Teaching Challenging Topics in English Language, Mathematics and Natural Science in Primary School Using Creative Arts Methods

Purpose: The integration of the creative arts into individual subjects in primary school education enhances the teaching of challenging topics in those subjects. However, teachers teach subjects individually without the integration of creatives hindering the understanding of students during lessons. This study focused on the teaching of “challenging to teach topics†in three subjects: English Language, Mathematics and Natural Science using creative art methods. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 261 respondents was purposively selected for the study. The sample involved basic school students from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Primary School. Besides, the study employed interviews and observation to gather qualitative data. Findings: The study found that the teachers used textual materials without interactive activities during teaching. Also, the teachers employed the lecture method of teaching topics which made it difficult for students to understand the lessons. The introduction of creative arts to teach the “Challenging to teach topics†positively influenced class participation and engagement and subsequently, the academic performance of the students. The study recommended that the teachers should adopt child-centred teaching strategies such as hands-on activities and the use of visual aids to cater to students with different learning abilities. Finally, the School should organise professional development programmes for primary school teachers on the integration of creative arts to teach the “challenging to teach topics†. Originality/value: To the authors’ knowledge, no study has been conducted to examine the teaching of English Language, Mathematics and Science with creative arts methods, especially using teacher-and-student made illustrations in Ghana. Therefore, this study explores the use of creative arts to enhance the teaching of challenging topics in English Language, Mathematics and Natural Sciences in a selected basic school in Ghana.