If the process is perfect, then product will be best.

Enough opportunities will bring the best in

all the aspects of the child. Primary education is the foundation on which the development of
every citizen and the nation as a whole built on. In recent past, India has made a huge
progress in terms of increasing primary education enrolment, retention, regular attendance
rate and expanding literacy to approximately two thirds of the population. To achieve this the
teacher has to use teaching methods that helps learners achieve their goals. This essay seeks
to evaluate the effectiveness of thematic approach in the teaching and learning in the primary
school. Thematic approach and effectiveness are the key terms to be defined.

Thematic approach is the way of teaching and learning where many areas of the curriculum
are connected together and integrated within a theme thematic approach to instruction is a
powerful tool for integrating the curriculum and eliminating isolated and reductionist nature
of teaching it allows learning to be more natural than then fragmented nature of the school
activities (Okoro 2005) Here the students are actively involved and they learn more skills
through thematic learning cognitive skills such as reading, thinking, memorizing and writing
are put in the context of a real life situation under the broad aim to allow for creative
exploration (Okam 2014) Thematic instruction is based on the idea that people acquire
knowledge, best when learned in the context of a coherent whole and when they can connect
what they are learning to the real world. Effectiveness can be defined as the capacity or
potential for achieving results (Ellis 2001). Post (2001) defines effectiveness as the degree to
which something achieves results. Therefore can be defined as the extent to which something
can give the desired result.

Thematic approach brings different subjects together under the same concept and this helps
learners to understand . Esu (2012) highlighted steps in selecting a theme as follows:
Choosing a theme ,teachers strive to connect the theme to the student’s everyday life and
Designing the integrated curriculum teachers organize learning objectives of the curriculum
both process skills and content knowledge around the theme. In the study of weather/climate
of a place for instance mathematics, social studies, science are involved. Thus thematic
approach brings the desired results out of the teaching and learning process in the primary
school.

Furthermore, this usually involves making changes to the class schedule combing hours
normally devoted to specific topics organizing fieldtrips, teaching in teams, bringing outside
experts. Thus this approach cooperates itself with other teaching approaches which enhances
the knowledge acquisition process thereby making the teaching and learning process more
effective as learners are able to discover a number of things in one lesson in a short piece of
time making their learning worthwhile.

More so,thematic approach encourages presentation and celebration. Thematic instruction is

often project oriented. It frequently involves students going collective presentation to the rest
of the school or community thus it boasts confidence in learners and they master the concepts
being taught as they are actively involved in the learning process. Thematic Approach gives
the wide opportunity to the child to express themselves more according to age on set Okam
(2013). For example if they were to be involved in the cleaning up campaigns at community
level they are able to understand why it is necessary to live in a clean environment and ways
to prevent themselves from different diseases thus the teacher will have killed three birds
with one stone as he/ will have taught three subjects inn one lesson thus Heritage,
F.A.R.E.M.E and Science and Technology thus thematic approach is effective in the
teaching and learning as it reduces the work load on the learns and also helps them to
understand the themes much better.

Moreover, Through Thematic Approach the child know many information from a single
theme. Initially the child know the information from the teacher . The child will express to
their peers about the theme. Which helps to them to know extra vocabulary for better
expressive communication. Then the child will express the theme to their parents and family
members. Which helps the child recognize and narrate the concept. The child will able to
have active listening. Active listening is a technique that helps the young learners be more
effective in the communication process (Reynolds, 2008) thus thematic approach is effective
in the teaching and learning as helps the learner to grasp more detailed information and be
able to say it out to others thus it helps an individual to remember what was taught.

In addition, Designing and implementing integrated thematic units for young children is a
developmentally appropriate practice which is supported by both brain research and the
psychology of learning. Thematic units greatly enhance learning because they integrate
different intelligences and topics into a single lesson which mirrors how young children
actually learn. Finally, integrated thematic units make learning and teaching a lot of fun for
teachers and children Mezieobi (2013). Thus thematic approach enhances learning in the end
bringing the desired outcomes in the teaching and learning process.
However, this approach is time consuming as it requires a lot of planning and at times
consultation in the case of fieldtrips and projects. Also it takes time for other lessons who
might not have the same theme with those being carried out thus it needs more time. But this
should cannot be overlooked as it can not outweigh the advantages of employing thematic
approach in the learning of learners at primary level.

In summing up the above is evidence that thematic approach is effective in the teaching and
learning as brings concepts from different learning areas into one place and thus helping
learners to understand the link between two or more learning areas and being able to grasp
concepts much easier. It has also been noted that this approach require time and planning
from the teacher as poor planning may give the undesired outcome. Over and above thematic
approach when done properly is an effective teaching approach in the teaching and learning
process in the primary school.
Reference

Esu, A.E.O. (2010). Emergence of thematic approach to selection of curriculum content in

Nigeria Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013). National Policy on Education.

Federal Government Press.

Mezieobi, K.A. (2013). Social Studies Curriculum. Owerri: Acadapeak Publishers.

Okam, C.C. (2004). Approaches to the teaching of Social Studies in School. Onitsha: Article

Publishers.

Okoro, C.O. (2005). Development and validation of extraction instructional package in

Social

Studies Unpublished Ph.d Thesis.

Robert, P. and Killough, R. (2000). A guide for developing interdisciplinary thematic unit ( )

Upper Sapele River, NJ Merrill/Prentice H