INCREASING FUN IN SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING BY MEANS OF POEMS AND SONGS

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1 INCREASING FUN IN SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING BY MEANS OF POEMS AND SONGS Fatima Hamza, Amina Suwaid and Saudat Bala Department of Integrated Science, Federal College of Education, Kano State, Nigeria. Primary/ECE/Elementary School Science Education Abstract Number 260 Abstract Science remains one of the most important subjects in school curriculum, but it has failed to excite more students. This situation could be as result of the way science is being taught especially at the basic level often as rote memorization of complex facts and abstract data more or less as an obligatory activity not taking the learners interest into cognizance. This situation therefore, poses a challenge to science educators to investigate the efficiency of the employment of methods of communicating science in a fun and relaxed manner that could increase students interest. In this paper efforts are being made in reviewing existing literature on the potentials of poems and songs as a means of communicating science concepts which are likely to increase interest and promote understanding that could enable the learners to get into the subject and see its relevance to their lives and their world. Objectives Onwu (2009) pointed out that in recent years, one of the most discernible trends in science education worldwide is the declining number of students going into science and science related careers. In South Africa for examples, a demonstrably low percentage of all post secondary education degrees are in maths, science or engineering. South Africa s ratio of scientists and engineers to the population stands at 3.3 per 1000 compared with 21.5 per 1000 in the US. The situation is probably worse in most African countries. In support of this Cooper, Cowie and Jones (2010) also pointed out that national and international data is raising concerns about levels of students interest and engagement in science in school and student retention into tertiary study in science. They further explained that in New Zealand, as in other countries there is lack of student engagement with science in the primary years and low student retention into tertiary study. This situation could be as a result of the way science is being taught especially at the basic level. It is therefore, a challenge to science educators to investigate the efficiency of the employment of methods of communicating science that will increase pupil s interest. Hamza (2010) stated that if teachers could appreciate the great opportunity which the educational system afford them and try out new ideas and experiment with different methods of teaching, varying the treatment of old topics, then each lesson can become a fresh venture in the continuing attempt to achieve the high educational goals. In this paper efforts are being made in reviewing existing literature on the impact of poems and songs on the teaching of science concepts.

2 Therefore the main objective of the paper is to highlight the potentials of poems and songs in the communication of science concepts with fun and interest. Significance Akpan (2010) pointed out that science and technology have become crucial factors for development worldwide and have both contributed immensely to the material progress of nations. The world is dominated by science and technology so much so that almost everything is now scientific and technological in nature. Technological artifacts and processes have so dominated the home, the schools, the work place, and indeed the totality of the environment that everybody needs at least basic knowledge of science and technology to contribute to development efforts, and to at least survive, if not succeed in the society of today. In line with these developments in Nigeria for example, Basic Science was made to be a compulsory subject for all pupils attending basic education with the aim of providing mass scientific literacy and grooming pupils that take interest in learning science, in the senior secondary classes and beyond, thus, a step towards producing scientists and engineers for the nation. As such science all over the world remains one of the most important subjects in school curriculum. But unfortunately it has failed to excite more students. Various studies have established that learners do not perceive the study of science as being relevant to their lives (Holbrook, 2005; Stears, Malcom and Kowlas, 2003; Onwu, 2009 and Schayegh, 2007). The relevant literature suggests that, this lack of appreciation could lie in the way science is taught often as rote memorization of complex facts and abstract data more or less as an obligatory activity not taking the learners interest into cognizance. Interest according to Imoko and Agwagah (2006) is a subjective feeling of concentration or persisting tendency to pay attention and enjoy some activity. Okigbo and Okeke (2011) pointed out that interest is an important variable in learning because when one becomes interested in an activity, he/she is likely to be more deeply involved in that activity. They further explained that although some children may be intellectually and physically capable of learning, they may not learn until their interest is stimulated and once stimulated, they will continue to learn as long as the interest is sustain. This is because once there is direct interest, attention is guaranteed and learning is assured. Excellent and effective teaching demands a host of devices, techniques and strategies not only to achieve cross critical outcomes, but because variety itself is a desideratum. Thus the need to incorporate music inform of poems and songs in science teaching and learning especially at the basic level of education. Woodall and Ziembroski (2012) pointed out that young children seem to be naturally wired for sound and rhythm. Besides providing fun and enjoyment music also creates an environment that is conducive to learning. It can reduce stress, increase interest and set the stage for listening and learning. As such, creates an environment or condition to love learning. Because whenever there is fun, enjoyment and interest, love usually comes in. Music is a universal language central to every culture of the world. It has been used to entertain, communicate, educate, inspire, and instill a sense of social and communal understanding. Rhyme, rhythm, song and movement have historically been used as powerful teaching tools in arts and culture to infuse the values, morals and customs of cultures and societies (Intelli tunes, 2009). When song lyrics are made available in the printed form, music also taps the visual modality. Music provides meaning and relevance to the learning process through its inherent

3 emotion and patterning. Songs, poems and rhymes can thus become incredibly effective vehicles for long term and cumulative learning. Music has always been a way for children to remember content and learn about the world around them. This shows the need to incorporate it in science teaching and learning. As such the paper will help to: Device a more exciting way of teaching science. Increase diversity of teachers perception of methodologies of teaching science. Reduce high inclination to rote memorization of complex facts and abstract data and consider the learners interest. Theory Intelli tunes (2009) stated that more than 80% of all the information processed by the brain comes in through our ears. Our daily lives are filled with rhymes, rhythms and mnemonics. We commonly access specific stored information with mental strategies such as: thirty days hath September. Also if we try to remember how we learn our ABCs or other memory skills many of us learn them musically. Advertisers have used musical techniques for years. Their jingles and clever rhythmic patterns are created specifically to help us remember their products. If merchandisers can get consumers to focus and remember, why can t educators use poem or song to teach skills, concepts or even learning standards? Intelli tunes further explained that research evidence now suggests that the musical arts are central to the cognitive process and dramatically impact the functions and systems responsible for all learning. The human body is more than 70% water. It is a perfect conductor of vibration. Music reduces mental fatigue, calm tension, focuses thinking and greatly impacts creativity. Child (1996) pointed out that repetition in songs supports and enhances emergent literacy by offering children an opportunity to read higher leveled text and to read with the music over and over again in a meaningful context. Wolf (1992) explained that musical songs help to increase listening skills in a fun and relaxed manner as well as promote learning through interactive process. Davies (2000) stated that research findings has shown that during an electroencephalogram (EEG) music can change brain waves and make the brain more receptive to learning. Music connects the functions of the right and left hemispheres of the brain so that they work together and makes learning quick and easy. Brain function is increased when listening to music, studies have shown that music promotes more complex thinking and can make connections between emotions, thinking and learning. Davies further explained that there are many similarities between literacy acquisition and musical development. Therefore, teaching that combines music with written language can be the most effective. Lewis and Robb (2007) explained that poems can help students to learn and remember subject content and also help to create strong readers and thinkers. They further highlighted the benefits of using poetry to teach content as follows: Using poems in teaching is the first step to bring a human element and a personal, often humorous touch to the topics which helps students retains information and vocabulary also having vivid and or humorous mental images that forge remembering connections. Poems are short and cut to the heart of a topic. A poem can therefore, be used to connect students to topic content in powerful and memorable ways. As students learn more about

4 the topics, they link new information to their own lives and make connections to other texts and experiences. Poetry helps students to explore important issues in content area, issues that extend beyond the classrooms into their lives, communities and the world. Poems are sure to spark lively discussions that can enhance the content thereby, making connections, analyzing information, and creating new understanding that enables students to get into the subjects and see its relevance to their lives and their world. Using poems to raise issues is a key teaching idea that asks students to think with the facts about a topic. It is therefore, recommended that when using poems in teaching any topic teachers should always try to raise issues because raising issues invite students to use the facts gathered to create new understandings and develop social and community responsibility. Design and procedure The paper is a product of desktop research on the importance of using poems and songs to communicate science as pointed out by different researchers (Woodall and Ziembroski, 2012; Intelli tunes, 2009; Child, 1996; Davies, 2000; Wolf, 1992; and Lewis and Robb, 2007). The obtained literature is compared with a constructed poem on properties and importance of water to deduce how it could comply with the potentials of poems suggested in the literature. A list of the potentials was made as follows: make learning easy, enhances remembering, enhances emergent literacy, increase learning, increase vocabulary, promote complex thinking, promote interactive learning, connects emotions to thinking and learning, generate discussions and raises scientific issues The constructed poem on properties and importance of water read as follows: H2O-water, H2Owater. Neither acidic nor base. Colorless, odorless. Tasteless liquid. Boils at 100, freezes at 0. H2O the liquid of life. A table of compliance of the constructed poem and the suggested potentials of the poem in teaching science is constructed. Compliance with the suggested potential is denoted as agree and non - compliance is denoted as disagree. Where there is compliance agree is marked right and disagree marked wrong and vice versa. Findings Table 1: Table of compliance of the constructed poem with the suggested potentials Potentials Agree Disagree Make learning easy Enhances remembering Enhances emergent literacy Increase vocabulary Increase learning Promote complex thinking Promote interactive learning Connects emotions to thinking and learning

5 Generate discussions Raising of scientific issues The table above shows compliance of the constructed poem with the suggested potentials. Table 2: A comparison of suggested potentials and qualities of poems and songs Suggested Potentials Make learning easy Enhances remembering Enhances emergent literacy Increase vocabulary Increase learning Promote complex thinking Promote interactive learning Connects emotions to thinking and learning Generate discussions Raising of scientific issues Qualities Short nature of poems Brief and straight to the point Because pupils are given opportunity to think and contribute to the lesson As the poems are composed with new words relevant to the scientific concept As pupils try to decode meaning of the poems learning occur in a fun and exciting atmosphere Poems can integrate many concepts and present them to students at a time. This encourages deep analysis and thought Students recite poems and choruses together in an interactive form making all class members active Poems are usually emotional. Emotions can evoke interest and increase retentive learning. Poems contain issues that can generate further discussion and the revelation of knowledge on the issue concerned and related concepts Poems can be constructed on specific themes. This make it a good tool for raising scientific issues Findings from the literature and comparison of the suggested potentials from the literature with the constructed poem shows that teaching children science through poems and songs is likely to increase fun and interest and promote understanding that could enable them to get into the subject and see its relevance to their lives and their world. It is therefore, suggested that science teachers should diversify modes of presenting science concepts in the classroom. Teachers should use poems and songs in reducing stress and increasing fun in science classes. Educational bodies should encourage and sponsor the writing of scientific poems and songs for teachers use. References Akpan, B. B. (2010). Innovations in science and technology education through science teacher associations. Science Education International, 21(2): Child, L. (1996). Over the river and through the wood. New York: Scholastic.

6 Cooper, B., Cowie, B. and Jones, A. (2010). Connecting teachers and students with science and scientists: The science learning hub. Science Education International, 21(2): Davies, N. L. (2000). Learning: The beat goes on. Childhood Education, Hamza, F. (2010). The role of science and technology education teachers in inculcating innovative ideas towards solving socio scientific issues affecting Africa. International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE) Conference Proceedings of the 3 rd World Conference on Science and Technology Education held in Tartu Estonia, Holbrook, J. (2005). Making chemistry teaching relevant. Chemical Education International, 6(1): Imoko, I. B. and Agwagah, U. N. V. (2006). Improving students interest in mathematics through the concept mapping technique: A focus on gender. Journal of Research in Curriculum and Teaching, 1(1): Intelli tunes (2009). Why music? Lewis, J. P. and Robb, L. (2007). Poems for teaching in the content areas: 75 powerful poems to enhance your history, geography, science, and math lessons. Okigbo, E. C. and Okeke, S. O. C. (2011). Effects of games and analogies on students interest in mathematics. Journal of Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, 46(1): Onwu, G. (2009). Increasing the socio cultural relevance of science education for sustainable development. International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE) Conference Proceedings of the 1 st Africa Regional Conference held in Nigeria, Schayegh, C. (2007). The social relevance of knowledge: Science and the formation of modern Iran, 1910s 1940s. Middle Eastern Studies, 43(6): Stears, M., Malcom, C. and Kowlas, L. (2003). Making use of everyday knowledge in the science classroom. African Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 7: Wolf, J. (1992). Using song picture books to support emergent literacy. Young Children, Woodall, L. and Ziembroski, B. (2012). Promoting literacy through music.