Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206.

ASS1: Essay

Assignment 1: Essay Kristy Snell Swinburne University SLEE206: Pedagogical Perspectives 2: Play and Environments Jeannette Keser 7th August, 2013.

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay Introduction Play is often assumed to be connected to childhood cognitive, physical and social development. Play is a lifelong skill that is more than just behaviour; a process and a way of approaching an activity. Play is an ambiguous and highly complex term as it involves the context, social interaction, symbolic meanings, communicative languages and the environments that mediate play and playfulness. Batesons (1995) metacommunicative play theory, help children to learn about learning. Play not only grants distinctive meanings to actions but also

communicates an attitude toward those actions. Cognitive theories such as Piagets (1962) states that childrens intellectual development matches their play development; an imbalanced state modifying reality to fit cognitive structures into their environment. Educational reforms and curriculums such as the EYLF and the QIAS consist of principles, practice and outcomes essential for educational settings to provide support and enhance young childrens learning. The Early Years Learning Framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning. The framework also recognizes the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development. The broad objective of the QIAS is to ensure that children in long day care have stimulating, positive experiences and interactions that foster all aspects of their development, incorporated in seven quality areas. Cultural influences, theories and ideas about play impact childhood practice today. Teachers provide classrooms that are embedded contexts, which operate within institutions that are culturally, historically and politically defined, and within which the practices of teaching and learning are mediated by the social and cultural identities of their participants, both children and teachers (Edwards, 2001).

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay Body Contemporary theories developed after 1920 researched attempts to develop ideologies regarding the role of play in childrens development. Batesons attitude regarding his metacommunicative theory involves a type of communication, about how the actions associated with play should be interpreted and understood. The metacommunicative theory refers to children who engage in make believe (dramatic play) letting others know what is about to happen, is not real (Mellou, 1994). Children are required to accept or reject each others views

and ideas when planning imaginary play together. Children form their own meanings for objects, actions and identities; also understanding the real life meanings of the objects and actions used in play. Garvey (1977) observed that children are able to break frame and resume their real life identities when involved in make believe play, enabling difficulties to be resolved within the concept of their role. Regardless of the type of play, it is always affected by the contexts and the surrounding environment. The perceptual relation between play and the context is comparable with the relationship between communication and metacommunication (Takhvar, 1988). Verbal and nonverbal levels of communication are developed within this play, evolving over time and can be used to sustain play. Metacommunication play is the play of reality which provides the scaffold for cultural and personal images of the child. Cognitive theories developed by Piaget (1951, 1962) believe that play does not only reflect a childs level of cognitive development, but actually contributes to that development. Dockett and Fleer (2003) theories comprise of three stages of play: sensimotor (functional play), pre-operational (symbolic play) and concrete operations (games with rules). The importance of cognitive play as a process allows the child to discover new ideas, behavioural combinations and strategies through adult involvement, peer interaction and play. Children are able to engage in

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay role reversal, build ideas in different ways that create freedom of developing individual thinking abilities. Once the child has mastered these skills they begin to experiment actively modifying

ones reality to the cognitive structures. This ability of assimilation and accommodation creates a balance of adaption for play to help childrens cognitive develop more directly. Vygotsky (1933) views on cognitive theories believe play is derived from the individual rather than the environment and childrens creation of imaginary situations derive from real life tensions. Vygotskys (1933) theory of play deriving from the individual rather than the environment is challenged by Batesons theory that play is always affected by the surrounding environment. The environment provided for children impacts either highly positively or negatively on their cognitive, physical and social development. Enabling children to learn and develop in an environment that promotes the use of imagination, freedom, social interaction, communication and physical development encourage the use of creative thinking. Providing stimulating and positive interactions within play based learning using metacommunication and cognitive theories, amongst others, by using sufficient quality and quantity of good things to support play, building resilience to stress and adversity. Play may help children to be better children, rather than preparing to be adults (Prout, 2005). According to Dockett and Fleer (2003) the characteristics of play include: functional, symbolic, meaningful, active, episodic, pleasurable, voluntary, and rule governed play. These characteristics are formed in three stages mentioned earlier, sensimotory stage (0-2 years) where children explore their own bodies and object through sound, touch and taste. The pre-operational stage (2-7 years) children develop the ability for one object to stand for another encompassing make believe and imaginary play. Concrete operations (7-11 years) the development of rules that govern play. Not all children know how to play, and not all children play spontaneously or

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay easily. Play is one element in a range of factors influencing childrens health, development and wellbeing (Burghardt, 2005). Play matters to children and is influenced by, and influences the context in which it occurs. The 19th century idea, that in order to develop a symbolic

representation of the world, children transform reality through their play activities (Groos, 1986). Play should provide evidence of childrens progress and achievements along cultural defined pathways. Cultural influences surrounding play need to be considered from differentiating viewpoints. The categorizations and theories in relation to play may color/blur an interpretation of what we see and what we regard as important forms of play based learning (Dockett, 1996). Play can be understood and enacted differently in different cultures but generally refers to feeling well and being able to function and learn effectively. Children play to participate in their culture, to develop the literacy of their culture, to order the events in their lives and to share those with others. Dwyer (2011) states that childrens sense of identity is stronger when they are accepted as part of a community and children are more able to regulate their own behaviours when they feel a sense of belongingness which can be achieved through providing an environment where all children are equal and special. History and geography also influence how children play and live in their communities which are culturally and socially constructed. Within childrens play cultures, children explore who they are or who they might be influenced by class, gender, disability and ethnicity. Research, theories and assumptions that define play may not necessarily reflect different cultural and community beliefs and expectations about play. Play is an important context for cultural learning and reflection of children's experiences. Culture influences all forms of adult-child, child-child, and child-children play and children's ethnic family culture always interweave directly in their play and peer interaction. Children in Africa may be encouraged to use a sharp knife to carve wood (an appropriate

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay developmental stage in African culture) to sell for money towards food and clothing. This could be seen by Western culture as a dangerous situation judging the parents for letting their child play with a sharp knife, when it is socially accepted within their culture. Preschool children of Korean-American parents, who emphasize task persistence as crucial for learning, spend less time than their American counterparts at joint make-believe and more time unoccupied and in parallel play (Farver, Kim, & Lee, 1995). In Italy, there is little distinction between play and child's other activities and they strongly emphasis on social-interaction in child's play, an example is the Reggio Emilia.

Early childhood practices are formed and governed by curriculum documents such as the EYLF and QIAS consisting of principles, practice and outcomes essential for educational settings to provide support and enhance young childrens learning. Play provides children with opportunities to express a sense of agency and demonstrate their competence and be leaders in their own learning. Play can provide children with a sense of being and belonging (EYLF). The EYLF has been incorporated in the National Quality Standard in order to ensure delivery of nationally consistent and quality early childhood education across sectors and jurisdictions. The Early Years Learning Framework describes the principles, practice and outcomes essential to support and enhance young childrens learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. The Framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning as play is the best vehicle for young childrens learning providing the most appropriate stimulus for brain development. The QIAS, administered in participating long day care centers, outlined 33 principles of quality care which are incorporated into seven quality areas: Staff relationships with children and peers; Partnerships with families; Programming and evaluation; Childrens experiences and learning; Protective care and safety; Health, nutrition and wellbeing; Managing

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay to support quality. These frameworks and standards are put in place to protect children and enhance their learning when in a formal education setting such as preschool or school. Teachers can support and guide childrens play through providing rich, purposeful play that contributes to the development of literacy through oral language, metalinguistic development, reading and writing. Providing meaningful experiences with other children who are more competent enables children to challenge their own skills and abilities within age

appropriate goals. Providing uninterrupted and prolonged periods of time for children to play; to establish their experience and understanding within a particular area. Teachers can provide opportunities for children to develop, explore and extend on their interests through a variety of spaces in which to play. Using designated areas for construction (providing sufficient space to build); dramatic play (providing resources and props that hold different meanings to individual children depending on their make believe game); drawing (sharpened pencils and clean paper); opportunities for children to explore (the garden outside) and document their findings from their exploration (photos, drawings, natural resources). Choice can be used as a mechanism for regulating play, children do not choose play based on only their interests, their shifting and multiple identities and social influence on how and whom they want to play. Teachers can follow these interests, listen, talk, interact, ask the children questions, observe, include families and provide a wide range of activities to support childrens play. Conclusion Play is a negotiated space both physical and conceptual, for teachers and children to explore their different identities and desires and evaluate questions of voice and power within the classroom environment. Piaget states that activity progresses from exploration to play as children

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay become more familiar with objects and their environments. Early exploration is important as it acts as a springboard for the development of future play skills. Children move in and out of play according to their own interests, desires, social, cultural and personal abilities. When children believe an activity to be ply rather than work, their performance in problem solving tasks is significantly improved and they show much deeper levels of engagement and motivation. The

metacommunicative and cognitive theories are just two of many theories regarding constructs of play and how they inform contemporary early childhood teaching practice. Play has always been invested with significance for childrens immediate and future development, in terms of social, educational and economic goals (Sutton-Smith, 1997). Emphasizing the socially and culturally situated nature of learning children can be understood as active participants in cultural communities. Children actively engage in the social construction of their own identities. Play in educational settings attempts to control childrens learning and development within frameworks and societies expectations of education. Play and learning experiences and environments can be intentional to provide the stepping stones towards achieving defined outcomes or curriculum goals.

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay References Bateson, G. (1955). A theory of play and fantasy. Psychiatric Research Reports, 2, 39-51. Burghardt, G.M. (2005). The Genius of Animal Play: Testing the limits Dockett, S. (1996). Challenges to early childhood curriculum. Keynote address to the Queensland Creche and Kindergarten Association Annual Conference. Dockett, S., Fleer, M. (2003). Play and pedagogy in early childhood: Bending the rules. Dwyer, N. (2011). Early childhood education workforce project: resilience. DEEWR, pp. 1-16. Edwards, A. (2001). Researching Pedagogy: a sociocultural agenda. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 9 (2): 161-186. EYLF. Early Years Learning Framework. Retrieved from: http://deewr.gov.au/early-yearslearning-framework Faver, J.M., Kim, Y.K., Lee, K. (1995). Cultural differences in Korean and Anglo-American preschoolers social interaction and play behaviors. Child development, 66, 1088-1099. Garvey, C. (1977). Play. Cambridge, MA, Harvard Press).

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay Groos, K. (1986). The play of animals: Play and instinct. Mellou. (1994). Early childhood development and care. Vol. 102, pp. 91-100. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, S.A. Piaget, J. (1962). Play, dreams and imitation in childhood. New York. Prout, A. (2005). The Future of Childhood. QIAS. Quality Improvement Accreditation System. Retrieved from: http://www.greythornecc.org.au/qias/ Sutton-Smith, B. (1967). The role of play in cognitive development. Young Children, 22, 361-370. Takhvar, M. (1988). Play and Theories of Play: A review of literature. Early Childhood Development and Care.39, 221-244. Vygotsky, L.S. (1933). Play and its role in the mental development of the child. In: Bruner, J.S. (1985). Play: its role in development and evolution. Penguin Books.

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Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE206. ASS1: Essay

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