A professional development programme for implementing indigenous play-based pedagogy in kindergarten schools in Ghana

In this article we report on the development and implementation of a professional development programme for teachers of the kindergarten curriculum (4–5 year olds) in Ghana. Kindergarten teachers in Ghana have little experience and meagre training in implementing a play-based pedagogy as recommended in the national curriculum. An indigenous play-based kindergarten teacher development programme was developed and successfully used to improve participating teachers’ knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices during the first year of its implementation. Data collected through classroom observation, interviews, photographs, participating teachers’ reflective journals and an evaluation questionnaire revealed that this programme had a positive impact on classroom practices and learners’ active participation in learning. The essential components of the programme are described as a guide for professional teacher development for delivering indigenous play-based pedagogy (IPBP) in early childhood education. Keywords: indigenous play; indigenous play-based pedagogy; kindergarten; professional development programm