Improving Communication Skills in Early Childhood Using Food Preparation Activities

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to investigate the effectiveness of a communication skills experience plan for early childhood children through cooking activities 2) to explore the development of communication skills in early childhood children. The study population comprised 74 second-term kindergarten students from a well-known private school in Saraphi municipality. The sample consisted of 24 students, including 13 males and 11 females, aged between 4 and 5 years, selected through purposive sampling. The researcher employed a participatory action research method, implementing 18 cooking activities lasting 40 minutes each on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays over a period of 6 weeks. The research materials included 18 cooking activity plans, a communication skills development assessment form, an observation form, and an interview form. Data analysis was conducted using percentage values.

The results of this research found that:

1. The communication skills experience plan for early childhood children, utilizing cooking activities, was found to be detailed, clear, and encompassed various topics and teaching components. The plan exhibited a positive correlation and was deemed effective in fostering the development of communication skills among early childhood learners.
2. The implementation of culinary events resulted in notable improvements in communication skills, specifically listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, with percentages increasing from 62.50%, 60.65%, 62.96%, and 62.50% to 87.50%, 87.03%, 88.89%, and 91.67%, respectively.