Improvised Learning Materials and Numeracy Skill Development Among Pre-Primary Pupils in Ubungo Municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

This article examined how improvised learning materials help pre-primary pupils develop numeracy skills in selected pre-primary schools in Ubungo Municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It was developed from the second objective of a broader mixed-methods study, which specifically examined how improvised learning materials help pupils learn numeracy skills. Guided by Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory and Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory, the study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were obtained from 28 pre-primary teachers and 58 pupils, while qualitative evidence was collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observations, and pupil assessment activities. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize teachers’ responses and pupils’ learning experiences, while qualitative evidence was thematically analysed and integrated with the quantitative results. The findings show strong teacher agreement that improvised learning materials support numeracy learning: 92.9% agreed or strongly agreed that the materials help pupils understand counting concepts, 92.9% reported greater pupil engagement, 92.9% associated the materials with counting forward and backward, 85.7% with one-to-one correspondence, 78.6% with sorting and grouping, and 71.4% with comparing quantities. In addition, 86.2% of pupils reported enjoying numeracy learning when improvised materials were used. Interview and focus-group evidence indicated that concrete materials allow children to touch, manipulate, compare, and organize objects, making abstract number concepts more understandable. Classroom observations similarly showed greater confidence during object-based counting activities. The findings support constructivist explanations of early numeracy learning while showing that the effectiveness of improvised materials depends on purposeful teacher guidance. The article concludes that improvised learning materials can meaningfully support foundational numeracy when intentionally linked to learning objectives and used through active, guided learning.