PRESENTATION AT 29th ISPA COLLOQUIUM MEETING INDIVIDUAL

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PRESENTATION AT 29th ISPA COLLOQUIUM(MEETING
INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY NEEDS)

• 24 - 28 JULY 2007
• Tampere Finland

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TitleMEDIATED PLAY EXPERIENCEDr
Zahirun Nessa Sayeed
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CHILDS PLAY(Sayeed and Guerin, 1997, p.46)

• A childs play is elicited in response to a
  person/object in a context where he/she feels
  secure. Over time the child expends physical and
  mental energy for pleasure through the
  application of skills such as improvisation and
  creativity.

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CHILDS PLAY(Sayeed and Guerin, 1997, p.46)

• As a state, play assumes absorption,
  concentration and an escape to a world that the
  child creates for him or herself individually or
  as part of a group.

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Vygotsky

• Vygotskian psychology explores the nature of
  development, learning, language, thought, concept
  formation and childrens play. His theory offers
  scope to interpret play in terms of thinking and
  learning.

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Vygotsky

• Vygotsky emphasised that learning is led by
  development and can be enhanced though social
  interaction.
• Vygotsky did not view the childs cognitive
  development in isolation but gave consideration
  to his / her social, cultural and historical
  background.

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Child Play

• In the case of young children, play is a
  natural and universal medium for thinking,
  learning and developing.
• The context for play (including opportunities
  for adult interaction) can either help or hinder
  the capacity of the child to learn through play.

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internalisation

• Vygotsky emphasised that a childs higher
  level learning could be achieved through an
  interaction with a more experienced peer or adult
  thorough the process of internalisation.

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internalisation

• The process of internalisation is
• gradual, and
• occurs at two levels
• Social
• Psychological

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Social Level

• The shift in the childs learning as a
• result of help from an adult.

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Psychological Level

• The child takes more initiative with adult
  guidance until gradually he/ she becomes more
  independent in regulating the learning process
  for him/herself and controlling what and how
  he/she learns.

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An example playing with a puzzle

• Parents or adult may break the activity into
  steps and draw the childs attention to specific
  features, e.g. colours, shapes etc
• Adult may gradually withdraw support,
  encourage the child to complete the puzzle
  independently and move from regulation by others
  to self-regulation.

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Psychological tool

• Central to the interaction between the child
  and adult is the use of language, described by
  Vygotsky as an essential psychological tool.

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Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

• the difference between a childs
• actual developmental level as determined by
  independent problem-solving and the higher level
  of potential development as determined through
  problem-solving under adult guidance or in
  collaboration with more capable peers.
• Vygotsky 1978, pg 86 original in italics

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My Example
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In summary

• Vygotsky maintained that
• Everyone functions at less than their full
  capacity.
• It is possible to estimate potential for
  learning.
• Important cognitive acquisition occurs in the
  context of social interaction.

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Feuersteins theories

• With colleagues, Feuerstein developed theories
  based on Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development
  (ZPD).
• individuals have the capacity to change their
  cognitive functions
• through adapting the processes of perception,
  thinking, learning and problem-solving

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Feuersteins Theory

• His theories have significant implications for
  understanding individual differences and special
  educational needs as they highlight the
  importance of learning potential over
  performance.

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Feuerstein believes

• that a persons thinking and learning can change
  irrespective of
• age,
• cause
• severity of difficulty.

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Feuersteins Theory

• Feuersteins approaches are based on his theories
  of
• Structural Cognitive Modifiability (SCM)
• Mediated Learning Experience (MLE).

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Structural Cognitive Modifiability (SCM)

• Permanence cognitive changes are durable and
  can last over time.
• Pervasiveness when change takes place in one
  part of a persons cognition it affects the
  whole.
• Centrality changes in a persons cognition are
  continuous and self-regulating.

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Mediated Learning Experience Theory (MLE)

• SCM needs to be understood in the context of
  Mediated Learning Experience Theory.
• MLE is the process by which the an adult (parent,
  teacher etc) or more able peer and child interact
  in relation to an activity.

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Key pointsto understand MLE

• The amount, quality, intensity, frequency and
  duration
• Approach to tasks, attitude, motivation and
  emotional state
• inadequate access to mediated learning

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Key pointsto understand MLE

• poverty, learning difficulties, parental
  education and emotional needs can be offset by
  MLE.
• Feuersteins Syndrome of Cultural deprivation

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Mechanisms for MLE

• Process questioning.
• Bridging
• Teaching about rules.
• Challenging and requiring justification.
• Emphasising order, predictability, systems,
  sequence and strategies.

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Criteria for Mediated Learning

• Intentionality and Reciprocity
• Mediation of Meaning
• Mediation of Transcendence
• Mediation of Feeling of Competence
• Mediation of Shared Participation
• Mediation for the Control of Behaviour

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Mediated Play Experience

• Feuersteins Mediated Learning Experience
  principles can be effectively applied to most
  play situations where adults are interacting and
  assessing children with a view towards
  intervention.

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Participatory Play

• In Participatory Play the adults direct
  contact with the child enables a mediated
  learning experience (MLE) to take place.

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Mediated Play Experience (MPE)

• Applying the principles, mechanisms and criteria
  of MLE in the Participatory Play situation the
  adult should aim to bridge the gap between
  assessing the child's ability to play and helping
  the to enhance the ability further.
• This process can be called a Mediated Play
  Experience (MPE).

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Tasks 1 2

• An example of Group Mediated Play Experience
• An example of Individual Mediated Play Experience
• Analyse these examples using principles,
  mechanisms and criteria of MLE

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Differentiate between a Non-MPE and MPE

• Non-MPE
• Lets play x
• Do you know that
• Did you play X before?
• What are you doing ?

• MPE
• How are we going to play ?
• How did you know.?
• Do you remember when you played X
• Why do think you need to do X ?

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Differentiate between a Non-MPE and MPE

• 5. Well done
• 6. You have done
• X quickly
• 7. What are you going to do ?

• 5 Well done for doing X
• 6. You have done X well by taking your time
• 7. What are we going to do together ?

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The role of a mediator

• The difference between a Mediated and
  Non-Mediated Play Experience is based on the
  mediators
• intention,
• expectation,
• approach and
• language,
• all of which are fundamental to the
  development of the childs thinking processes.

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The end

• Thank you for your
• Presence,
• Attention, and
• Participation