Observation On Scaffolding Learning During Play

I believe that children learn through play. In play, children make choices, solve problems, converse, negotiate and resolve conflicts. They practice and develop physical, social, intellectual, and language abilities. As they play, children are able to express and work out emotional aspects of everyday experiences and events they discover upsetting. Through playing together and participate in different roles, children also develop in their skills to perceive something from another person’s perspectives and to involve in leading and following behaviors—both of which they will need to get along well as adults. In all these ways, play can be a milieu

Similarly, Keating et al (2000) reported the dilemma facing teachers who are required to provide continual recorded evidence of learning and achievement to both parents and professionals. So, should teaching professionals encourage quality learning through active play, which is often difficult to formally assess compared to the readily assessable written tasks, or should we choose more formal work which may sacrifice the quality of the child's learning experience? The current focus on the expectations of achievement that I have observed, and have suffered scrutiny of, has highlighted a perception of play being somehow inferior and supplementary to learning rather than as an important medium of learning in its own right. Keating (2000) believed that through observing child initiated play, especially in its recreational form, play may not directly relate to better cognition as measured in SATs tests, but conversely, can foster other important abilities, such as persistence, self-esteem, task-orientation, creativity and positive attitudes to learning. Then, if play highlights so many important learning aptitudes within the classroom, what does or should good practice entail?

2 . Explain the importance of observing and analysing children’s and young people’s play. Through observing a child, it helps you to understand and be aware of the child’s interests

The relationship between play and learning seems obvious to many child professionals and parents, and yet there are still lack of understanding surrounding the importance of children's play. Some people believe that children need to "work" not play, and that playing serves no useful purpose in a learning and development environment. This is surprising considering that play, with its high levels of motivation and potential enjoyment empowers children (as well as people

This assignment is all about play and learning for children and young people. Play is engaging in an activity for enjoyment and pleasure however can also be used for learning purposes and development in children and young people. Play activities can be planned by practitioners within the setting or can be free-play, when a child goes off and plays by themselves. Play can be carried out individually or in groups and can also be carried out in different environments such as indoors and outdoors. ‘Research confirms the importance of play for infants in developing children’s brains and minds.’ (http://playtherapy.org.uk/ChildrensEmotionalWellBeing/AboutPlayTherapy/MainPrinciples/PlayDefinition) this is why practitioners encourage young children

The importance of observation to anaylse children and young people 's play is it helps you to identify the children 's play needs and play preferences. It is also important because it helps us as playworkers to discuss the effects of change in ambience or

Young children learn and grow everyday. Especially, young children, the ages three years to five years old, learn important skills while they play with friends and interact with their teachers. Janice J. Beaty (2014) states that for young children, “play is their way of learning” (p. 167) Thus, teachers need to observe children while they play and assess the development of the child because “Knowing the development of a young child helps a teacher to plan the curriculum, to set up activities for individuals, or to ask for special help when necessary” (Beaty, 2014, p. 3).

Observation is a key practice which enables the Playworker to look at the child without intervention, however we need other ways to analyse their play preferences as children love to copy whether it be adults or peers, so we are seeing what the child sees and not necessarily what the child likes and chooses for themselves, so this may not be a true reflection of their preferences. All children and young people may act in a different way when watched, some may love the attention but others may recoil through shyness and not show us their usual behaviour. One way of finding out the child or young person’s preferences would be to talk to them about their play preferences. This could be done on a 1:1 basis or in small groups depending on the

It is essential that the educator observes the children playing before participating in the play themselves. This helps the teacher understand the strengths and weaknesses of the children. It also helps the teacher avoid imposing adult ideas in the children’s play. Observation is a key aspect in developing good communication skills. It is through observation that the

There are numerous theories of play and countless theorists, from Freud and Spencer to Piaget and Vygotsky, who have studied play in relation to what it is and what it does for the child. This essay will outline the definition and value of play and the importance of how it can foster the child’s learning in regards to these theorists who studied the effects in great detail. It will discuss the how the environments constructed by educators can impact play and the theories of learning relating to the quote “play and learning are inextricably woven together ...” Ebbeck and Waniganayake, 2010, p. 5).

Secondly, it is important to consider the strengths of naturalistic observation as a method. This was identified when the child was consistently moving and doing different activities that allowed me to understand how he communicates with other children, how he behaves and what he learns from others. In the play setting the child was able to develop his thinking and according to the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DOH, 2000) through social relationships, the child was encouraged to express his feelings, emotions, which was achieved by the setting creating an enjoyment environment.

Play is the foundation stone of children’s healthy and productive lives (Oliver & Klugman, 2002) and is also a significant means of child’s learning and development (Zigler, Singer & Bishop-

Mature make-believe play is an important and unique context, providing opportunities to learn not afforded by other classroom activities. It should not be considered something extra that can be cut to accommodate more time for academic skills, nor should it be used as a means of adding “entertainment value” for inherently boring and decontextualized drills. Instead, play should be preserved and nurtured as one of the “uniquely preschool” activities that provide the most beneficial context for children’s development. Mature play, as researchers provide, say that child develop social skills, mathematical ability, mastery of early literacy concepts, and self-regulation. In order to enhance play to mature play teachers must follow Vygostkian’s approach of scaffolding play into PRoPELS approach of critical elements of children’s play in the classroom. For some children, early childhood is the only setting that children have the opportunity to learn how to play the proper and mature way with the PRoPELS. Since children are almost always segregated by age and have to interact with play partners who are as inexperience as they are without getting the playground play of elder interactions; hinders children’s ways of maturing make believe play, which is when teachers need to come in allow improvement and growth with play. Playtime in today’s early childhood classroom is limited and rarely exceeds one or two hours, which means that in order to achieve progress in the quality of play,

The training and development of an individual begins at birth and continues well into adulthood. However, the first five years offer a strategic platform for establishing an individual’s intellectual foundation. Since, it is in these formative years that a child learns the language and simple arithmetic, which are rudiments on which further knowledge is built on (Burchinal, Roberts, Nabors, & Bryant, 1996). Nonetheless, Kohn (2015) laments that over the past 20 years; there has been a shift in paradigm in the manner in which children are taught. Initially, the play was the main mode of teaching children below the age of five; however, this has since changed to an instruction based approach. Is this shift from play to instruction-based approach commendable particularly in children under five years? Numerous scholarly articles have contributed to the debate. According to an observational study carried out by Leopold (1949), the play is vital especially in the early years of a child’s life. In contrast, Willis (1977) argues that classwork be critical since it is the parameter used by to award employment. Given the contrasting perspectives, the research seeks to identify the role of play as a construct in fostering to education and even development of children below the age of five years. Both structure and play are vital, as such; it is

Alice Sterling Honig, author of an article “Play: Ten Power Boosts for Children’s Early Learning”, states that “children gain powerful knowledge and useful social skills through play” (p.126). Honig, who believes that play is essential for young children’s development, points out ten ways in which children can learn through play activity.