Benefits and Strategies of Learning Through Play

Benefits and Strategies of reading Through PlayPlay is intrinsic in boors early years. In my model of run into, every(prenominal) ara is interrelated in regards to breeze. Play send away happen at whatever point of time and at any status. From a frys perspective, match is enjoyable and imaginative. Educators bidding an grave procedure in planning bestow activities in the curriculum and to sustain their thought process. Background of the family reflects how children impart at folk and with their catchs. In my model of antic, a cultural-historical theory drives my influence practices. According to Vygotsky, Children supply for give modern implication to objects in their comprise in order to progress complex number good turn and to make realness by shooting how people produce by and through subroutine- souring (Fleer, 2013). He in any case continued that professionals in early childhood will contribute in childrens satisfy through moveions in uphold shargond thinking and through hoyden connections with children (Fleer, 2013). Thus my model of number revolves around these important facets for a child culture, gyp, educator, curriculum, family and educator. Each aspect will be throw out explaining in the followingPlayCultural historical view of play deal be reflected in my model of play. In this model, children engaged in both structured and ambiguous play. In unstructured play, children will give voice a state of mind, helping them to deal with feelings or challenges in their action and at the same time, providing opportunities for them to explore different ways in doing things (Bruce, 2011). From a childs perspective, they use very minimal effort to die hard surrounded by play and real world (Edmiston, 2008). When they play, they create imaginary situations. These imaginary situations ar based on their real-world experiences and children give new senses to their movements and objects (Fleer, 2013). I notice how t hese two girls, Ann (three years old) and whitethorn (six years old) playing at the kitchen corner. They be creating imaginary situations. In their play, they teach on roles. They pretend to be make and baby. As they are in their imaginary situations, children began to move away from reality. They became more(prenominal) detailed in taking their roles.In my observations, Ann began to sound like a baby and will seek attention from her mother. Both children control about popular concepts as they observe how their mother takes care of baby. From there, they to a fault picked up scientific concepts about movement like walking, carrying baby dolls and cuddling. farmingThe family background of the child sets conditions for play. Usually, children imitate the role of the people they have nearly contact with. For example, if children will imitate the role of the teacher when they are at home or in school, they will take on the role of their mother as they had been observing how she m anages the kitchen daily. As children develop their play, they accompany the role and create their make-believe stories. In my observations on my play model, Ann and May adopt the roles of mother and baby and they moved on to puppetry play and bake cookies. When children are in play, children move in and out of imaginary situations (Fleer, 2013). They use particular(a) languages to communicate to draw a line betwixt real worlds and play experiences. Children overly use their language based on their family background. As May and Ann are Malays, they have included their mother tongue in their play conversations. They used, ka kak which means sister in their conversation. This also explains that culture reflects on how children interact in their play experiences. It frames on how children play occurs based on their everyday experiences. In Vygotskys theory, he promissory noted that a childs daily life experiences sets and frames on how play may occur and children will not play fre ely (Fleer, 2010).CurriculumIn my school, we believe that children choose through play. In our planning, we engage children in purpose-built play and as well as free play. Thus, we do not provide worksheets for children to work on. For example, children (aged 3 years old) will be hunting for items associated with letter f, explore what they merchant ship do their feet and traced the letter by walking on the letter. As children are still maturation their fine motor skills, teachers should not be stressing if the child is able to write. Instead, teachers can work on their vernacular motor skills and they take through kinetic movements. From childrens perspective, they view it as play as they get to walk, jump and most importantly, it is enjoyable and fun.In my school, children also participated in projects. We lead provocation through their play activities. During the interactions, teachers and children are involved sustained shared thinking. Sustained shared thinking is an har d-hitting interaction where two or more parties and working together to understand concepts, cracking a problem and extending conversations and activities (Siraj-Blatchford, 2007). In our play incidents during our project, we sustain childrens thinking by bearing open-ended questions.Our curriculum is also tie close to Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergarten framework. In a Kindergarten Learning Forum initiative speech by Ms Indranee Rajah, she mentioned that MOE strongly believes that the critical principle of principle in the early years is prosecute in learnedness through purposeful play (MOE, 2012). They believe that children will learn through purposeful play as they are feeling competent about their ability to learn and develop their physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills. In my centre, we believe that children are competent and engage children in both purposeful play and as well as free play. Therefore, my model of play ties in closely with my schools curr iculum which we set ahead children to learn through play and as well as referring to MOEs kindergarten framework to support children in purposeful play activities.EducatorsAs educators, we play critical role in sustaining children in play. We need look into our pedagogical role in engaging children in play. As children change the meaning of objects we have to look into the abstrusity of play experiences to ensure that these play experiences benefit the children. When a purposeful play activity happens, Educators have to thoughtfully plan the activities with appropriate resources and materials for children to explore. Teachers have to eternally reflect on their teaching practices to see whether their planned activities are inviting childrens interest to be engaged and learning (Lim, 2010). Thus, teachers should provide a cast of play activities in childs learning and a rest period of play and work activities. These balance of play and work activities should include unstructured play to structured play such(prenominal) as from child-initiated play to teacher directed play.Educators should also take note of the sensitivity interaction among child and adult in play and playful experiences activities. Some play does not have to be guide by adults but educators should note that they have to be around even though it is free play for children. Even though the school has a strong curriculum, teachers have to be culturally sensitive to understand each and every child who enters to the classroom. Thus, as educators, we should not be stereotyping the children through similar characteristics of the children. Instead, we should take time to find out to the children when they are at play and interactions before we really make any conclusions on the childs need and making it into his or her man-to-man goals. This also explains that educators are also assessing for play. In Fleers (2010) explanation, assessment for play is how educators assess dustative assessment and summaries the assessment at the end of a project or event.While observing the children, we also assess the children through play. This helps educators to do their observations and analyse when children are engaged entirely in play activities (Fleer, 2013). Teachers play a critical how in documenting down these play moments. Documentations can be recorded down in photographs, childrens voices or design which children is comfortable with and they can be displayed in the classroom. From all these play moments, children can find out what do they want to find out, and apply their knowledge move oned from their inquiry. Fahey (as cited in Fleer, 2013) reasons in inquiry learning, that it is important to provide children the chance to ask questions, clarifying points and to be engaged in the topics which they are interested. This is also profitable and going in depth of the childs play so that learning can be furthered in play (Fleer, 2013).Teachers and children can also review their play activities in a form of KWL chart. This helps children to revisit the play activities and find out what they have learnt and how they can apply their knowledge gain in other situations.EnvironmentAnother aspect to discuss is the milieu conditions and affordances in play. I believe that milieu has an impact in play practices. Whether it is at school, community or at home, it provides different opportunities for the child to learn in daily life.At school, based on childs interest, educators can then work on cathode-ray oscilloscope up the relevant resources in the classroom. Hedges (as cited in Lim, 2010) even inspire teachers to work together with children and overlap responsibility in order to have a child-initiated curriculum where teachers and children can co-construct appropriate and significant knowledge.In my school setting we believe that the environment is the third teacher. From a childs perspective, the visual influences interaction and developing thinking and lea rning (Strong-Wilson Ellis, 2007).As our school is inspired by Reggio Emilia, it advocates that teachers to take note to the numerous ways to use the space to invite interactions (Strong-Wilson Ellis, 2007). To encourage children to participate in their culture community and to engage in meaningful play activities, teachers who are influenced by Reggio Emilia have capitalize on the environments potential as a developmental street corner where children acquire knowledge skills and understandings ( in the buff, 2007). Thus, at my school setting, the classroom has wide windows to allow natural light to shine through the class. The resources used in the classroom are closest to the natural materials such as twigs, leaves, branches. This can form part of childrens play as they use these materials to create new meanings and interact with their peers and teachers. The environment also reflects schools basis in John Deweys educational philosophy and Vygotskys social constructivist learni ng theory (Tarr, 2001). Both theorists believe that children can best create meaning and make sense of their world through living in complex, full environments which support complex, varied, sustained, and changing relationships between people, the world of experience, ideas and the many ways of expressing ideas (Tarr, 2001, p.7).The open-air(prenominal) environment also supports in childrens play. In my school, children are support to engage in outdoor play activities. As my school setting are able to afford big spaces for children, we have the space for urine play and sand play. This provides children to be exposed to a variety of play activities be it in classroom or outdoors.FamilyWith reference to cultural-historical theory, play is learned in families (Fleer, 2013). Families can engage children in play and they can learn to pick up valued skills. For an example, parents will do house chores and from a childs perspective, it is a play and fun activity in helping their paren ts. In this case, play has developed into an activity which children have contributed to the family. I feel that families should not neglect childrens play at home or when they are with them. Involving families in childrens play can motivate the child in learning and exploring new things, and fostering relationship between them.In conclusion, play is leading activity (Fleer, 2013) in a childs life. By viewing at how each and every aspect contributes to play, as an educator, I have to constantly reflect on my teaching practices on how I can engage children in play. As technology has been moving rapidly, children are more engaged in technology such as iPad, children may forgo about playing physically with peer interactions. Thus, families and educators should be reminded that there should also be a balance between play activities for the child to be engaged and learn.Reference ListBruce, T. (2011). Learning through play for babies, toddlers and young children (2nd ed.). London Hodde r Education.Edmiston, B. (2008). Chapter 1. Ethics in play. In B. Edmiston. Forming ethical identities in early childhood play, pp. 1 24. New York Routledge.Fleer, M. (2010). Chapter 2. analogue conceptual worlds. In proto(prenominal) learning and development cultural-historical concepts in play, pp.20 -32. New York Cambridge University Press.Fleer, M. (2013). Play in the Early Years. Port Melbourne Cambridge University Press.Lim, S. M-Y. (2010). Reconsidering the play-work dichotomy in pedagogy. In M. Ebbeck M. Waniganayake (eds.). Learning in diverse contexts, pp.141 -156. South Melbourne Oxford University Press.Ministry of Education. (2012). Kindergarten learning forum. Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http//www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2012/11/20/opening-address-by-ms-indranee-rajah-at-kindergarten-learning-forum-2012.phpNew, R. S. (2007). Reggio Emilia as cultural activity theory in practice. surmise into Practice, 46(1), 5-13.Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2007). Creativity, communi cation and collaboration The identification of pedagogic progression in sustained shared thinking. Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 1(2), 3-23.Strong-Wilson, T., Ellis, J. (2007). Children and place Reggio Emilias environment as third teacher. Theory into practice, 46(1), 40-47.Tarr, P. (2001). Aesthetic Codes in Early Childhood Classrooms What Art Educators Can Learn from Reggio Emilia.Name Loo Si Hui Student ID 25687514 Page 1