EFFECT OF REGGIO EMILIA TRAINING APPROACH ON SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE SKILLS OF PUPILS IN PREPRIMARY SCHOOLS IN F.C.T, ABUJA

Abstract

This study set out to find out the Effect of Reggio-Emilia Training approach on the social and cognitive skills of pupils in preprimary schools of Abuja Municipal Area, Nigeria. Quasi-Experimental design was employed in which Preprimary pupils (N=40) were randomly chosen from two public primary schools and assigned to participate in the control and treatment group (N=20each). Two (2) hypotheses were tested to find out if, a significant difference exists between pre-primary pupil’s mean scores in experimental and control groups to Reggio Emilia approach at a significance of 0.05 level. Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scale (SSIS-RS) was used to collect data. One –Way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) of two independent samples was also used to analyze hypothesis 1 and 2 to test the significant difference in the mean scores of pupil’s social and cognitive skills after the intervention of Reggio Emilia Training. The findings of the study showed that; Reggio Emilia Approach did improve the social (collaboration) and cognitive (problem-solving) skills of preprimary pupils who were exposed to Reggio Emilia Training. The study thus, recommends among many that, Reggio Emilia is an alternative approach for educating children and generally it has the qualities of constructivist education. This approach, which aims for children to solve the problems they encounter themselves, is also centered on children, families, society and teachers to take part in this approach. It is therefore necessary for young children to be given the opportunity to actively participate in activities themselves rather than being taught as obtained in higher level of learning.