Methods Used by Primary School Teachers for Teaching Health Education

Abstract

Health education has been defined in many ways by different authorities. For the purpose of this discussion, the definition offered by Galli (1978) will be adopted. According to him, health education is a process whereby the individual, in cooperation with the instructor, is provided an opportunity to apply new knowledge and act in healthful ways. The term "Methods" also means different things to different people at different times and situations. In this chapter, the term will be used to cover both the strategy and tactics of teaching, and it involves the choice of what is to be taught, and the order in which it is to be taught (see Pollock and Oberteuffer, 1994). Educators know that methods always have a lot of impact on what is taught and what is learnt. Pavlid (1967) pointed out that different methods of teaching stimulate the personal interests of pupils, prompting them to seek information on their own initiative. This type of learning encourages the acquisition of knowledge and the strengthening of health habits. To this end, primary school teachers need to have adequate knowledge of various teaching methods as well as materials and skills in using them effectively in order to stimulate the interests of pupils they teach. It has been suggested by Adedeji (1985) and NCE/DLS Course Book on Physical and Health Education, Cycle 2 of (1990) that the use of the following methods for teaching health are appropriate, lecture, discussion, textbooks, problem solving approach, group method, project method, assignment, field trips and value clarification. It must be noted here that as a way of ensuring the use of effective teaching methods by teachers there is the need to survey the various methods used by different categories of teachers in the primary schools. The effectiveness of using a variety of methods in teaching health education is an indication of the quality of knowledge a teacher has acquired during his training. Similarly, positive health knowledge, attitudes, and practices by pupils is an index of the quality of teaching methods used by the teacher. Observation seems to show that most primary school pupils have negative attitudes and practices toward health. If pupils tend to show negative attitudes and practices toward health. If this is so, then there is a great need to evaluate the types of methods used. This chapter reports the results of an effort in this regard.