Play and learning in Early Childhood Education

1. Play and learning in Early Childhood Education Masaryk University 14 April 2011

2. Stockholm University,Department of Child and Youth Studieswww.buv.su.se Ingrid Engdahl Preschool teacher, Ph D, International Coordinator President of OMEP Sweden ingrid.engdahl@buv.su.se / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

3. Playing Working / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

4. Outdoor play / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

5. Paint and clay / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

6. Eating Sleeping Cleaning / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

7. Constructions / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

8. Block play / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

9. Play is LIFE Play is not just an occupation Children play as soon as they can Play is the most natural way for a child to be (Fröbel) Homo Ludens Play comes before culture (Huzinga) Play is not for production or for material gain Is this play? Ask the players, they know. / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

10. Play definitions? Rather Characteristics • Play is fun and enjoyable • Play is voluntary, a free choice (not occupation) • Concentration and focussing • Inner motivation • Beyond reality, fantasy and creativity • Belonging and participation • Children’s influence / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

11. Play is culture Children adapt to the surrounding culture Children and adults together produce culture Children create their own culture while playing Child cultures in the preschool Drama, art, creativity and fantasy / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

12. Toddlers as social actors in the Swedish preschool (Engdahl, 2011) / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

13. The toddler Global experiences A living body Perceiving with all senses Tumbling around Gunvor Lökken, Trondheim, Norway Eva Johansson,Göteborg, Sweden buv.su.se / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU / Ingrid Engdahl, Dep of Child and Youth Studies

14. The Swedish preschool - international high quality 1975 – Preschool ACT nr 1 10 % of children 0.5 – 7 years 2 % of children 0.5 – 3 years 2009 86,5 % of the one year olds 90,6 % of the two year olds 93.6 % of the five year olds (1998 Preschool class for six year olds) / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

15. National Curriculum for the Preschool for 1-5 years (1998) The education shall beenjoyablesecure andrich in learning for all children. buv.su.se / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU / Ingrid Engdahl, Dep of Child and Youth Studies

16. AIM of my research Exploring the toddlers life in preschool Focussing on the second year of life Interaction and communication During self initiated play sessions In a toddler unit In a municipal preschool / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

17. The young toddlers pay attention to each other • With their body language and movements • With greeting rituals (Belonging) • Through play invitations / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

18. By choosing a special peerRobin wants to play with Leo After the morning circle the children go outside. When Robin is dressed he looks around for Leo. He goes back to the play room and finds him there. Robin is standing in the doorway, looking at Leo, who keeps on playing with the small cars together with his brother Tim. Robin runs to the hall and picks up Leo’s shoes and carries them back into the play room. He walks up to Leo and holds out the shoes in front of Leo, showing him his shoes. / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

19. Leo looks up at Robin, but he doesn’t take his shoes. He holds on to the cars. … Robin looks at Leo and then he puts the shoes on the floor in front of Leo. Robin runs out of the room, back into the hall. Robin picks up Tim’s shoes and goes back into the play room, bringing Tim’s shoes. Robin walks up to the Leo and Tim, with the shoes stretched out in front of him. Leo and Tim look at Robin. The situation is now interrupted by a teacher who comes up to the boys, puts on their shoes and brings them outside. / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

20. Play invitations 2014-11-15 / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

21. Video excerpt (November 16) 1 Leo →Bends over and pats the back of the red horse, 2 →looks into N’s eyes, saying: ’här’ [here], • →looks into N’s face and points at the red horse next to him 4 Nova looks at Leo 5 Leo →says: ’HÄR, här’ [HERE, here], • moves over to sit straight up and starts jumping / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

22. Continued 7 Nova looks at L while scratching her hair 8 Leo looks at N, pulls a yellow horse closer and 9 →pats its back saying: ’här, här’ [here, here] / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

23. Taking the perspective of the other • Interaction • Social competence • Taking turns • Decentralise • Improvisation / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

24. Taking the perspective of the otherLeo ’tells’ about sharing toys Today, we were outside, playing with the cars in the playground. Then I saw a carriage and I so wanted to have that carriage. I was just about to start pushing when Oliver came up to me and he wanted to have the carriage! I let go and picked up the car again instead. Oliver went away, pushing the carriage. I looked after him and then I decided to go after him. I went up to Oliver and let go of my car. I looked very intensely at Oliver and then, he let go of the carriage! He understood that I wanted it! I took the carriage – and then Oliver picked up my car and started to play away with it. He drew down the hill to the fence. And me, I took the carriage and I followed him. / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

25. Learning in an educational context -characteristics • Outer motivation • Learning outcomes • Results and products • Passing on facts and knowledge • Structured / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

26. Learning in Early Childhood Education Play and learning are looked upon as integrated Teachers may use the variation on play to promote learning A META perspective - HOW did you learn this? talking about the content talking about the process / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

27. Using the characteristics of play • Concentration and focussing • Inner motivation, involvement • Beyond reality, fantasy and creativity • Belonging and participation • Children’s influence • Play is fun and enjoyable • Play is voluntary, a free choice / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

28. The playing learning child Getting to know the children’s world Using the children’s interests, experiences, ideas Focussing on the children’s intentionsand the children’s perspectives Arranging for rich and varied experiences Supporting and challenging the children during play / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU

29. The role of the teachers The teacher becomes a bridge between the child and the curriculum A teacher may • Intervene directly from an outside position • Influence indirectly by arranging for play; the time, environment, materials etc. • Directly from within by participating in the game / Ingrid Engdahl, Barn- och ungdomsvet.,SU