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Early
Curriculum
Basics (Play,
Discovery and
Creativity)
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
INTRODUCTION
A play-centred curriculum is not laissez faire curriculum in which anything
goes. It is a curriculum that uses the power of play to foster childrens
development. It is an emergent curriculum in which teachers take an active
role in balancing spontaneous play, guided play and teacher-directed
activities.
(Van Hoon, Nourot, Scales & Alward, 2007)
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TOPIC 3
In this topic, you will be studying about play, discovery and creativity; the three
main elements which underpin the basis of early years curriculum. As you study
this topic you will understand the significance of play as a natural tendency for
children learning development. Play, discovery and creativity are some of the
key areas that needs to be integrated into every early years curriculum. You will
also understand how to support and promote play, discovery and creativity by
applying the three areas into daily actionable classroom activities followed by
identifying an active questioning method to spark childrens curiosity and make
new discoveries.
3.1
PLAY
Play is one of the diverse range of behaviours that exists, which has multiple
purposes to children and adults. It can be purposeful and serious, trivial and
purposeful, purposeless and serious, trivial and purposeless and highly
motivating and creative. Meckley (2002) attempts to define the characteristic of
play by linking it to what it does to a child and how it can link a childs inner and
outer world. Here are some of the characteristics of play (Meckley, 2002):
(a)
Play is Child-chosen
Children are given the liberty to decide the various activities or ideas they
want to participate in. When child begins to play, he or she will choose the
materials they want to play with. Although children are in control and are
able to decide everything about play, they need to cooperate and negotiate
with others to play together. Since the child chooses her own activity and
playmates, they are more likely to succeed and in turn it gives them an
immediate boost to their self- confidence. There is no right or wrong in a
childs play; he or she makes their own rules following a school or home
framework. Learning occurs mostly through play if a child can connect
with it.
(b)
Play is Child-invented
Play is not only decided by children but also invented by them. Children
are always trying new ideas although it might not seem new to an adult but
to a child it is new because they tried and completed something new which
they never tried before. In play, children are the inventors and
experimenters; they are able to develop their creativity and thinking skills
as they try out new things.
Children learn a great deal in pretending with activities and ideas that like
real events but are not real. They learn about concepts and develop
perspectives about people, events, relationship and rules through playing.
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(c)
(d)
Play is Done by the Players (Children) not the Adults (Teachers or Parents)
Children plan their own play and they often need time, material and space.
The adults role is to help children plan and support childrens own plan.
This can be done by providing them with a proper environment, support,
rules and safety so that they can obtain maximum learning.
(e)
(f)
Play is Fun
Play is typically a fun activity for children as they are able to choose their
activity and playmates.
ACTIVITY 3.1
Discuss in groups, how you would determine whether an activity is
considered as play.
3.2
All curriculum models are beliefs and values that are considered to be
educational and developmentally appropriate concerning a childs immediate
and future needs. The curriculum content is translated into adult and childinitiated activities specifically for children. Teachers must also be aware how
children receive and interpret the curriculums content. Although play is not the
main part of the curriculum, but remains an essential part of the curriculum as it
provides the way to strengthen a childs learning and development needs.
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3.2.1
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Within the overall structure of the framework, teachers have used a variety of
techniques to support learning which includes playing along with children,
observing, introducing new ideas and demonstrating skills. However, this does
not mean teachers are in full control of the curriculum as they often need to
respond to childrens intentions, needs and interest which is why unplanned
lessons serves as a better method to ensure a childs needs is taken care of. At the
organisation stage, teachers plan out activities, resources and the environment
but this is combined with childrens choices and decisions based on a
combination of materials and activities. There is no other stage apart from the
implementation stage which allows teachers to decide when and where activities
will be done combined with the opportunities to follow a childs learning
journey. For example, Cook (2003) describes a science activity on electrical circuit
where the children learned how to make an electric circuit using batteries, bulbs
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and crocodile clips. The teacher focused on scientific processes and developing
their understanding while the children proposed to role play using an
illuminated magic wand. The teacher responded to this idea by giving them the
opportunity and support to apply their new skills in a play-based situation using
problem-solving skills. This is actually a continuum between adult and a childinitiated activity.
SELF-CHECK 3.1
Explain what unplanned lessons are.
3.2.2
Playbased classrooms have some common elements such as the organised space
resources and time schedule.
Most play-based programmes have defined play-centres which are specially
designed to promote play. The eight designed features normally found in playcentres are shown in Figure 3.2:
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(b)
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(c)
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Stimulus Shelters
Stimulus shelter (refer to Figure 3.4) is a private space for children to
convene when they are isolated and kept away from the busy life that most
of them experience in a classroom setting. This private place is said to assist
children in finding comfort and security (Evans, 2006).
(d)
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this could be achieved with a single play centre. Wang and Hoot (2006) said
that todays teachers should consider a new kind of balance; a balance
between virtual and physical play objects. Research has found that physical
play objects and computer-based materials provide very distinct challenges
and play opportunities to children. For example, a physical building block
would give children social interaction, collaboration, physical and spatial
experience and electronic block building would give children the
opportunity to experience unique, complex operation in shapes involving
rotating, flipping, enlarging and shrinking shapes.
(e)
(f)
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(g)
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(h)
SELF-CHECK 3.2
What are the features of play-based curriculum?
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3.3
Within the literature of play and curriculum many have tried to relate early
childhood education goals with play. The three models that have been
implemented are discussed in Table 3.1:
Table 3.1: Three Models in Play and Curriculum
Model
Description
Segregation
Model
To not use educational play but only use recreational play during
break time.
Juxtaposition
Model
Integration
Model
There are two different types of play-based curriculum, which are important for
teachers to understand the difference between a play-generated curriculum and
curriculum-generated play curriculum.
In a curriculum-generated play curriculum, the teacher provides opportunities
for play in accordance with curriculum goals. The curriculum and its educational
goals will lead and suitable play activities will follow. For example, a teacher
may equip a classroom with numeracy enriched store centre to reinforce
mathematics concepts taught more formally to children while the same concepts
are formally taught at another time. In this type of model, play centres are
normally set up in the classrooms.
In play-generated curriculum model, play leads and the curriculum follows (Van
Hoorn et. al., 2011). While playing, children can learn academic content from
different subjects such as science by engaging in a series of events that are not set
up rigidly in advance but are, rather, allowed to flow out from their playing and
learning experience. Play-generated curriculum could be risky if the teacher is
held responsible to implement a particular curriculum. There is a stronger
likelihood that a significant part of the curriculum will be achieved in the
curriculum-generated play than in the play-generated curriculum.
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Description
The facilitate-play
approach
ACTIVITY 3.2
What are the different approaches in play and what are their strengths?
Discuss.
Teachers can use pedagogical frame to make an informed decision about the
structure and content of the curriculum.
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Curriculum-generated-play
Play-generated-curriculum
Unplanned lesson
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