Qualification: Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
Unit: Unit 3.3: Apply theoretical perspectives and philosophical approaches to play
Learning outcome: 1 Understand theoretical perspectives which support play
Assessment criteria: 1.1 Identify theories which influence play
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- Piaget
- Young children learn best when given the opportunity to explore a stimulating environment
- 4 stages of cognitive development
- Sensorimotor (birth to 2 years) – experience immediate environment, begin to understand object permenance (an object is still there when not looking at it)
- Preoperational (2 to 7 years) – egocentricism, children will play next to one another rather than together, think symbolically
- Concrete operational (7 to 11 years) – begin to be able see different points of view, better understanding of conservation and logic
- Formal operational (12+) – can understand abstract and hypothetical ideas,
- Vygotsky
- Child-initiated play is important but children will eventually hit a ceiling where they can learn no more
- At this point, social interaction and support is needed for a children to continue to develop – this is the Zoneof Proximal Development
- Froebel
- Emphasis on child-led play/free play
- Adults provide ‘gifts’ and ‘occupations’ for the child to explore to assist with their development
- Holistic approach to development (e.g. physical, social, emotional, academic etc.)
- Winnicott – transitional objects (such as teddy bears or blankets etc.) can provide a child with comfort and be used in symbolic play
- Athey
- Children develop patterns in their play, called schema
- E.g. children with a trajectory schema are interested in movement and may run around a lot or throw/drop things
- E.g. children with rotation schema are in terested in things that spin or roll, such as wheels or balls
- Bandura’s social learning theory – children learn by observing and copying others
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