ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the indigenous African oral system, an aspect of the indigenous knowledge systems. It discusses the concepts, functions and problems of indigenous knowledge systems. The chapter highlights the conceptual framework anchoring how the variegated nature of African knowledge systems contributes in shaping the identities of African children. It examines the features of African knowledge systems as agents of understanding African childhood, including the genre of indigenous educational thoughts and such practices as learning through elders, specialists, specific names, music and dance, libation and other folktales, such as proverbs, storytelling, riddles and poetry. The chapter focuses on the benefits derived from the use of African traditional oral communication as a means of pedagogical tools to enhance student's critical-thinking skills on social issues and their appreciation and understanding of other global cultures. It concludes with the contextualization of using the oral African traditional genre and teaching and learning in social studies classrooms.
