Playful Activities for Literacy in Students of an Educational Institution in Babahoyo, 2025
Keywords:
literacy, recreational activities, reading fluency, motor skills, physical activity, primary educationAbstract
This study was conducted with the objective of determining whether a program of recreational activities—incorporating psychomotor components and active play—improves literacy skills in 7-year-old students at an educational institution in Babahoyo. The research employed a quasi-experimental, longitudinal design with a sample of 40 students divided into two groups of 20 (a control group and an experimental group). Data were collected using systematic observation, supported by a structured observation instrument consisting of 27 items. The program comprised 15 sessions that integrated purposeful play, symbolic function, and traditional local games, thereby linking physical culture and sports with the development of literacy. The results showed that, following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated a significant increase in achievement levels: 10.0% reached the “outstanding” level, 30.0% reached the “achieved” level, and 50.0% reached the “in-progress” level, while only 10.0% remained at the “beginning” level. The Mann-Whitney U test confirmed significant differences in the post-test (U = 45.700; Z = -5.346; p < 0.05) in favor of the experimental group. It is concluded that the integration of motor-based recreational activities into pedagogical practice not only enhances literacy—across its cognitive, psychomotor, and fluency dimensions—but also underscores the value of movement and play as cross-cutting themes within physical culture as applied to the school environment.
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