The relationship between support for children’s engagement in learning and school readiness for four to five-year-olds in South Africa.

• In Event: Pedagogical practices for engaging student in their learning: latest research findings from the PLAY measurement tool

Proposal

This study looks at the relationship between classroom observation data and learner outcome data to understand where significant associations exist between classroom practices that support children’s engagement and learner outcomes related to school readiness. The Lego Playful Learning Across the Years (PLAY) classroom observation tool for three-to-five-year-olds measures support for children’s self-sustained engagement across four constructs: agency, exploration, personal and social connection, and a positive emotional climate. Classroom observation data was collected at 150 classrooms in impoverished communities in KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa. Learner outcome data was collected using the Early Learning Outcome Measure (ELOM), a standardized developmental assessment for four to five-year-olds. The ELOM tool assesses children aged four to five years across five domains of development: emergent numeracy and mathematics, emergent literacy and language, gross motor development, fine motor development, and cognitive and executive functions. Learner outcome data was collected on a cohort of 1200 children at the beginning and the end of 2024. This study examines the relationship between the constructs in the PLAY lesson observation tool and the developmental domains measured by ELOM, investigating the predictive value of the PLAY tool for learner outcomes. The findings aim to inform program improvements, particularly in enhancing practitioner training in play-based pedagogy. Enhancements in training on play-based pedagogy will prioritize equipping practitioners with strategies to create opportunities that foster deeper engagement in children's learning. Additionally, the training will aim to develop an understanding of practitioner-child interactions that promote and sustain children's engagement in educational activities.

Authors

• Rachel Clare Neville, JET Education Services

• Roelien Herholdt, JET Education Services