Play and learning in early childhood education: tensions and challenges

Abstract

International research promotes the value of play for children’s learning and development. However, in early childhood education the development of national policy frameworks highlights a tension, and possible contradiction, between play for its own sake, and educational play. This paper explores these two positions, drawing on contemporary socio-cultural theories. Freely chosen play reflects children’s choices, interests and inquiries, and is understood as complex socio-cultural activity. Educational play focuses on curriculum goals and outcomes, and requires early childhood educators to plan for play in ways that direct children’s learning towards those goals. Recent research on children’s interests and inquiries offers solutions for pedagogical approaches that connect the curriculum as lived experiences, and curriculum as planned experiences, both of which reflect children’s cultural repertoires and peer cultures.

Understanding Socioculturalism in Early Childhood Education: Current Perspectives and Emerging Trends

“…On the other hand, Wood (2022) contends that tensions and challenges surround play and learning in ECE, exploring the complexities of integrating play-based approaches with formal learning goals in educational settings. However, educators can create dynamic learning environments that foster language development and support children's growth and learning by integrating play-based activities and educational games into the ECE curriculum (Rahmita et al, 2023;Wood, 2022).…”

Integracija pokreta kao element uspješnosti inkluzije

“…Važno je, nadalje, da djeca imaju autonomiju u oblikovanju samoiniciranih aktivnosti (Cagliari i sur., 2016). Stoga Wood (2022) ističe da prostorno materijalno okruženje može biti poticaj djetetu u osmišljavanju vlastitih aktivnosti što upućuje na kognitivne procese djeteta usmjerene k samoorganiziranom djelovanju. Okruženje ima kvalitetan obrazovni potencijal za dijete jer odgojitelj planira poticaje sukladno individualnom tempu razvoja djeteta.…”

“…Koncept sportskog vrtića je u funkciji elementa uspješnosti inkluzije jer je tematskom analizom utvrđeno kako upravo pokret ima ulogu u stvaranju dobrog raspoloženja i razvoja ključnih kompetencija djece (McMinn i sur., 2011;Vujičić i Petrić, 2018). Sudjelovanjem u sportskim aktivnostima javlja se nebrojeno više prilika za iniciranje i sudjelovanje u interakciji s djecom, a dijete stječe bogata iskustva kroz koja napreduje u svim područjima razvoja (Cagliari i sur., 2016;Sahlberg, 2019;Wood, 2022). Boravkom u okolini koja je za dijete poznata i pouzdana, uz društvenu senzibilizaciju djece, odgojitelja i asistenta, dolazi do konkretnih pomaka u funkcioniranju i učenju djeteta s teškoćom koje je uključeno u odgojno-obrazovnu skupinu i tako se stvara put prema uključivom i pravednom obrazovanju za sve (Jones i Harwood, 2009;Livazović i sur., 2015;Olçay i Vuran, 2015).…”