It Is Never "Just Play": Reconceptualizing Teaching Through Play

• In Event: Play in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Play is central to the identity of the early childhood field. Yet, its purpose and use are often questioned because people see teaching and play as different activities. This project is based on a Research Practice Partnership of four urban districts and university faculty in a Midwest state. Reflecting the partners’ concerns about the quality and quantity of play-based instruction, this project examines how teachers enact play-based instruction across different types of play in prekindergarten and kindergarten. Teachers in 16 classrooms participated in ½ day video observations and debrief interviews. Through qualitative data analysis we found that the teachers used different teaching strategies depending on their conceptualization of play-based instruction. The need to re-conceptualize play-based teaching is suggested.

Authors

• Jiyeon Lee, Oregon State University

• Fujiuju Chang, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Graue, University of Wisconsin - Madison