Effectiveness of two instructional methods on reasoning ability of children with hearing impairment in Nigeria

Abstract

Language has a noteworthy role in the cognitive development and social ability of an individual. However, a delay in language could affect an individual ability to think critically. This could be breached through impactful method of instruction from elementary school. Thus, this study examined the differential effectiveness of Montessori didactic and Direct Instructional methods on reasoning ability of children with hearing impairment in Lagos State. The sample size was 29 pupils comprising 15 male and 14 female pupils with hearing impairment. The Reasoning Ability Test was used to gather relevant data while mean, standard deviation, mean difference, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) were the statistical tool used to analyse the data. The study found that both Montessori Didactic Material and Direct Instruction method were efficacious in teaching pupils with hearing impairment. However, the former was more effective. The teaching methods do not have significant gender effect on pupils with hearing impairment. It was recommended that Montessori didactic method should be employed in teaching elementary school pupils because it encourages active participation in learning process in form of self- direction and independence not minding gender, intellectual and economic disparities.

Jezik ima značajnu ulogu u kognitivnom razvoju i društvenoj kompetenciji pojedinca, a kašnjenje u razvoju jezika može uticati na sposobnost kritičkog rasuđivanja. Pomenuto kašnjenje bi se moglo preduprediti efkasnim nastavnim metodama u osnovnoj školi, pa je stoga u ovom istraživanju ispitan uticaj Montesori didaktičkog metoda i metoda Direktnog podučavanja na sposobnost rasuđivanja kod dece sa oštećenjem sluha u Lagosu. Sva deca sa oštećenjem sluha u Lagosu su činila populaciju studije, dok je uzorak činilo 29 učenika, od kojih 15 dečaka i 14 devojčica, sa oštećenjem sluha. Za prikupljanje relevantnih podataka korišćen je Test sposobnosti rasuđivanja. U statističkoj obradi podataka korišćeni su aritmetička sredina, standardna devijacija, razlika srednjih vrednosti, analiza kovarijanse (ANCOVA) i najmanje značajna razlika (LSD). Istraživanjem je utvrđeno da su i Montesori metod i metod Direktnog podučavanja efkasni u podučavanju učenika sa oštećenjem sluha, pri čemu je Montesori metod nešto efkasniji. Ovi nastavni metodi nisu značajno povezani sa polom učenika sa oštećenjem sluha. Preporučeno je da se Montesori didaktički metod koristi u podučavanju učenika osnovnoškolskog uzrasta jer podstiče aktivno učestvovanje u procesu učenja u vidu samousmeravanja i nezavisnosti, bez obzira na pol, intelektualne i ekonomske razlike.