English Learning through Play

Let Students Learn through Play –

Promoting Active and Pleasurable English Learning through Play

in Key Stage 1

Project Team:

Jojo CHAN, Jonathan LEE, Winnie SO Coordinator:

Winnie SO

Advisory Teaching Team, NET Section

Hello!

Introducing…

• The 6 types of Play

• The Playful Classroom

• Teachers’ Roles and Children’s Roles

Project-related Info

• Background

• Research Questions

• Project Objectives

• Project Design

The 4 Stations

• Small World Play

• Atelier

• Book Nook

• The Writing Table

Commitment

Why Play?

In play children develop exploratory as well as explanatory drives: they actively look for patterns, test hypotheses and seek explanations, leading to increased complexity in thinking,

learning and understanding (Gopnik et al, 1999). These cognitive processes are socially and culturally situated and,

through the subject disciplines, can become increasingly refined.

(Wood, E. & Attfield, J., 2005)

Why Play?

Apart from being an ideal mode of activity

fostering children’s physical and psychological development, play facilitates the development of creativity, problem-solving skills and

versatility, and it also helps children express emotions, build confidence and develop social skills. (CDC, 2017)

Project



To explore and develop approaches to developing a learning environment conducive to students’ learning of English through play;



To develop classroom routines that facilitate the adoption of playful approaches to literacy development;



To design, conduct and review English learning activities that promote active and pleasurable English learning through play;



^Toengage participating teachers in developing, using and reviewing strategies for preparing students for, and engaging them in, active and pleasurable learning English through play;



To develop students’ creativity, social and collaboration skills, problem-solving skills, self- confidence, self-respect and respect for others; and



To develop, use and review strategies for using assessment for and as learning in a play-based learning environmentto promote self-directed learning

 How can play-based learning be implemented and promoted in the English language classroom in the Hong Kong?

 What are the conditions that need to be established to facilitate the implementation of play-based learning?

 What curriculum development and pedagogical approaches and learning activities are effective in supporting a culture of learning through play?

 How can teachers be empowered to have a playful mindset and become an agent of change?

 What changes need to be made to existing practices in terms of curriculum design, teaching, learning and assessment?

The project is to be implemented, reviewed, refined and completed within a three-year time frame.

Schools joining in 2020/21 for the first time can choose to implement the project in P1

1. Unoccupied Play

2. Solitary Play

3. Onlooker Play

4. Parallel Play

5. Associative Play

6. Cooperative Play

Click to view a video on the 6 types

of play.

What DOES a Playful CLASSROOM LOOK like?

× a co-constructor of knowledge

× a creator of the environment as a third teacher

× an exchanger of understandings

× a supporter of the competent child

× a documenter and researcher

× a partner with parents

× a listener, provocateur, and negotiator of meaning

Involving Children in the Planning Process

01

Step One

Choose a theme and concepts

02 Step Two

Plan the unit together

03

Step Three

Carry out the plan

Step 1: Choose a theme and concepts based on:



Curriculum requirements (*good

opportunities to develop learning across the curriculum as well*)



Children’s interests / experiences (Provide children with a list of topics to choose from)



Current issues / seasonal or global events



Popular stories / music (*Survey on children’s favourite books and songs*)



Field trips / tour / guest speakers or visitors (e.g. authors, parents who are doctors, vets, firemen…, SPCA…)

Step 2: Plan the unit together and ask Ss:

•

What do we know already?

•

What do we want to find out?

•

Where can we find out more?

•

How are we going to arrange our classroom?

•

What do we have? What do we need?

•

What can we bring?

•

What can we make?

•

Who can help us to learn more?

•

Who can come to visit our class?

•

Who are we going to tell?

•

Step 3: Carry out the plan Teacher:



Facilitate the setting up of the environment



Share learning intentions with the children



Develop an awareness of the strategies they employed



Encourage children to communicate their findings



Observe and intervene when appropriate



Extend thinking through effective questioning



Know when to bring the session to a conclusion



Identify and share with the children the skills being developed

Step 3: Carry out the plan Children:



Help set up the learning environment / activity areas



Choose an activity for the session



Access appropriate resources and know where to get necessary support and help



Create and try out possible solutions to a problem



Express ideas and draw conclusions



Set their own goals and monitor progress



Work individually, in pairs and in groups



Talk about their learning



Tidy up after play



Present their learning to others

04

Step Four

Review and adjust the plan

Involving Children in the Planning Process

05

Step Five

Demonstrate and review learning

Choose theme and concepts

Step 4: Review and adjust the process



The unit planning board should be on display in the classroom and should serve as a working document, frequently reviewed and visited by teachers and children.



Useful prompts to review learning:



What I enjoyed most was…



What I found interesting was…



What I need more help with when learning is…



What really made me think was…



I might have learnt better if…



I would change this activity to…

Step 5: Demonstrate and review learning



Evaluate the extent to which the goals set have been achieved



Include different assessment types in the unit



Children can demonstrate their

learning through drawings, lapbooks, poems, reports, explaining to others, presentations, drama, role-plays, digital photos, videos, audio

recordings…

At this station, students exercise their imagination.

Small World Play allows students the opportunity to:

 play together, self-regulate, exchange ideas and communicate feelings

 create stories around things they are familiar with;

 acquire new experiences and practise speaking and listening; and

 improvise and use language in a meaningful way.

At this station, students create, design and investigate a variety of

materials, tools and techniques. Atelier allows students the opportunity to:

 develop visual, spatial and tactile awareness;

 experience sensory learning

 practise gross motor control and fine motor control;

 conceptually understand how the world works; and

 invent and share new ideas.

At this station, students read for enjoyment in a relaxing and comfortable environment. Book Nook allows students the opportunity to:

 generate new ideas;

 research more on a particular topic;

 make their own choices and decisions;

 develop independence; and

 present their ideas in different ways to show

their learning.

At this station, students get to publish their work.

It provides a good balance of activities that develop fundamental writing skills. The Writing Table

allows students the opportunity to:

 organise their ideas;

 practise their fine motor skills;

 extend their vocabulary; and

 be exposed to creative use of the language.

School Commitments

•

culture of collaboration

•

project coordinator and committed

teaching team sharing values that support playful teaching and learning, committing to PD

•

time for observation to facilitate assessment and planning for progression

•

flexible with teaching schedules and modes of assessment

(allowing more space for experimenting with playful teaching and learning ideas)

•

careful planning, organisation &

management of the environment

•

allocation of an annual budget

•

collaborating with AT

•

appropriate storage and care of resources on loan from EDB

•

providing feedback on project

implementation and evaluation

• supporting

dissemination of good practices

Place your screenshot here

Net scheme e-platform

Fostering Learning Communities

among International Educators

Please read the Project Description

Appendix Cof the EDB Circular Memorandum No.6/2020

School Application Form to be completed by School Head and posted to:

Human Resource Management Unit of EDB 4/F, East Wing,

Central Government Offices,

2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong

Deadline for Application:

9 March 2020

General

Ms Christy NG

(Life-wide Learning Section) Tel: 2892 5824

Project-related Ms Winnie SO

(Native-speaking English Teacher Section)

Email: winniewlso@edb.gov.hk

THANKS!

 Department of Education and Training (2009). Belonging, Being & Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Australia Government.

 Barblett, L. (2010). Why play-based learning? Every Child, 16(3), 4-5.

 Briggs M. & Hansen A. (2012). Play-based Learning in the Primary School. London: Sage.

 Curriculum Development Council (2017). Kindergarten Education Curriculum Guide: Joyful Learning through Play, Balanced Development All the Way. Hong Kong: Education Bureau.

 Edwards, C. (2012). Teacher and learner, partner and guide: The role of the teacher. In: C. Edwards, L.

Gandini, and G. Forman (eds.) The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Experiences in Transformation, 3^rdedn. New York: Praeger, pp. 147-72.

 Levy R. (2008). “Third spaces” are interesting places: Applying “third space theory” to nursery aged children’s constructions of themselves as readers’, Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 8(1):43-66.

 Shipley, D. (2008). Empowering children. Play-based curriculum for lifelong learning.(Fourth edn). USA:

Nelson Education.

 Walsh G., McMillan D. & McGuinness C. (Eds). (2017). Playful Teaching and Learning. London: Sage.