THE DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION OF EDUCATIONAL TOYS AND GAMES FOR ENHANCING TEACHING OF ENGLISH ALPHABETS IN THE NURSERY SCHOOL LEVEL IN NIGERIA

摘要

Nursery Education is the initial stage of organised instruction designed primarily to introduce very young children to a school-type environment, that is, to provide a bridge between home and a school-based atmosphere. Being the first level of education and the foundation to all the other levels of education in Nigeria, it is very dynamic considering its sensitive nature. Teaching at this level comes with its own unique challenges. Take for instance, stimulating and retaining the pupils' active attention in the class while teaching them has to be strategically done for effective teaching and learning to take place. Therefore, in the realization of the teaching objectives in the teaching of children at this tender age, educational toys and games should always be reckoned with and its constant usage for classroom teaching should be given more attention for smooth delivery of the contents of the lesson. More importantly, the children should be well exposed to the letters of the English Alphabet through the use of appropriate Educational toys and games. This paper discusses the role of educational toys and games in the teaching and learning of the letters of the English Alphabet, origin of Nursery Education, meaning of Nursery Education, teaching and learning, Educational toys and games and examples of educational toys and game