Relationship Between English Language Acquisition and Social Skills Development of Preschool Children in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Language is the vehicle of discretion, it is the peculiar mode which human beings are to transfer and transmit the intended message to the receiver. The importance of the role of language in the learning process cannot be underrated. Preschool language activities play an important role in the development of a child’s language acquisition and communication skills through activities like singing, playing, poems, rhymes and role-plays. Children functional brain depends on vigorous physical activities engaged in during the early years of childhood. A child must be interested in socializing and communicating with others to be an effective communicator. In view of this, this study assessed the relationship between language skills acquisition and social skills development on preschool children in Ilorin, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research method. The population of this study comprises all children of pre-school age within Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State. A total of two hundred and forty (240) preschool children, their teachers in school and their parents at home were selected from twelve (12) randomly selected public Early Childhood Education centres for the study using simple and stratified random sampling technique within the study area. A well-structured questionnaire titled “Questionnaire on Relationship between English Language Skills Acquisition and Social Skills Development (QRLSASSD)” was designed by the researcher for the purpose of eliciting information from the sampled respondents. The data collected were subjected to Cronbach Alpha analysis to determine its reliability and a reliability index of 0.78 recorded. This was considered suitable for the study. Data obtained were analysed using the percentage and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Five research hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that majority of preschool children sampled were of average level in English language skills acquisition and social skills development. This means that there was no difference in gender, age and parental educational background of the preschool children on the relationship between English language acquisition skills and social skills development. The study therefore recommended that Parents should be conscious of how to take good care of their children particularly those who are so busy in their place of work Teachers (Care-givers) should be committed to preschool learners in terms of language skills acquisition and social development because they are the role models to these young learners.