Education Studies

Session Four

Semester One 2013

Play

Play and Exploration

Today we are thinking about…..

Play – types of play and characteristics of play

Learning through playThe role of the adult in supporting play-

based learningHow does play link to key learning

theories?

Responding to the ReadingParker-Rees, R. (2010) ‘Active playing and learning’ in Parker-Rees, R. and Leeson, C. (eds) Early Childhood Studies: An introduction to the study of children’s worlds and children’s lives (3rdEd), Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd

Consider the questions:• What does play look like?• Why is play considered to be important for

learning?

Types of Early Play

• Babies are born ready to learn.• Young babies and children learn through

active exploration. • Through exploration, young babies and

children use all of their senses; Sight (vision), Hearing, Taste (gustatory), Smell (olfactory), Touch .

• Exploratory plays helps the development of neural pathways.

Types of Symbolic play

• Symbolic play. Pretend play. Objects take on personalities and symbolic meaning (i.e. A clothes peg becomes a key for a door)

• Role play. Occurs when pretend symbols are used together. Children take on roles and act out their understanding of those roles.

• Socio-dramatic play. Interaction and communication with other children in role play/pretend play situations.

• Fantasy play. A form of role play where children experiment with roles they may not know about. For example, pretending to get married or fly to the moon.

• Superhero play. Children role play unreal events using characters from tv/film. Usually a war theme. (We Don't Play with Guns Here By Penny Holland)

Other Types of Play....

• Rough-and-tumble play. Chasing, catching, pretend fights. Free-flowing and physical.

• Play with props (constructive play). A form of symbolic play where children construct props to use in pretend situations.

• Games with rules. Children make up their own rules.

Develops cooperation, logical thinking, teamwork.

Free-flow play

Tina Bruce’s 12 features of play can be used as a method of evaluating the quality of free-flow play experiences.

Bruce described play as a process which flows – not an event with an end product or outcome.

“Play is a process...It keeps flowing along. It keeps the learning open and flexible...Children at play are able to stay flexible, respond to events and changing situations, be sensitive to people, to adapt, think on their feet...” (Bruce,T. (2001) Learning Through Play, London:

Hodder Arnold)

Early Years Foundation Stage

“Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults” (Early Education, 2012, p.6)Early Education (2012) Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage, London: Early Education

But what happens to play…

“As children grow older…it is expected that the balance will gradually shift towards more activities led by adults, to help children prepare for more formal learning, ready for Year 1” (DfE 2012 p.6)

Is child-initiated play worthwhile in key stage one and beyond?

Department For Education (2012) Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage [online], DfE, Available: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00023-2012, [accessed: 23/10/13)

Why is play important?

• Play is a vital tool for children to use to support their emotional, cognitive and physical development.

• Through play, children can use the skills they have already mastered to extend their knowledge and understanding of the world.

• Children feel comfortable and confident when they are playing and consequently feel able to experiment, take risks, question and explore.

• Through their exploration, children are making connections and building up ideas, concepts and skills.

• Through play children can gain a sense of achievement, thereby developing self-esteem.

Piaget and play• He saw the child as a lone

scientist embarking on discovery learning

• Play is not the same as learning but facilitates learning; development determines learning

• The role of the educator is to enable and facilitate, responding to children’s initiatives

• The educator does not seek to impart knowledge - the child constructs this for themselves

Vygotsky and play• Vygotsky believed play has a

central role in the transmission of culture through social interaction and communication

• He saw learning in early childhood as a complex process

• Unlike Piaget he believed learning determines development

• Learning takes place through internalisation moving from experience to understanding

• Interaction with more knowledgeable others enables children to understand themselves and the world they live in

“In play a child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behaviour; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself. As in the focus of a magnifying glass, play contains all developmental tendencies in a condensed form and is itself a major source of development.”[Vygotsky 1978]

Play as leading factor in child development

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

What Might Quality Play Provision Look Like?

• Child-led• Open-ended• Exploratory• Indoors and outdoors• Based on children’s interests • Supporting children’s emerging

abilities• Opportunities to practice skills

and test theories• Thoughtful resources

The Role of Adults in Play

• Supportive, not domineering.• Observing. Noticing

children’s emerging abilities. • Creating relaxed

atmosphere.• Providing quality resources. • Placing a value on play.

Play….what do the experts say?

Play to Learn: Discussion

As you watch, think about:

What strikes you as important in the video?What do you agree with?Was there anything you do not agree with?

Discussing Play

• Work in 3’s. • Pick a card• Read the statement/questions• What does it mean? • What is your response? Do you agree? Why? Why

not?

For Next Time….

Focus: Creativity in the Classroom

Reading: Craft, A. (2000) Creativity across the primary curriculum: framing and developing practice, London: Routledge. (Please read Part 1, chapter 1, ‘What is creativity?’)Questions: • What do you understand by ‘possibility thinking’• What are Roger’s conditions for fostering Creativity and how do you

interpret them?