There Is Evidence To Suggest That Through Play Children Develop High Levels

There is evidence to suggest that through play children develop high levels of verbal skill and creative problem solving capabilities. Practitioners need to be resourceful and have a tightly organised environment if they are to integrate play into the curriculum and the child becomes a powerful player in constructing their own learning (Malaguzzi, 1993). In order that the process is meaningful the teacher needs to understand how and what the child thinks and knows, and to be able to engage with this (Wood, 2004). Vygotsky (1933) argued that what children learn and how they learn it is driven by the social experiences and social interactions that they encounter and the development of their thinking occurs as a result of the interaction between themselves, their environment, and more experienced others. Thus, learning is a collaborative process, practitioners need to be aware however of the power relationships that exist in educational settings. Children have no control over the world they enter, of the pre-existing cultural practices or of the power of the expectations of others, particularly their parents and teachers (MacNaughton, 2004). Training for those who intend to work in the early years sector should not neglect the issue of power or the contexts in which it operates. Practitioners need to be reflexive in their practice and a critical element of their training and resulting good practice is missed if they are not aware of these power differentials.
Good Practice
Many educationalists regard the early practitioner as an influential role model for a child. There are a number of teaching or pedagogical practices that are recommended by the CGFS outlining what the practioner should do in each area of learning (Siraj-Blatchford, 2001). The biggest group of these recommendations relates to what is called 'practitioner modelling' whereby the practitioner, in demonstrating appropriate behaviour, values and language brings about a positive approach to learning, or positive learning disposition. The practitioner, during training, may be involved in dramatic role play where they need to demonstrate that they do not use language or behaviour that demoralises children and frustrates their learning experience. Within the learning environment the practitioner may also act as a role model and in expressing their own enthusiasm for learning may encourage the learning of the children. The idea behind all this is to increase children's motivation to learn thus improving the learning disposition (Siraj-Blatchford, 2004). In a study entitled Quality in Diversity (Siraj-Blatchford, 2001) the writer witnessed the use of practitioner modelling as an example of good practice in early years education.