social skills,
several studies have been carried. Ginsburg (2007)
showed that during play, children form enduring
bonds of friendship, including with their adult
playmates. In addition, Laushey and Heflin (2000)
revealed that children aged five to seven years with
proficient pretend play skills are socially competent
with peers and are able to engage in classroom
activities. Moreover, children who scored poorly on
the play assessment were more likely to have
difficulty interacting with their peers and engaging
in other school activities. This was a clear attestation
that social competence is related to a child’s ability
to engage in pretend play. Psychiatrist Stuart Brown
(2009) discovered that the absence of social play
during childhood stages was a common link among
murderers in prison. They lacked the normal give-
and-take skills necessary for learning to understand
others’ emotions and intentions, and the self-control
that one must learn to play successfully with others.
All these activities can be done if there are qualified
teachers recruited and when the educational policies
provide room for play in educational institutions.
The facilities should also be available to enable the
learners play and therefore interact well with each
other in the pre-schools.
Dramatic acts are all interpersonal interactions or
people’s interactions with objects, pragmatic and
prepared points that occur. Drama involves doing
something as it is genuine. Therefore, it provides a
presentation and interpretation of a mental activity
and is a way to change students’ mental and physical
prospective into imaginative acts. The experiences,
intellectual background and knowledge gained
during education and dreams are all foundation for
drama. The drama technique provides cooperative
learning surroundings in which students can employ
methodical values in their daily life. In drama,
students are assigned various roles. They then act as
the character they were assigned. They talk and
think in the way the related character talks and
thinks. In this fashion, students get better in their
language and communication skills. Drama in
educational surroundings makes students dynamic
participants in the learning progression. It also
strengthens student inspiration due to its pleasurable
character.
Since students animate the roles in their preferred
way, they are not timid, leading to an increase in
their self-confidence. During role playing, children
try different solutions and exclude those that do not
work in the relevant situation, and employ useful
ones that are further improved upon. This process
eventually improves their problem-solving skills
(Kocayörük et al., 2015). In short, drama as an
educational method allows students to reflect,
discuss, make connections with real life, and look at
the events from different angles (Littledyke, 2001).
Some scholars argue that drama reinforces the
attainment of cognitive, emotional and technical
skills related to analysis, synthesis and evaluation
(Dorion, 2009).
The drama method can be used as an innovative way
of helping students to learn. It is important for
students who learn better through games or game-
like activities that curriculum designer and educators
understand the value of drama (Hendrix et al., 2012).
New examples should be developed nowadays so as
to correct the wrongly known and applied activities
in using the drama method.
In his study, Akyol & Hamamci (2007) states that
getting to know different lives, gaining experience
forvarious incidents and occasions through enacting
different roles, perceiving life in multi-dimension
and providing development for will for research,
learning through doing and experiencing, providing
permanent learning are among expected individual
gains as result of drama studies. These statements
are in conformity with the perception for social gains
of an individual who is competent and
knowledgeable in theatre or drama as provided with
our findings of this study. Despite its challenges, the
professional learning, learning opportunities with
colleagues to improve the quality of education is an
indispensable requirement. Co-operation between
schools, teachers, learning together and provide new
ideas and opportunities to increase their professional
development (Özdemir, P., & Üstündağ, 2007;
Kase-Polisini & Spector, 2002).
Head teachers’ response on the influence of
Instructional Drama on the Development of
ECDE Pupils
The study also sought to determine the head
teachers’ response on the influence of instructional
drama on the development of the ECDE pupils. The
areas of development investigated were: cognitive,
emotional, social and physical development. The
teachers were given 20 items that they were to
indicate the extent to which they agree to each of the
items. The results are presented in Table 4.10.

Table 4.10 Influence of Instructional Drama on Development of ECDE Pupils
Statement SD D N A SA TOTAL
F % F % F % f % F % F %
Cognitive development
Imaginative play is so central to children’s
development
11 7.33 3 2 7 4.7 22 14.7 107 71.3 150 100
Using drama activities with young children puts them
on the path of a creative journey
14 9.33 20 13.3 15 10.0 22 14.7 79 52.7 150 100
Creative problem solving through drama works
because drama is a social activity.
0 0.00 18 12 12 8.0 21 14.0 99 66.0 150 100
Experiences in the drama play a valuable role in
helping pupils to achieve their potential
4 2.67 7 4.66 15 10.0 89 59.3 35 23.3 150 100
Emotional development
Imaginative play is so central to children’ emotional
development
3 2.00 4 2.66 13 8.7 84 56.0 46 30.7 150 100
Using drama activities with young children puts
them on the path of a creative journey and helps
them to develop their emotional development
3 2.00 3 2 14 9.3 100 66.7 30 20.0 150 100
With drama play children will be able Ato express
and communicate their feelings
3 2.00 5 3.33 4 2.7 100 66.7 38 25.3 150 100
Drama is the catalyst for the establishment of
interpersonal relationships
7 4.67 9 6 6 4.0 110 73.3 18 12.0 150 100
Social development 0.00 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 150
Imaginative play is so central to children’ social
development
3 2.00 4 2.66 13 8.7 20 13.3 110 73.3 150 100
Using drama activities with young children puts them
on the path of a creative journey and helps them to
develop their social development
12 8.00 21 14 4 2.7 17 11.3 96 64.0 150 100
Using drama to teach ECD pupils increases the
sensitivity involved in sharing with other people
12 8.00 2 1.33 11 7.3 26 17.3 99 66.0 150 100
Drama is a catalyst for the establishment of
interpersonal relationships outside of the classroom
so that it will lead to social development
4 2.67 14 9.33 3 2.0 39 26.0 90 60.0 150 100
Drama provide a natural vehicle through which ECD
pupils can explore and express themselves
4 2.67 19 12.66
67
4 2.7 56 37.3 67 44.7 150 100
To engage in dramatic play with others, children
have to negotiate roles
4 2.67 20 13.3 37 24.7 63 42.0 26 17.3 150 100
Play gives children a venue to make sense of the
world
5 3.33 16 10.7 28 18.7 65 43.3 36 24.0 150 100
When children engage in dramatic play they deepen
their understanding of the world and develop skills
that will serve them throughout their lives
13 8.67 11 7.3 11 7.3 104 69.3 11 7.3 150 100
Physical development 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 150
Imaginative play is so central to children’ physical
development
9 6.00 26 17.3 5 3.3 72 48.0 38 25.3 150 100
Using drama to teach ECD pupils enable the
children to acquire skills to cooperate with peers
13 8.67 0 0.0 21 14.0 71 47.3 45 30.0 150 100
Using drama to teach enhances proper coordination
in large and small muscles enabling children’s
growth
6 4.00 13 8.7 5 3.3 85 56.7 41 27.3 150 100
Use of drama creates coordination and balance in
organs, flexibility in movements and agility
9 6.00 0 0.0 12 8.0 75 50.0 54 36.0 150 100
The study findings on cognitive development
showed that majority 107(71.3%) of the head
teachers strongly agreed with the statement that
Imaginative play is so central to children’s

28 | P a g e
development, majority of the respondents
79(52.7%) strongly agreed with the statement that
using drama activities with young children puts
them on the path of a creative journey, majority
99(66%) of the respondents strongly agreed with the
statement that Creative problem solving through
drama works because drama is a social activity and
finally majority 89(59.3%) of the subjects agreed
with the statement that experiences in the drama play
a valuable role in helping pupils to achieve their
potential.
The study findings on cognitive development
reveals that Imaginative play is so central to
children’s development. Also, drama activities in
young children makes them creative. Further,
instructional drama make them creative in problem
solving and finally, instructional drama play a
valuable role in helping pupils to achieve their
potential.
The study findings on emotional development
showed that majority of the respondents agreed that;
Imaginative play is so central to children’ emotional
development 84(56%); Using drama activities with
young children puts them on the path of a creative
journey and helps them to develop their emotional
development 100(66.7%); With drama play children
will be able Ato express and communicate their
feelings 100(66.7%) and finally Drama is the
catalyst for the establishment of interpersonal
relationships 110(73.3%).
The study findings on emotional development also
showed that imaginative play is so central to
children’ emotional development. Use of drama
activities with young children puts them on the path
of a creative journey and helps them to develop their
emotional development. Use of drama also enables
children to Ato express and communicate their
feelings. Finally, drama act as a catalyst for the
establishment of interpersonal relationships.
The study findings on social development showed
that majority of the head teachers agreed with the
statements that; Imaginative play is so central to
children’ social development 110(73.3%); Using
drama activities with young children puts them on
the path of a creative journey and helps them to
develop their social development 96(64%); Using
drama to teach ECD pupils increases the sensitivity
involved in sharing with other people 99(66%);
Drama is a catalyst for the establishment of
interpersonal relationships outside of the classroom
so that it will lead to social development 90(60%);
Drama provide a natural vehicle through which ECD
pupils can explore and express themselves
67(44.7%); To engage in dramatic play with others,
children have to negotiate roles 63(42%); Play gives
children a venue to make sense of the world
65(43.3%) and finally When children engage in
dramatic play they deepen their understanding of the
world and develop skills that will serve them
throughout their lives 104(69.3%).
The study findings on social development shows
that Imaginative play is so central to children’ social
development. Using drama activities in young
children puts them on the path of a creative journey
and helps them to develop their social development.
It also increases the sensitivity involved in sharing
with other people and acts as a catalyst for the
establishment of interpersonal relationships outside
of the classroom so that it will lead to social
development. Drama also gives children a venue to
make sense of the world and deepen their
understanding of the world making them develop
skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
Finally, the study findings on physical development
showed that majority of the respondents agreed that;
Imaginative play is so central to children’ physical
development 72(48%); Using drama to teach ECD
pupils enable the children to acquire skills to
cooperate with peers 71(47.3%); Using drama to
teach enhances proper coordination in large and
small muscles enabling children’s growth 85
(56.7%) and that Use of drama creates coordination
and balance in organs, flexibility in movements and
agility 75 (50%).
The study findings also on physical development
showed that Imaginative play is so central to
children’ physical development. Use of drama in
teaching of ECDE children will make them acquire
skills to cooperate with peers. Use of drama also
enhances proper coordination in large and small
muscles enabling children’s growth. Finally, use of
drama creates coordination and balance in organs,
flexibility in movements and agility.
The study findings are in agreement with (Howes,
2000) who asserts that Kindergarten professionals
have an influence on children’s life and their
emotional well-being. Many children spend a big
part of the days in some nursery, therefore the
behaviour of the professionals can make a difference
in the child’s development. If the kindergarten is a
safe and peaceful place for the child, the adults are
doing their responsibilities; their emotional
development will increase, especially in social
fields. Relation-ships with adults (parents,
educators, etc.) predict future success how the child
can get personal connection to other peers.

29 | P a g e
ECDE officials interview schedule on the
influence of Instructional Drama on the
The ECDE officials noted that using drama activities
in young children puts them on the path of creative
journey and helps them to develop their social,
cognitive and language skills. They also noted that
drama play enable children to express and
communicate their feelings and understanding in
their own ways and that using drama to teach ECD
pupils increases sensitivity involvement in sharing
with other people and party by determining for
himself the sort of the world he wishes to live in.
furthermore, use of drama makes one creative in
problem solving is a social activity.
Hypothesis Testing
HO1: there is no significant relationship between
the use of instructional drama and the development
of ECDE learners.
There were 20 items measuring the development of
ECDE pupils in the questionnaire which were scored
using a five point likert scale. In the questionnaire,
strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Neutral (N),
Disagree (D), Strongly Disagree (SD) were scored
as 5,4,3,2 and 1 respectively. The highest score was
100 and the lowest was 20. A respondent who scored
80-100 implied that the use of drama had a high
influence on the development of the ECDE pupils
while those who scored between 41 and 79 were
neutral and those who scored 40 and below were of
the opinion that the use of drama had a low influence
on the development of the ECDE pupils. The chi-
square results are presented in Table below.
Table 4.11 Contingency Table for influence of
drama on the development of ECDE learners
Availa
bility
Frequency of use of Drama
Alw
ays
Somet
imes
N
ot
su
re
Rar
ely
Ne
ver
To
tal
Positiv
e
13 74 13 23 9 13
2
Ambiv
alent
13 63 17 12 4 10
9
Negati
ve
12 19 24 7 2 64
Total 38 156 54 42 15 30
5
χ2
= 482.271, df. =8 and sig = 0.000
As shown in Table 4.16, a Pearson’s chi-square
value of 482.271, degrees of freedom of 8 and p-
value of 0.000 was obtained. Since p<0.05, the null
hypothesis is rejected. This means that there was a
significant relationship between use of drama and
the development of ECDE learners.
Classroom Lesson Observations
From the classroom lesson observations, the study
found out that majority of teachers in studied schools
didn’t planned for drama activities in terms schemes
of work, record of work covered lesson plan and
objectives. This implies that drama activities in
schools are given less concerns in ECDE
curriculum. However, learners participate in drama
activities during some other thematic areas such as
outdoors activities and language activities. It was
also observed that adopt of drama activities were
limited by inadequate instructional materials used
for the drama activities.
5.0 Summary of Findings, Conclusion and
Recommendations
Summary of the findings
The study summarizes findings of each objective as
follows;
Influence of Drama on Cognitive and Social
The study also sought to determine the influence of
drama on cognitive and social development of the
ECDE pupils. The study established that using
drama activities with young children puts them on
the path of creative journey and helps them to
develop their social, cognitive and language skills.
The findings also show that half of the teachers
stated that with drama play children will be able to
express and communicate their feelings and
understanding in their own ways whereas another
half stated that using drama to teach ECD pupils
increases sensitivity involvement in sharing with
other people and party by determining for himself
the sort of the world he wishes to live in. Another
half stated that the creative, problem solving is a
social activity. There were half who stated that
drama is the catalyst for the establishment of
interpersonal relationships outside of the classrooms
that it leads to personal or emotional development.
This shows that majority of teachers have strong
believe that drama is very important in the social
development of ECD pupils.
Further, half of the teachers stated that drama
provides a neutral vehicle through which ECDE
pupils can explore and express themselves through
which they can discover and interpret the world
around them. Similarly, half agreed that to engage in
dramatic play with others, children have to negotiate
roles, agree on a topic and cooperate to portray
different situations. Less than half of the teachers

30 | P a g e
were of the opinion that using drama to teach ECD
pupils enable the children to acquire skills to
cooperate with peers, control impulses and are less
aggressive than children who do not engage in this
type of play. It was also found that half of the
teachers stated that play gives Children Avenue to
make sense of the world, and to practice, consolidate
and externalize newly acquired skills. Similarly, half
agreed that when children engage in dramatic play
they deepen their understanding of the world and
develop skills that will serve them throughout their
lives.
Conclusions
The study established that drama provides a neutral
vehicle through which ECDE pupils can explore and
express themselves through which they can discover
and interpret the world around them and it enables
the children to acquire skills to cooperate with peers,
control impulses and are less aggressive than
children who do not engage in this type of play. It
was also found that play gives children avenue to
make sense of the world, and to practice, consolidate
and externalize newly acquired skills. Through
dramatic play, children deepen their understanding
of the world and develop skills that will serve them
throughout their lives.
Recommendations
Based on the findings and conclusions of this study,
the following recommendations are made:
Teachers, parents and other educational stakeholders
should pool resources to provide books, periodicals
and other resources which deal with using drama as
a method of teaching and learning in ECDE schools.
Using drama activities with young children puts
them on the path of creative journey and helps them
to develop their social, cognitive and language
skills.
Suggestions for Further Research
The study drew the following suggestions for
Further Research from the findings;
i. Research should be done on the influence
of external factors on the use of drama in
teaching and learning in ECDE centres in
Elgeyo Marakwet County.
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