Teachers are supported in the classroom and policy and practice are guided by a revised framework for the early years.
This framework was developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the LEGO Foundation. The aim is to help students understand how to learn through play at school. Implementation quality is likely to be improved by doing this.
Play is considered an effective method of learning during the early years by researchers writing in ACER’s Discover journal. According to the institute, the framework draws on contemporary research to define education through play. An evaluation of the role and impact of learning through play at schools was conducted (Parker & Thomsen, 2019).
A four-part model
A successful implementation requires the following four components:
- An imperative aspect of student learning is the student experience – creating an environment of joy, active engagement, meaningful interactions, and iterative learning.
- Putting instruction into perspective -putting reading and math into the context of a broader set of skills.
- Instructing – determine the most effective strategy to achieve the desired outcome.
- Learning environment – the extent to which resources (staff, equipment, surroundings) contribute to a successful education.
The framework is school-ready, according to Parker and Berry. It also considers the language of primary school students as well as skills attainment and curriculum content.
School-based action research projects can also be formed using guiding questions for educators.
Playful learning at school has been examined by Berry and ACER Research Fellow Kellie Picker. According to them, there are five characteristics:
- Sense of joy – a sense of curiosity, achievement, and enthusiasm.
- An iterative process – practicing, experimenting, and making mistakes.
- Relevance – establishing connections, learning deeply, and establishing motivating habits.
- An active interest in learning – a desire to learn; an interest in learning; and,
- Interaction between people – sharing, communicating, working together.
I would like to further the research of the individuals mentioned above. I speak from personal experience. A child needs to know that they are wanted. This is sometimes what makes an ill-fitting situation look just a little bit better.
With the world in the state, it is in could we prepare our youth to cherish and anticipate being cherished in return? If a child knows they are loved, what harm would it cause? The following research states children who are loved to perform better across a wide range of categories. Check out how a “loved child” preforms in school HERE.
Citations:
Parker, R., & Thomsen, B. (2019). Learning through play at school: A study of playful integrated pedagogies that foster children’s holistic skills development in the primary school classroom. LEGO Foundation. https://research.acer.edu.au/learning_processes/22
ScienceDaily. (2020, February 12). Love matters: How parents’ love shapes children’s lives. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200212150134.htm
Sarah R. Brauner-Otto, William G. Axinn, Dirgha J. Ghimire. Parents’ Marital Quality and Children’s Transition to Adulthood. Demography, 2020; DOI: 10.1007/s13524-019-00851-w
Jonathon M. Poe 