School learning environment and pre-primary children’s reading readiness in early childhood development in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of school learning environment on pre-primary school children’s reading readiness in their early childhood development in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. The sample for the study consisted of two hundred and ten (210) children and forty two care-givers who were purposively selected from 42 schools in the study area. The research adopted a correlational survey research design and data was collected using Physical Learning Environment and Reading Readiness Questionnaire (PLERRQ) as its main instrument. To guide the study, three research questions were raised and three research hypotheses were proposed and tested at 0.05 levels of significant using descriptive statistic, frequencies percentage, mean scores, and inferential statistics (multiple linear regressions). The results indicated that the state of classroom environment is promotive of pre-primary school children’s reading readiness. It was recommended that care-givers should be encouraged to ensure necessary activities in school. It also recommended that the necessary and concerned authorities should see to the environment of school classrooms and that of children’s extra-curricular activities. Learning materials should also be provided in a manner which impacts positively on children’s development.

Keywords: Learning Environment, Early childhood, Pre-primary reading Readiness