LITERARY TEXTBOOK SELECTION AND DEVELOPMENTAL APPROPRIATENESS FOR NURSERY SCHOOL PUPILS IN OSUN STATE: ADMINISTRATOR PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

The study investigated the literary textbooks selection and developmental appropriateness for nursery school pupils in Osun State. It employed quantitative research design using simple random sampling technique. The population comprised all nursery school administrators in Osun State. Multi- stage sampling procedure was used for the study. The sampling consisted of 60 administrators from 60 private schools that were randomly selected from three Local Government areas, each from the three senatorial districts. An instrument titled Administrators Textbook Selection Rationale Questionnaire (ATSRQ) was validated and used to elicit information for the study. The instrument had two sections. Section A focused on demographic information of the administrators. Section B focused on the various items of rationales. One research question was asked and one hypothesis was raised. Data obtained were analysed using frequency count, percentages, pie chart, bar chart and Analysis of Variance. The results showed that the most considered rationales for literary textbooks selection by the school administrators were influence 30%, readability 30%, and assessment levels with 30%, while the least consideration rationales were cultural relevance 10%, coverage 10%, availability and affordability with 10% respectively. Lastly, administrators' demographic factors of years of teaching experiences (F=1.007, df=3, p>0.05), age (F=2.600, df=3, p>0.05), qualification (F=1.500, df=5, p>0.05), did not have significant influence on the selection of literary textbooks. It is therefore recommended that the school administrators in charge of literary textbooks selection should select texts that are of pupils' great interest, age appropriateness, culturally relevance, reachable, and the early childhood education (ECE) curriculum planners should consider, checking thoroughly, review literary textbooks from time to time before recommendations.

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