DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDIGENOUS CERAMICS BEAD MODEL CLAY FOR PLAY TO ENHANCE LEARNING OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

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Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
The study developed and designed four components indigenous Ceramics Bead Model ‘Clay for Play Model’ in which the academic and physical components of the model were utilized to design an indigenous Ceramics instructional manual. The study sought to provide solutions to the problem of lack of appropriate indigenous ceramics instructional material for the education and rehabilitation of children with learning disabilities. Nine children with Learning Disabilities, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and autism in three special schools in Plateau State were trained on how to play with clay through the soft and hard copies of the clay for play manual, in which the principles of playing with clay were applied to enhance reading, writing, sensory and visual-perceptual skills, fine motor exercises which can enhance the performance skills of LD through continuous use of the clay mathematical game, and clay beads production; the study enabled LD to interact socially through individual and collective play irrespective of their disabilities, culture, class, environment and educational level. Three instruments were used for data collection, questionnaire and interview and observation, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Basic assessment for mental function was adopted and utilized to illicit information from 20 respondents for the appraisal of the manual, semi- structured questionnaire was utilized to interview nine parents who were involved in the study due to the auditory and dyslexic discrepancies of their children. The results of the study exposed the usefulness of clay as a veritable tool in providing tactile experience, organised or free play and social interaction which many of these children lack. The manual was appraised a very good resource, an intervention available to improve the learning content of LD in Nigeria, in a nutshell this research has opened up a new pathway for ceramists to tackle learning problems; provided evidenced based services for individuals with LD in Nigeria, now Nigeria has an indigenous manual to successfully provide clay therapy.