( Early childhood learning through play),internet
From my perspective, I feel that both theorists are correct because children do not only play for fun, Instead they play to contributes to their learning process. That is why in a Montessori classroom, materials such as the pink tower, broad stairs, thermic bottles, geometric cabinet, all help the child to play, work and acquire skills at the same time without realising it. Just like a car that requires petrol to function, so also children requires play to function, because it gives children the opportunity to socialise with other children which develops possibly the most important skills for the future: getting on with other people.
Value of play and theorists Section 2.
When I was a child, I played school teacher who does not beat students, because in my culture teachers have the rights to beat students mercilessly without pity. I even remembered my teacher in the sixth grade beating me for being shy to not looking at her straight in her eyes while talking to me. Erikson(1963) contends that through our childhood play, we are partners with our future. Base on this claim, I feel that my played role as a teacher is coming through. My childhood experiences and play encourages me to be a good teacher that does not beat.
In addition to the importance of play in the social development of the child. Every child has the right to play . Bruce(1991,P.31-34) summed this perspective and different theories making play a central part of education:
- Recapulation theory- derived by Stanley Hall maintains that play reflects the culture, and the individual child works through development. For instance, in a Montessori classroom that I do my teaching practice, under the time line of the human civilization in pre historical events, the children sometimes play the role of humans when hunting and building of shelters. This back up the above theory explained by Bruce that plays explores cultures and historical events from the past.
Learning through play or preparatory theory-Gross(1992) thought that play prepares children for adult life by letting them, in a natural way practise and explore what they will need to be able to do as adults. Perhaps that is why children play roles and dress up as a doctors, pop star, fireman, nurse and lawyers. Nevertheless this approach is often called structures or guided play - Bruce (1991) propose that play is adult- led, guided, and planned. And play is seen as the way a child prepares for life, adult guidance in the play activities increases while the child ‘s role in deciding what to play and how to play decreases. Such play occurs in formal situations such as : playgroups, and nurseries, and often an end product, such as a painting. Free play- child play freely without adult interventions. For instance, in Africa, seven years old children that live on top of water in western part of Nigeria make boats which will sail them into the different parts of the lagoon. This shows an example of free play that happens all over the world. Some experts believe that children remember best the free play they have created themselves, because it has meaning for them. In the six to nine year’s old Montessori classroom, constructive play is valued through spontaneous play and materials.
Pleasure play- Bruce claim that Charlott Buhler ( 1937) emphasises suggest that the pleasure of playing is an activity itself. That is the pure motor activity involved in merely activating the moving parts of the body is a pleasurable experience.
Affective theorists- according to Bruce (1991) she maintain that the period 1930-60s is most significant for the development of what may be termed ’child- centred’ theories of play. Frobel (1782- 1852) believed that a child’s best thinking was done during play and symbolic play. Freud( 1856- 1939) believed play is an cathartic experience because it took children into and out of reality and helped them to feel mastery and control, so that they can cope with anxieties, and conflicts socially and also reflected on positive experiences.
In review, from the Montessori perspective, play helps children to satisfy their wider horizon and cosmic task in a prepared environment. For instance, a six years old child can pretend to be the mummy from Egypt, locked away for centuries in the tomb. This shows that such child can use their play and imaginative skills to transport himself to Egypt without travelling there physically. Therefore, play allows children to mingle positively. Learn about their universe through cosmic approach, and task, acquire inventive skills, learn how people behave, and have role in social play. Other benefits of this development includes: Share possessions, use imaginations, act protectively towards someone less powerful than themselves, and co-operate with others.
Characteristics _ Section 3
Play characteristics.
Play is critical to the social development of the six to nine years old because it add to their holistic development.
Cognitive development- The six to nine years old children at this phase develops an understanding of concept. They are able to explore different materials, experiment in different ways and solve problems. Although right from babies they play with their toes, fingers, grasp objects, explore with their mouth. Even at this stage, 6 to 9, children are interested in their wider horizons; they need experience to understand the cause and effect of thing in their prepared environment. For instance, children in my teaching practice understand the importance of weather, and they are able to create a rain gauge to demonstrate their understanding,
Language Development- Play is very powerful tools for language development, particular as much as play in later childhood is based on social relationship .this evidence shows that language will be needed to sustain these it also enables them to ask why, how, and what they explore through problem solving through language.
Physical development: Developments of more bodily movements for instance, in my teaching practice, during break time, children skips, jumps , throe and catch , These help to develop their muscle tons, balances, fine and gross skills.
Emotional development: Play is a vent of for emotional development of the 6- 9 years old. For instance, children show empathy , love, respect and equality through social emotions.. They show different facial expressions and emotions such as sad, happy, smiling and frowning. All of these contribute to the emotional development of children.
Social development: This is the main target of this essay; however this aspect is very crucial to the development of the 6 to 9 year. Children learn how to interact among themselves through play; they learn to play with friends or classmate in a play environment such as the play ground. For instance, the children in this age group show fairness when it comes to taking turns to act a role in drama. Or sharing the skipping rope in the playground. In addition to this point, social development also assists children to understand about group rules such as being honest, not cheating, respecting other people. Infarct it contribute to the spiritually development of the child.
Types and features of play Section 4.
The type of play that is can be found in this age group can take different forms and shapes. It can include activities intended to be, and serious learning experiences, and they find enjoyable. Several types of play have been identified in children’s play:
-Imaginative Play: Montessori pointed out that imagination is the great power of this age, even thou it differs according to the child’s developmental stage. Through the use of imaginative play, they have a concept of justice which helps them to make decisions socially. Also through the use of imaginative play, these children are generous to share their possessions with others; unlike the young chid who finds it difficult to share or give away things. With their imagination, it contributes to the child cosmic education because such children will use their imaginations when working with the materials or when looking at the first man on the moon. For instance, through the use imaginative play, the children were able compose a scene from the man in the moon. They were given the picture of the man and ask the children to use their imaginative skill to come up with stories from the moon and present it to the classroom. Also symbolic play is seen here socially because these children can play using an object to play. As a result of imaginative play, it helps children to express themselves, solve problems through imaginative play, explore their experiences as they act out things that have happened, and it also help them to see thing from other point of view. Finally, the children develop social skills through acting of historical events from the past. such as fine manipulative skills, when dressing up as a witch, and running around as a postman signify ways of transport in the past as well as helps in term of coordination and balance for the six years.
-Constructive play: The ability to construct is present from one to five and it still continue inn the six to nine years children socially. Through constructive play, children are able to express themselves when they build a tower, drawing and using a paint brush to paint pictures. This type of play can be seen in the classroom or in the playground. They also develop feeling towards the concrete materials that they make, once satisfied with their constructive activity, they interact socially with their peers.
-Creative play: Present from one to five is still present. The difference is that it improves and change as the child gets older. This period the seed of creative skills can still continue to be sown through the use of creative play. Children in the six to nine years old practice lots of creative play using different natural materials that they can be found in their environment. For instance, seven years old use his skills to build a house for a bird using sticks, cartoon and ice-cream sticks. This child uses his creative skills to build a house for the bird. He was also able to care for the environment through recycling and reusing of ice-cream stick.
-Physical play: In this age, they are able to run, jump, skip, and ride a bicycle without any help and throwing balls. They use hunting instincts which enables to use their imagination to hunt insects, or animals.
-Manipulative play: This type of play is seen from early childhood. Babies use their hands, mouth, and eyes to explore rattles and toys however; this type of manipulative skill continues to exist in the six to nine years children from a different view. For examples children are able to use this play skills when playing (catch, or Tag you) in the play ground… Likewise this play is experience in the classroom during cooking and making of different shapes when baking cake.
-Social Play Skills: is obviously when children play together particularly at this age group. Older children quite naturally play social games with each other in which all the participants willingly abide by the rules governing the game. I remember a girl in my teaching practice, she invented a game and she was able to pick 5 children to play the game. I asked her why; she explained to me that it is only 5 children allowed to play and anything greater than 5 would ruin the game.
In fact there is a tendency that the importance of play in the social development of the child helps to form peer groups. At this point, the play is vital because it makes children to experience social life. They also learn about friendship, not cheating, and respecting one another opinions as an individual.
Finally, on the social skills associated with play. These acquired skills assist the children to develop: cooperative skills, and communicate skills through the use of language when interacting with their friends, teachers and parents.
Stages of play and advantages and disadvantages of play Section 5.
Unfortunately I feel that the different stages of play ( solitary, spectator, parallel, cooperative play) deflate at this age, even thou they have the same characteristics of six to nine years old and potentialities irrespective of the time, space and continent. They play freely without following any pattern or stages, but they sometimes they borrow the play phase. For instance, children at this age are adamant about sharing and taking turns when skipping a rope. Therefore, I can say that this is similar to associated or shares age type of play. Even thou they are not three or four years old.
Finally, Social play can be hindered if children do not respect each other, are cheating when playing games, use of negative language and skills to develop. As a result of this, it shows that play in the social development of the 6 to 9 years old children can be of advantage if it is properly use and also be a disadvantage if misused.
Supervision of play. Section 6.
Supervision means to watch over activities carried out by other and to ensure that it is carried out correctly. However, in the 6-9 years old children, supervision is important if risk is involved in the play structure. Here also, I feel it depends on the zone of proximity development of the child.
Supervision can have effect on social development of play positively and negatively.
Positively effect of play: Play is an activity that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules. Therefore the effect of supervision on social development would encourage the children to gain control over their own activities, and world, and change the outcome of the rules. Like the previously explained example of a girl in my teaching practice who invented a game without adult intrusion. Whereas adult intervention would destroy this cognitive skill. The child would have low self esteem and not willing to co-operate with colleague.
Furthermore, children at this age want to satisfy their wider horizons that is why Montessori claims that we should offer the child the universe. Children of this age want to be adventurous, take risks, make mistakes, and suffer from consequences of their action without supervision. I feel that the effect of supervision from the social developmental perspective would nurture the children with the basic element tools that are crucial to development of life skills and resilience in adulthood. Whereas, the effect of supervision would ensure that risk taken, mistake made, are not a threat their health and safety.
In addition, the cause of supervision on play promotes independence, friendship and isolation. It also improves participation of hobbies such as sports, swimming, and football. In contrast with the effect of supervision, this could be a problem if children are isolated from other children during creative play. Here also supervision would be necessary if the level of participation in sports activities decline. This will encourage children to engage in the activity rather than ignoring them to participate here.
In summary, Bruce(1991, P.24.) point out that Vygotsky argued that the adult has a vital role in helping children to learn. He advanced the idea of the Zone of Proximity Development (ZPD). He maintains that the child may have developed certain competency levels in a skill, which can be performed independently without adult intervention. However, if assisted by an adult , it could be stretched so that further developments can be attempted. The zone pf proximity development is the difference between the area of development which child can cope with and understand with adult help( or with the more capable peer). For instance, children can be guided by adult when playing a skipping game , supervision can be required if the child is stuck.
Besides, the effect of supervision would limit the holistic development of the child socially, (the children will be very slow to interact with peers), emotionally( the children would feel sad and dull if not allowed to integrate.).Spiritually (this would encourage children to appreciate individual differences, empathy and well being..
However, supervision can have effect on play if its intention is for recording and assessing a child. It will help teachers to know the social developmental stage he child is at, and so on.
To conclude all my point, as a student who appreciate child psychology, and with my previous experiences of childcare and development, I believe that play is essential for the development of children because it creates freedom and activity to the children. In addition, the different types of play such as imaginative play, creative play contributes to the importance of play socially.
Play is considered to be one of the primary needs of a child. It is common behaviour of all children in all countries and cultures. Children want to play naturally, so both nature and nature contributes to the development of the skills needed to play effectively. Moreover play assist children to develop social skills, interpersonal skills and inventive skills. Also with the correct management, of play, six to nine years old will enjoy play, understand and gain knowledge effortlessly in their environment and above all interact with their society, peers. All of these will contribute to the holistic development of the child.
References
Bruce, T ( 1991) TIME TO PLAY IN THE EARYLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, London: Hodder& Stoughon Ltd.
Davenport, G. C. (1993) An Introduction To Child Development, London: C Collins Educational, Harper.
Minette, (2005) Childcare & Development, London: 5th Edition: British Library Congress.
Moyles, R, J. (1994) The Excellence Of Play , Open University Press.
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