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g. 243 – 255
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PRODUCTION AND IMPROVISATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR

EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND
EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

OBIDIKE IFEOMA VIRGINIA

F.C.E, Zaria
[email protected]
+234 803 562 1957

Abstract
Instructional materials such as charts, pictures, cardboards, posters, drawing, map,
graphs and cartoons are commonly found and they can be used in teaching-learning
situation. Most of modern materials such as television, projector and multimedia are
not always available for one reason or the other in most Early Childhood Care and
Education (ECCE) schools. It is in the midst of these inconsistencies and differences
that instructional materials have to be sourced, produced or designed or improvised by
the schools, teachers and pupils as well as community to cater for their classroom
instructions effectively. The findings of this paper reveals, among others, that the
public cries of mass failure of pupils in academic works in schools is an evident
manifestation of unsuccessful management and non-realization of objectives of
teaching and learning which can be attributed to some factors as personality of care-
givers, learners’ characteristics, non-provision or non-availability of an effective use of
instructional materials. Again, the unique role of care-givers in the provision of
instructional materials is an integral part of teaching and learning in classroom
situation which cannot be over emphasized. This implies that the method of teaching
will be grossly incomplete where instructional materials are left out. In order to
enhance robust teaching-learning process with consequent excellent results in ECCE,
the study recommends, inter alia, that teachers should be resourceful and committed
to their duty, which can help them, be creative and innovative. They should learn to
have positive attitude to teaching-learning process. They can realize this by adequately
preparing their lesson plan, produce or improvise the instructional materials and
dispensing their lessons effectively.

Keywords: Improvisation, Instructional Materials, Effective teaching-learning Results,

Child Care, Early Childhood Education.

Introduction
The importance of instructional material in any teaching/learning process cannot be over
emphasized. This is for the fact that such materials enhance, facilitate and make teaching and
learning easy and concrete. In Early 'Childhood education, learning among children is based
on the use of concrete materials by the teacher/caregiver. In order to bring in extra materials
or items to enhance learning among children the teacher has to be resourceful and be able to
improvise some of these learning materials himself. Teachers/ caregivers should be able to use
local or cheap materials within his environment to create, develop and produce effective
learning materials for children in order to acquire certain basic skills. The issue of instructional
materials usage in teaching and learning situation is not a new development but there are
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inadequate records in its provision. Most care-givers have been observed to go to classroom
with no instructional materials to deliver their lessons on many occasions. Such situation
determines a gross characteristic of poor lessons. According to Dodo (2011, stated
categorically that, one of the major challenges facing qualitative teaching in our primary and
secondary schools has been lack of adequate teaching materials. Dodo, explained that, burden
has been too much on government to provide all the needed teaching materials in our
everyday growing number of schools.

Experience has shown that most good care-givers appreciate the need of instructional materials in
teaching and learning process. However, effective teaching and permanent learning can take place only
when pupils actively participate in a variety of learning activities that challenge them to think creatively
This calls for providing and employing instructional materials in classroom in order to teach effectively.

The public cries of mass failure of pupils in academic works in schools is an evident
manifestation of unsuccessful management and non-realization of objectives of teaching and
learning which can be attributed to some factors as personality of care- givers, learners’
characteristics, non-provision or non-availability of an effective use of instructional materials.
The unique role of care-givers provision of instructional materials is an integral part of
teaching and learning in classroom situation which cannot be over emphasized. This implies
that the method of teaching will be grossly incomplete where instructional materials are left
out.

Care-givers must cultivate the art and culture of sourcing, producing and improvising from
local materials available in their learning environment to make available instructional
materials in order to make teaching and learning more real, purposeful and meaningful, in
order to achieve quality education.

Instructional materials are important tools for the attainment of desirable objectives of lessons
at all levels of education. They appeal to more than a sense (i.e hearing alone) but other senses
of sight, touch and sometimes, smell and taste.

Kindler (1973) cited by Fagbemi (1995) stated that people generally remember:
10% of what that read. 20% of what they hear. 30% of what they see. 50% of
what they hear and see. 70% of what they say and; 90% of what they see as
they do a thing.

Concept of Instructional Materials

Instructional materials or teaching aids are extra items the teacher normally sources for to
develop and enrich the content delivery in order to make concepts clearer and easier for the
learner to enrich his knowledge and acquisition of skills.

According to NTI Kaduna (2006), instructional materials can be seen as an innovative learning
system, which involves the use of organized combination and utilization of people, materials,
equipment and procedures to achieve the desired instructional objectives.

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Wikipedia (2008) defines instructional materials, as the materials that are used to aid in the
transfer of information from a person to another person, e.g, the teacher may use instructional
materials to aid the learning of a subject.

Also Olawale (2013) defines instructional materials as materials of visual, audio and audio-
visual category that helps to make concepts, abstract ideas concrete in the teaching/learning
process They are also materials which the teachers uses in supplementing his teaching.
Instructional materials include materials used to facilitate learning for better result. It is the
use of the chalk board, charts, models, overhead projector, films and so on in the teaching
process. Instructional materials in its simplest term are those materials that help teachers to:

- Teach with ease

- Learners learn without stress
- Appeal to the senses of seeing, touching, smelling, feeling, and hearing.

Classification of Instructional Materials

There are varieties of materials for different level of educational system. The knowledge of a
wide variety of instructional materials and the specific function they can perform is a value
added advantage for the teacher. Therefore, care givers should endeavour to source provide,
improvise and use many instructional materials as possible.

The type of instructional materials depends on the sense they stimulate, their level of
technology, projected or non-projected, print or non-print or to consider them generally as
audio visuals materials.

Tukur (2012) enumerated the types of instructional materials as follows;

Instructional materials could be classified into six forms.

1. Audio (deals with sound only) these include such things as radio, record players, cassettes,
grammar phone, CD plates, songs, poems. These aid teaching through the sense of hearing.

2. Visual - (deals with sight.) the category of this consists of maps, film steps, specimen,
pictures, charts, blackboard, positions That category appeals to children through the sense of
seeing is believing applies to some extent in this context. Children when pretend with concrete
items easily grasp the meaning of idea concepts

3. Audio-visual (combination of audio and visual i.e. sound and vision). These refer to things
like television, films DVD and projectors, computers, IPADs etc. The use of these also aids
learning greatly.

4. Print (deals with hardcopies).These refers to things like books, newspaper, journals,
handout etc. which the use aids effective learning.

5. static/display. These refers to things like chalkboard, flannelgraph, flip charts magnetic
board etc.

6. electronic. These refers to things like radio, computer, e-mail, multimedia etc.
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However, it should be noted that a high degree of commitment and resourcefulness is

required on the part of care- givers to ensure that they are conversant with the different kinds
of instructional materials. This will enable the care-givers to impact positively on the quality
of their teaching and the implication of the quality of learning.

Functions of instructional materials

- It helps the teachers by providing him with means of widening his learner’s
experiences
- It helps the teacher to provide to his learners with meaningful sources of information.
- It provides to the teacher the means of exposing the learners to a wide range of learning
activities.

It increases the efficiency of learning by providing activities that are interesting.

- It helps children to participate and control simple social interaction.

- It help the children to learn how to recognize, explore and control subject, sight, smell,
texture, and taste.
- It helps the children to learn how to get desire re-actions from people and object.

Importance of Instructional Materials

1. Its helps to make learning process more effective and conceptual.
2. Its helps to grab the attention of students
3. It builds interest and motivation teaching pupils learning process
4. It enhance the energy level of teaching and pupils
5. It is even better for over burden classrooms
6. It provides learners a realistic approach and experience
7. Provide visual aspects to a process or technique
8. Focus attention on highlight of the lesson
9. Create impact
10. Facilitates the understanding of abstract concept
11. Saves time by limiting the use of wordy explanations
12. Provides a common framework of experiences to a large numbers of learners
13. Provides opportunity for the learners to manipulate object inthe environment.
Generally, the use of instructional materials helps to concretize the learning process.

Factors Guiding the Selection of Instructional Materials

The teacher who wants to use instructional materials should consider the following variables
to guide him in the selection of the types to be used in the teaching learning exercise.

1. Availability
The teacher should ensure that the instructional materials to be used are easily available for
use before the date of use. It means that materials should be in store and the teacher should
look at it and test it before the day of the lesson. If the teacher has to prepare it himself, he
should do so at least a day before the lesson. No instructional materials that are not available
or not easily to prepare should 'be noted by the teacher in his lesson plan

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2. Accessibility
It is the duty of the teacher to ensure that the materials to use as instructional materials are
not only available but also accessible to him. If they are already made materials they should
be within the reach of the teacher on the date and time of use. There should be no excuse that
the materials are readily available but locked up in the store because the store-keeper is
nowhere to be found or the keys to the store have been misplaced.

3. Affordability
The instructional materials to be used should not be expensive the cost should be such that
either the teacher or the school can afford. It is of use to say that, something is available but
not affordable due to high cost. There should be a budget for instructional material when this
is done the cost should not be outrageous it should be within the budget of the school.

4. Suitability
The teacher using the instructional materials should ensure the appropriateness of the
materials for his intended learners. Its materials should be suitable for their age, experience,
and intelligence. The legal safety and ethical aspects of the materials to be used should equally
be considered. The materials should not portray any antisocial attitude. They should also be
free from any distortion or prejudice. If the materials would need electric power then an
alternative should be sought to avoid disappointment from electricity.

5. Simplicity
The instructional materials to be used should be simple tolerate or manipulative. The teacher
should test the materials and ensure their workability before the actual date of use. There
should not be any technical problem and where electricity is to used provision should be made
for an alternative power. No teacher should use electric failure as an excuse for non-
performance. In a situation where an instrument demands the hand of a technician, he (the
technician) should be on hand and the teacher should have an insight into the operation of
the instructional materials

6. Qualitativeness
The instructional materials selected for teaching by the teacher should be of good quality.
Teacher should avoid the idea of "managing" with poor quality materials because he might
not achieve the desired aim.

7. Accuracy
The instructional materials should be the best or nearest to the best it should not be out of
date: The instructional materials should reflect current and original thought

Sources of Instructional Materials

Instructional materials can be sourced by the teacher from the following ways.

i. Home; The teacher/caregiver who is resourceful can identify materials in the home
environment that can be used as instructional materials example, old. calendar, pictures,
electronic appliances like tape recorders, DVD players.

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ii. School: The school administration can also include the, provision of instructional materials
to be used by teachers/caregivers. A resource room is usually provided where materials are
kept e.g. maps, charts, physical & health materials, jigsaw puzzles, models, flash-cards work
books, resource persons, building blocks, etc.

iii. Community: Within each community there are materials that can be sourced by the
teacher/ caregiver and used in teaching children, examples include, fruits, flowers, sticks,
traditional instrument, storytelling by elders.

iv. Teacher: The teacher himself is an instructor however, he can use his creative ability to
carvings, singing songs, reciting poems etc. These are not the only sources, donations can
come from other agencies or person that have interest in education.

v. Donation: from concerned bodies like: PTA (parent Teachers Association), state libraries
British council and other non-governmental organization can provide some instructional
materials for care-givers and pupils.

Improvisation of Instructional Materials

Care-givers should note that effective teaching and permanent learning take place when
pupils actively participate in a variety of learning activities. These activities are intended to
challenge the pupils to think creatively about their subject matter. Therefore,it is necessary to
fill pupils with many learning materials as possible. Where these are not available or costly to
afford, the need for the improvisation culture is required by the care-giver. Experience has
shown most good care- giver appreciates the need for instructional materials in teaching and
learning process.

Eniayeju (1983), defined improvisation as the act of using alternative materials and resources
to facilitate instruction whenever there is lack or shortage of some specific first teaching aids.
In the same vein NTI manual (2007), referred improvisation as the making of substitute from
local materials found at home or school premises when the local or original equipment is not
available. That, the improvised materials should be able to convey special instructional
messages as the original materials.

Dodo (2012) citing Whittee (1975) explained that, improvisation is a teacher-centered activity.
The only important conditions to be met, is that any item produced should work as intended.
The culture of local production is an attempt to meet the demand of the schools, so that the
school material from local materials, sometimes found within the school premises
(dodo,2012). With appropriate knowledge and skills in the art of improvisation, teachers
should be aware that there materials that can assist them and their pupils there they (the
teachers) need training and retraining exercise on the fact that many opportunities surrounds
them which can be used in achieving effective teaching and learning in our schools.

Preparation of Instructional Materials

In preparing instructional materials there are some specific steps to be followed.

1. Prepare a working outline (a syllabus)

It is based on the instructional strategy
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It is based on measurable, sequenced performance objectives

It should be based on the instructional events ..here’s “cheat sheet” for the standard
instructional event culminating from your clever instructional strategy, using the Old Ways
of Gagne & Briggs (pre constructivist design philosophy):

- Gain the learner’s attention

- Inform the learner of the performance objective
- Stimulate recall of prerequisite learning
- Present stimulus material (is this behaviorist enough for y’all ;-)
- Provide learning guidance (in any modality) so learners begin target achievements.
- Elicit desired performance
- Provide positive feedback to the learners so they know how well they are obtaining
the performance objectives
- Assess learner achievement (and revisit the instructional design)
- Enhance retention and transfer so that learners will remember what they learned.
(Gagne, Briggs & Wager, 1992).

2. Conduct Research

3. Examining Existing Instructional Materials

4. Arranging or Modifying Existing Materials

5. Selecting or Preparing Learners Activities

Care and Preservation of Instructional Materials

Preservation isthe prevention of deterioration, damage or loss of material in the collection and
may include stabilization, repair, and conservation treatment.

The managed, achieves-wide program under which assessment, planning and acting on
preservation manners will take place. It entails, but is not limited to evaluating the present
state of preservation in the archives, establishing and implementing policies and procedures
to correct or mitigate preservation problems in the everyday archival functions of the archives.
All archival material will be evaluated and. housed in appropriate protective archival
enclosures necessary re-housing will be undertaken as soon as possible upon receipt.

1 Get Organized. Place pictures or written labels on low open shelves so that children know
exactly where things belong. Store loose manipulative (wooden beads, laces, play dough
cutters) in see-through plastic bins.

2 Establish Rules. For instance: Four children at a table to prevent overcrowding; put the
puzzles in the rack when finished; keep sand in the sandbox.

3 Use Covers Containers. Use clean, flat pizza boxes to store felt board pieces and art paper.
Try tall, clear, plastic water bottles to hold paint and long brushes at the easel. Hang stretchy
woven net bags by the door to hold playground balls.

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4 Rotate Materials. Keep shelves uncluttered by putting out a few selected materials at a time;
regularly alternate puzzles, games, and other manipulative.

5 Recycle It. Discuss with children how to reuse scraps and damaged materials. For example,
use construction paper snippets for collages and those loose puzzle pieces as templates that
children can trace with markers.

6 Make It Fun. Add a dose of fun and humor as children care for classroom materials by
singing a song about hanging up dramatic-play clothes or inventing simple chants and
rhymes that children can use while cleaning up.

7 Talk About It. Verbalize your actions as you care for materials so children can understand
your thinking behind them. For example, say, "I'm putting the lids on these paint cups so the
paint won't spill on the floor."

8 Share Useful Hints. Discuss cleanup tips such as washing paintbrushes in cool water so as
not to loosen the glue holding the bristles to the handle.

9 Have Safety Checks. Take children on a "safety search" around the classroom. Invite them
to help you identify objects in need of repair, including wooden blocks or trucks with
splinters, cracks, or chips.

10 Plan a Cleanup Party. Give outdoor equipment some loving care-wash the trikes, inflate
tired-looking balls, and add new sand to the sandbox.

Basic Principles Guiding the Selecting of Instructional materials for Teaching Practicum
1. The Basic Characteristics of the Learner: For any instructional materials to be selected for
use, the teacher must first of all consider the basic. Characteristics of the learner such
characteristics as age, sex, interest and the level of the learner must be considered to ensure
an appropriate of the instructional materials to the learner. This is so, because any
instructional material that does not take into cognizance the learners characteristics will not
make learning any effective.

2. Behavioral Instructional Objectives: Instructional objectives are the next step that can be
taken into cognizance when selecting and utilizing instructional materials. Any instructional
material that can be used for instruction must be guided by the expected instructional
outcome or behavioral objectives; (an expertise) that is theinstructional material must ensure
the achievement of the stated behavioral objectives. Therefore, by that principle, any
instructional objective should not be brought to the class teaching or classroom activities.

3. Class Size: Class size is another principle that is relevant for the selection and utilization of
instructional materials. In this process, the practicum guardian or coordinator must consider
with him, the class size for the appropriate use of instructional materials. For example, if it is
a large class, the instructional materials should be sizable enough to see that each earner can
be able to see or hear it or see the action of instruction which was intendedto convey to the
student it is the class size that can determinethere the instructional material could be placed
or for use.
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4. Time: Time is another principle that can be necessary for the selection of instructional
materials in teaching learning practicum. As noted each school has its own' timetable so, it is
necessary that instructional materials should be selected based on the time or duration allotted
on the school time table. This should not be extended in order to avoid classroom distraction.

5. Case of Use: This is another principle relevant to the selection and utilization of
instructional materials in teaching/learning practicum. For any instructional material to be
effective to use or operate, it should be made easier. It should be operationally sound. These
will also lesser time consumption and make learning easier.

6. Durability: This can also be considered in the selection and utilization of instructional
materials in teaching learning practicum. Any instructional material to be use in field
work/class must be assessing it to be in good shape, in order to avoid breaking or damage.
This is because the age of any instructional materials will cause classroom distraction. Also an
instructional material should be durable so that it can be stored for future use.

7. Accuracy of the materials to be used: The accuracy the materials are very important for
selecting and utilizing the instructional Ango, (1991), stressed that the material should be
accurate during selection. Facts, statistics, charts, graphs and diagrams must be reliable and
similarly, source should be authoritative. This means that the instructional materials should
avoid misleading comparison and relationship with questionable analogies. In this the
instructional materials are expected to move with time. It is therefore, expected that any
instructional material for use should not be outdated. For this reason, it is advisable to make
use of current and relevant instructional materials. This is to avoid giving the children
outdated information or knowledge.

8. The Mentor Teacher’s Capacity: The teacher’s capacity is the greatest principle in the
selection and, use of instructional materials in practicum teaching. This refers to the mentor;
teacher skills and knowledge in the use of instructional materials in practicum teaching. This
refers to the mentor teacher skills and knowledge in the use of instructional materials he/she
has selected for instruction. The instructor must have the necessary knowledge and the skills
to effectively manipulate the materials to achieve the desired instructional objectives so stated.
And in the absence of the skills and knowledge, it is obviously advisable not to attempt to
bring the material to the practicum before the learners. This is to avoid losing his credibility
before his children in the event of being unable to manipulate the instructional materials
before his children. The instructor, must also take into cognizance, where and when to make
use of the institutional materials. Objectives of Instructional Materials for Teaching Practicum
As earlier stated, teaching materials or aids are devices, piece of equipment, graphic
representation, sound reproduction or illustrations that help children to learn. It is also, means
instructional materials, media that promote aid and facilitate teaching and learning.
Instructional materials are complex approach to teaching-learning process. It is defined as a
complex, integrated process involving people, procedure, idea, device and organization for
analyzing problems, devising, implementing, evaluating and managing solutions to those
problems involved in all aspects of learning.

Any subject can be taught more effectively through the use of instructional media or materials,
but there can be great waste as a result of improper use of these good materials.
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Obviously, the amount we learn through the eyes depends on the nature of the content being
learned and the conditions under which we are learning. There are times when one picture is
yolk a thousand words, but not always one word may be as good as a thousand pictures at
times (Ada et al 2004) the word "ye" to a proposal of marriage needs a picture to be
understood.

The good instructor or practicum coordinator/teacher uses all the teaching-learning materials
with him in an expert fashion when they are needed.
Nnolim (1988), stated that when properly used, instructional media or materials and devices
can accomplish several objectives: rich as:

a. Supplying a concrete basis or conceptual thinking and reduce meaningless word responds
of children:

b. Making learning more permanent and offer reality of experiences, which stimulate sect
activity on the part of the children.

c. Developing a continuity of thought: This is especially true of motion pictures and equally
contributes to the growth or meaning and have vocabulary development.

d. Providing experiences not easily obtained through materials and contribute to the
efficiency, depth and variety of learning.

e. The use of instructional materials increases learning effectiveness and enhances retention
and recall. The learners retain greater percentages of what is seen, heard and manipulated.

f. Instructional. Materials in the teaching and learning practicum classes have the potency for
motivating and focusing learners attention on the lesson being presented.

The Major Types of Instructional Materials in Teaching Practicum

It may also interest you to know that this teaching/learning materials or aid otherwise called
instructional media can be categorized into two major groups, namely:
a. The prints materials

b. Non-prints materials. The Prints Materials: These include textbooks, magazines, manuals,
newspapers, workbooks, references books, handout dictionaries, encyclopedia etc. The prints
constitute a greater percentage and most widely utilized instructional materials or media. The
non-print Materials: These include all the instructional medias that are non-books, they may
be classified into visual, audios, visual, phenomenal and manipulative (Abia,1984).

1. Visuals: Instructional materials in this group facilitate earning by appealing to the sense of
vision. They Can be grouped into: a. Board such as chalkboard, bulletin board, notice board,
magnetic board, hook/loop board etc.

b. Dimensional: Such as models,. Specimens, real thing (relia) mock up etc

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c. Still images: Apart from those photographs, these are the most commonly used projected
resources, they include opaque, overhead, slide, filmstrip and soundless motionless
projections. Alcon et al (1970) assure that 30% of learning through the eyes can be recalled.

2. Audio: instructional materials in this group appeal to-the sense of hearing e.g. radio,
language laboratory, telephone, public address systems, audio-tape recorder, cassette, C.D
(Compact Disk), home theatre etc. According to Alcon et al (1970), 20% of what is heard can
be recalled.

3. Audio-Visuals: These are instructional materials that stimulateboth auditory and the visual
senses simultaneously, audio visuals are displayed by both visual projections and sound
reproduction at the same time. These include, videotape, television computer and audio slide
etc. learners can recall 50% what they learn by seeing and hearing at the same Lime.

4. Phenomenal: The instructional materials in this process arc restituted by natural and semi-
natural settings such as events, features, settings, festivals and other community resources
that are directly apprehended by learners.

5. Manipulative: These instructional .material's that which the practicum learner actually
handles skillfully, deals and with the manage expertly to bring about the desired behavioral
changes are categorized under this group.

The manipulative media cuts across all aspects of skill development and mastery learning.
These include; instructional games, simulations and interactive case studies. Other
instructional materials that a teacher can use to demonstrate his teaching during practicum
include:

Community Resources: They are those resources that can be obtained within a community or
society which can be utilized for effective teaching and learning. Community resources can
simply be defined as those facilities. found within the community outside the school which
are used to promote teaching and learning. Four main types of community resources that can
be effectively utilize for teaching practicum include the following as pointed below
1. Natural resources
2. Human resources
3. Material resources
4. Institutional resources

A. Natural Resources: These refer to those types of resources that are manmade but are found
within the community and can be, effectively utilized for teaching practicum. They include
hills, mountains, forests, water resources, live river, streams, water falls, ocean and so on.
Other natural resources include vegetable, valley, desert etc.

B. Material Resources: They are all the material products of technology of society that can be
used to facilitate teaching and learning in practicum. These materials include, buildings,
bridges, vehicles, ships, food crops, trains, roads, airplanes, national symbols such as coat of
arms, flags and so on.

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C. Institutional resources: They include resources from political, economics legal, religious
and social instructions. They include political parties, state and national assemblies, palaces,
court such as High court of justice, customary court of appeal, Tribunal Supreme Court.
Others include churches, mosques, schools, colleges, universities, polytechnic, industries,
prisons, markets, hospitals, banks, clinics, insurance, hotels, motels etc.

D. Human Resources: They refer to the person or individual who may be invited by the
practicum supervisor to deliver a lecture on any important topic relevant to the practicum.
Mostly, the advantages of these community resources as institutional materials in
teaching/learning practicum include the following listed below:
a. They provide a variety of information materials for effective teaching and learning
practicum
b. Some community resources are source of vital information to practicum teachers or
coordinator and the pupils e.g. zoo, library, courts, technical centres etc.
c. Some present important physical features of the environment which will help to promote
and provoke the desire for field trips.

Conclusion
Those days are past, when chalk and talk were regarded as sufficient. In order to enrich the
teaching learning environment, a teacher must be exposed to the use of instructional materials
in his teaching. These teaching materials may not be readily available or adequate for
instructional purpose. This situation demands teachers resourcefulness and creativity in the
art and processes of producing or improvising with local and discarded materials around in
their immediate environment for the actual materials they need. However, the guest for skills
to produce or improvise learning materials is needed in their respective subject areas.
Teachers should realize that there are opportunities everywhere to be creative, if they have
the initiative and are commitment to their job.

Recommendations
In the light of ensuring quality teaching and learning in our schools, using instructional
materials to achieve its objectives, the followings were recommended as;

I. Teachers should be resourceful and committed to their duty, which can help them, be
creative and innovative. They should learn to have positive attitude to teaching-learning
process. They can realize this by adequately preparing their lesson plan, produce or improvise
the instructional materials and dispensing their lessons effectively.

ll. Government should employ more trained and qualified teachers, making their
remuneration more lucrative compared to their colleagues in other sectors.

Ill. School head and administrators should inspect regularly teacher lesson notes and
prepared instructional materials, say weekly, to assess the adequacy and consistency of how
instructional materials are being made available for lessons.

IV. Ministries of Education and schools board should make provision for low-cost
instructional materials like charts, maps, globe, markers etc. and make it compulsory for

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Sapientia Foundation Journal of Education, Sciences and Gender Studies (SFJESGS), Vol.3 No.2 June, 2021; pg. 243 – 255
ISSN: 2734-2522 (Print); ISSN: 2734-2514 (Online)

schools to have a Need for Production and Improvisation Skills for Providing Instructional
Materials to Ensure Quality

VI. Teaching and Learning in Schools resource centre where teachers can always make use in
the preparation of the various lesson instructional materials.

Teacher training institutions curriculum, should be enriched with programs that will train
students-teachers on the techniques of sourcing, designing, producing and improvising
instructional materials for school subjects. The Ministries of Education should periodically,
conduct or organize seminars. Conference, work shops or induction courses to up-date
teachers’ knowledge and skills on the profession.

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