Play & Social Development
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY:
Utilizing Play & Choice to Enhance Learning in Elementary Classrooms.
Play & Social Development - What will we cover?
Rendon and Gronlund (2017) discuss that while SEL learning is essential at all levels, it is particularly important in early childhood.
This module focuses on using play to support social emotional development, specifically considering the following:
*note: Washington is one of 6 states in the U.S. with K-12 SEL standards! View them here! �(Rendon & Gronlund, 2017)
“Play is nature’s way of teaching children how to solve their own problems, control their impulses, modulate their emotions, see from others’ perspectives, negotiate differences, and get along with others as equals. There is no substitute for play as a means of learning these skills.”
�Peter Gray (2013) �as quoted by Mraz, Porcelli, & Tyler (2016) pg 72-73)
Self Regulation
Self Regulation Development through Play:
Inherently, there is a relationship between roles children play and the rules they must follow to maintain these roles.
Shared Regulation
Individual Self Regulation
The General Law of Cultural Development: �Vygotsky’s theory about play and self-regulation.
(Vygotsky, as quoted by Bodrova, 2008, page 361)
Summarized: sharing experiences and behaviors with others leads to internalized behaviors.
(Bodrova, 2008)
Self- Awareness
One element of self-regulation is the ability to demonstrate accurate self-perception and self-efficacy (or confidence). Children can develop both through play situations.
Rendon & GronLund (2017) Pg 143
Based off Massachusetts Standards for Preschool and Kindergarten: SEL Standards
More ways to support Self-Awareness in the classroom
Rendon & GronLund (2017) Pg 144
The bottom row encourages you to think about your own classroom.
Cooperation and Collaboration
“Two of the most important social skills that children learn through game play are socially acceptable forms of cooperation and competition” - Elkind (2007) pg 158
Elkind (2007)
“Power of Play” Case Study
Investigators brought together two groups of eleven-year-old boys with similar backgrounds. All of the boys were complete strangers. The two groups attended different summer camps.
Cooperation:
Each group of boys was presented with problems they had to resolve by working together. �Example: They were given materials for dinner, but boys had dto decided how to prepare and serve.
After one week, the groups were cohesive, named themselves, chose leaders.
Group Names: Rattlers and Eagles
Competition: �After 1 week, each group was told about the other. The groups wanted to compete, so were provided with a set of competitive games with prizes.
The competition got out of hand, with groups retaliating after losses. �Investigators tried to resolve with social events (movies, meals together) but battles continued. �(name calling, food fights)
Cooperation:
Investigators tried utilizing the cooperation technique from the first week:
The food truck delivering food to the camp got stuck in the mud, the boys had to work together to get it out.
After several other arranged situations, the groups began to demonstrate friendliness and camaraderie, rather than hostility and antagonism toward each other.
Elkind (2007)
Cooperation and Collaboration�Playing Together means Working and Thinking Together
Students must be able to communicate with other people in effective ways to demonstrate college and career readiness. Collaboration also enhances student learning.
Collaboration also leads to self-regulation:
Collaboration encourages language development:
Mraz, Porcelli, Tyler (2016)
Mraz, Porcelli, Tyler (2016) Pg 76-77
Play and Developing Empathy
Understanding feelings is important, but social experiences are what develops perspective-taking in children.
Example: When playing tag one child may begin to cry. The other child learns that while his tagging is “fun” for him, it may be scary, disappointing, or hurtful to the other child. He must learn to recognize other perspectives and emotions.
Imaginative play allows children a chance to practice empathy, role play, and perspective taking.
Mraz, Porcelli, Tyler (2016)
Identifying & Understanding Emotions
Children often come to school lacking skills to get along with others, manage strong emotions, and problem solving skills.
Play situations can help teach children to recognize and understand their emotions.
Rendon & GronLund (2017) Pg 142
Purposeful Play - Teaching Suggestions
Mraz, Porcelli, Tyler (2016) Pg 56,58
Utilizing workshop structure or coaching during play, these teaching sessions or visual aids can help teach empathy and perspective taking.
Mraz, Porcelli, Tyler (2016) Pg 60-61
You’ve been presented with information and strategies for teaching and supporting social skills in your classroom.
Using this Google Document, describe how you might modify an existing lesson plan (of any subject) or incorporate play into your schedule to teach or support social skills.
Bodrova, E. (2008). Make-believe play versus academic skills: a Vygotskian approach to today’s dilemma of early childhood education. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 16(3), 357–369. Retrieved from: https://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=4fa652a2-19da-454d-a104-8a8ccfde1e17%40sessionmgr103
Elkind, D. (2007) The Power of Play, Learning What Comes Naturally. Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press.
Mraz, K., Porcelli, A., Tyler, C. (2016). Purposeful Play: A Teacher’s Guide to Igniting Deep & Joyful Learning Across the Day. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Rendon, T., Gronlund, G. (2017) Saving Play, Addressing Standards through Play-Based Learning in Preschool and Kindergarten. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
Resources: