CHILDRENS LITERATURE AND MORAL EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF CHINUE ACHIEBE, CHIKE AND THE RIVER, KOLA ONADIPE SUGER GIRL, MUHTAR BAKARES ADVENTURE ALONG THE WATERFRONT AND GABRIEL OKARAS AN ADVENTURE TO

CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Children literature is defined conceptually in literature exclusively about children. Children literature refer mainly to stories , poetry, poems rhymes, folk tales, drama exclusively created for children such as infant, toddlers and the young people as target audience. Children literature which is exclusively written for children seems to rest on three criteria, the first is whether the heroes are children or teenage, the second is whether the theme that is the idea, relationships and language are simple or complex simplicity of theme is therefore the overriding criteria that determine and defines literature for children. Literature is for children if the ideas, relationship and language are formal too complex whether oral or written. For example a classic literature like GUILLIVER Travel is admitted into children literature because of simplicity of it ideas, relationship and language. But the turn of the screw or LOLILS, let us say would not be admitted as children literature because the ideas, relationship and language otherwise called the theme are complex. Thirdly children literature is often aimed at teaching moral lessons. Education and other who work with children are becoming increasingly aware that values cannot be legislated from external sources. Meaning decision can be made only by the child. It is logical therefore to help children develop a means of making constructive and beneficial moral decision through children literature.

STATEMENT OF THE  PROBLEM

Concerted view of literature reveals that moral education is becoming an increasingly popular issue in the field of psychology and education. Media report of increased violent juvenile crimes teen pregnancy, embezzlement, human right violation, numerous abuse and suicide have caused many people both within and outside the country to declare a state of moral crises among the youths. However there is a growing trend towards linking the situation to these social problems to the teaching of moral and social values in both public and private schools in Nigeria. Therefore the problem confronting this research is to investigate children literature and moral education with a case study of CHINUE ACHIEBE, CHIKE and the river, KOLA ONADIPE sugar girl, MUHTAR BAKARES adventure along the waterfront and GABRIEL OKARAS an adventure to juju island.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is children literature
2. What is moral education
3. What is the role of children literature on moral education
4. What is the nature of the work of CHINUE ACHIEBE, CHIKE and the river, KOLA ONADIPE sugar girl, MUHTAR BAKARES adventure along the waterfront and GABRIEL OKARAS an adventure to juju island.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To appraised the nature of children literature.

2. To apprised the concept of moral education

3. To determine the role of children literature towards the moral development of the child

4. To appraise the literacy work of CHINUE ACHIEBE, CHIKE and the river, KOLA ONADIPE sugar girl, MUHTAR BAKARES adventure along the waterfront and GABRIEL OKARAS an adventure to juju island.

 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1. The study shall contribute immensely towards the development of moral education among the youth through children literature.

2. It shall inspire the culture of reading children literature among the youthtowards increasingly moral educational development.

3. It shall provide a framework of information in children literature and moral education.

STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

1. Ho the level of moral education among children is low

     Hi the level of moral education among children is high.

2. Ho the impact of children literature on moral education is low

     Hi the impact of children literature in moral education is high.

3. Ho the literacy work of CHINUE ACHIEBE, CHIKE and the river, KOLA ONADIPE sugar girl, MUHTAR BAKARES adventure along the waterfront and GABRIEL OKARAS an adventure to juju island, does not have impact significance on the moral education of the child.

Hi the literacy work of CHINUE ACHIEBE, CHIKE and the river, KOLA ONADIPE sugar girl, MUHTAR BAKARES adventure along the waterfront and GABRIEL OKARAS an adventure to juju island have impact significances on the moral education of the child.

 SCOPE OF THE STUDY.

The study focuses on children literature and moral education with a case of CHINUE ACHIEBE, CHIKE and the river, KOLA ONADIPE sugar girl, MUHTAR BAKARES adventure along the waterfront and GABRIEL OKARAS an adventure to juju island.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Definition of literature

Oxford advanced learner dictionary (2000 pg 692) defines literature as a piece of writing that are valued as work or art especially novels, play and poems

 moral is defined as right conduct not only in our immediate social relations but also in our dealing with our fellow citizens and with the whole of human race. It is based upon the possession of clear ideal as to what action are right and what are wrong and the determination of our conduct by a constant reference to those ideals. It is worthy of note that the definition of what is right conduct is relative. Each society defined for itself what is right and wrong. Therefore moral is defined as right conducts as guided by or defined by the respective society

CHILDREN LITERATURE: children literature as a concept is defined as literature exclusively about children. Children literature refers mainly to stories. Poetry, rhymes folk tale, drama, exclusively created for children such as infant, toddlers and the youth people as target and audience OLADIPO.S.E (2009)