Play and Literacy

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Play and Literacy
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Characteristics of Play

• Positive Affect
• Nonliterality
• Means-over-ends
• Self-initiated

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Factors Contributing to the Definition

• Play is a unique part of human behavior.
• Regard play as an attitude or an orientation,
  rather than a particular action.
• An adult can not define play for the child.
• Identify play by using play as an adverb.
• Example Look how playfully he ________

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BENEFITS OF PLAY

• Low Risk
• Children are in control
• Ownership

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Play Styles

• Dramatist Style
• Paternist Style

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Materials

• Toys Should Be
• Attractive
• Stimulating
• Symbolic
• Complex

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About Play Materials

• Theme-related
• Dramatic Play--housekeeping props, dress-up
  clothes, dolls, vehicles, unit-blocks, and large
  hollow blocks
• Constructive Play --all types of blocks,
• paints, crayons, scissors
• Functional Play-- play dough,
• clay, and water

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Conditions of LearningCambourne

• Immersion
• Demonstration
• Expectation Lead to
• Approximation Engagement
• Response
• Responsibility
• Usability

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Adult Role

• Provide Time
• Provide Opportunity
• Provide Materials

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Displaying Play Things

• Label
• Display Collections, Similar
• Prop Boxes
• Opens shelves, boxes

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Principles of Physical Environment
1. Definition -- Play space has to be clearly
designated for children to see. Spaces should
be distinct clearly labeled. Space for large,
small group individual play should be
provided. 2. Adaptability Familiarity -- Design
play settings around familiar context -real
life. Include real objects. 3. Aggregation
-- Intentionally select arrange settings
objects to suggest a basic concept or theme.
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Play Gender

• Materials
• Gender Role

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Gender Play

• GIRLS
• Rule Learning
• Imitation
• Task Persistence
• Bids for Recognition
• Compliance
• Remain close to adult
• Help-Seeking Behaviors

• BOYS
• Force into problem-solving situations
• Exploration
• Restructuring of prior learning

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Play Provides

• Creativity
• Self-consciousness
• Hypothetical thinking
• Play holds monumental developmental significance.

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Play Helps Children to

• Acquire basic human capacities to think
  symbolically.
• Reason about what is possible.
• Examine social behavior.
• Think symbolically
• Make meaning of world people

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Play Vygotsky

• Play is the childs zone of proximal
  development.
• Play creates the conditions for children to be
  imaginative develop social competencies.

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Children Can

• Stabilize enrich their emotional lives.
• Engage in activities not readily available in
  their daily lives.

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Three Environments
COGNITIVE
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
PHYSICAL
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Physical Environment
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Learning Centers

• Art
• Music
• Library/Literacy
• Math/Science
• Reflective
• Games/Toys
• Blocks/Constructive
• Sand/Water
• Parents
• Socio Dramatic

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Teachers Values

• Democratic
• Creative
• Innovative
• Current Research

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Consider Childs Perspective

• ADA Compliant
• Noise level
• Crowded
• Neatness
• Temperature
• Lighting
• Public space
• Private space
• Choices

• Vertical environment
• Horizontal environment
• Texture dimension
• Mobility dimension
• Safety
• Space allowed for varied grouping
• Seclusion
• Complexity

Adapted from Kostelnik et al., 1993
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Interaction Dimensions

• Teacher with Children
• Children with Children
• Children with Materials
• Children with Other Adults

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Classroom Displays

• Community values
• Teacher philosophy
• Regard for children

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Literacy Props

• Accessible
• Varied
• Teacher modeling
• Move from center to center

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Living Things Literacy

• Fish
• Turtles
• Plants
• Outdoor Classroom

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How Will Information Be Represented?

• Rubbings
• Numbers
• Measuring
• Photographs
• Items to bring back artifacts
• Graphic organizers
• Bar graphs
• Comic strip characters/bubble speakers
• Two three dimensional objects
• Diagrams

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How Will Information Be Represented?

• Maps plans
• Cross section sequence charts
• Timelines
• Logs
• Matrices
• Games
• Music dance
• Stories plays

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Representing Knowledge

• Writing
• Oral Discussion
• Drawing
• Dramatic Play
• Construction

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Cognitive Environment
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Nurture Life-Long Learning

• Flexibility
• Range of materials
• Differentiated instruction
• Choice

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Learning Performance

• Academic short term curriculum objectives
• Intellectual long term thinking/comprehension

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Intellectual Learning

• Developmentally appropriate
• Allow student autonomy
• Promote creativity
• Insure student choice

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Divergent Centers

• Range of ability, needs interests
• Flexible time grouping
• Goals, identified, but not specific objectives
• Conference with children
• Portfolio assessment

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Themes Connect Learning

• Developmentally appropriate
• Relevant/authentic
• Integrate curriculum

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Prepared Environment

• Observe
• Record
• Re-evaluate
• Modify

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Literacy Props

• Books, magazines, comic books
• Reference materials, maps, globes,
• Designs, signage
• Writing utensils
• Paper- lined, unlined, graph
• Computer
• Pictures

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Literacy Events

• Children reading/writing for meaning
• Children seeking information

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Adults Nurture Literacy

• Print-rich environment
• Encourage literacy usage- time, access materials

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Social/Emotional Environment
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Childrens Self-Concepts

• Trust
• Autonomy
• Initiative
• Industry

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About Flow

• Feel it?
• See it?
• Hear it?

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Reinforcement

• From Teacher
• From Children
• From Other Adults
• From Physical Environment

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Centers Size

• For Individuals
• For Small Groups
• For the Whole Class

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Literacy Play

• Informal/Spontaneous
• Formal/Guided

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How to Begin

• Explore your own biases about play.
• Explore your understanding of play.
• Check the design of the physical environment
• Review the management/discipline policy
• Evaluate literacy materials

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Play and Literacy