Abstract
This study is on an investigative study on the availability and use of teaching aids in teaching mathematics in primary schools. The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected primary schools in Uyo local government of Akwa Ibom state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up headmasters, mathematics teachers, senior staff and junior staff was used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
Instructional materials and aids are an essential requirement for successful teaching. Many teachers find that seeking and finding resources that produce results when students use them is a distinct pleasure among the multitude of teaching details. Use of teaching and learning materials activates students and as they learn actively, the teacher can enjoy the evidence of their progress.( Brown, Lewis, Richard and Harcleroad (1985)) The benefits that accrue from effective use of instructional materials abound. Instructional materials when used well make the entire teaching and learning processes complete and functional. They facilitate the understanding of difficult concepts and principles. Ideally, they make it easier for learners to follow, understand, respond to and retain content of the lesson (Gamble 1984) .At College and university, student teachers are required to learn how to make and use simple and cheap teaching aids. They are also trained to operate and use sophisticated media resources such as radios, tape recorders, overhead projectors and sometimes the computers. Kilundo (2002) observes that, it is impossible to have meaningful teaching and learning in schools in the absence of these teaching materials. Lack of teaching materials can hinder any teaching programme from operating with desired efficiency. He argues that while both experience and available literature would support the view that materials are associated with high academic achievement, there is no need just to verify, but to study the efficacy of those materials in the wider context of school quality. This study concentrated on the use textbooks and mathematical tables in the teaching mathematics. The consideration of the above instructional resources was necessitated by the fact that they are the most common and readily available in primary schools
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Complaints about lack of teaching and learning materials and available resources were hardly used (Oirere, 2008). The challenges in utilization of available resources were not investigated which was the main concern of this study. Inadequacy of instructional resources has been cited as one of the major causes of poor teaching techniques (Wasiche, 2006). Too much theoretical teaching of mathematics makes the subject to look too abstract and difficult to students. Other studies done both in mathematics and other subjects in various regions in Nigeria also found out that instructional resources were quite inadequate in many schools. The problem of inadequacy of teaching and learning resources affects the number of activities that a teacher can plan for a lesson thus limiting teachers in their efforts to vary their teaching techniques. However, Mathematics teachers have to be more creative and use locally available materials in instruction. On this background the researcher wants to investigate an investigative study on the availability and use of teaching aids in teaching mathematics in primary schools.
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