Walsh, G. (2019) ‘It’s teaching … but not as we know it’: using participatory learning theories to resolve the dilemma of teaching in play-based practice

‘It’s teaching … but not as we know it’: using participatory learning theories to resolve the dilemma of teaching in play-based practice

Journal Article

Abstract

Against a backdrop of ‘play’ as the established notion of best practice in early childhood education, this paper sets out to trouble the discourse by exposing for critique the place of teaching within a play-based curriculum. The paper reports on lessons gleaned from a longitudinal play-based intervention in over 100 primary schools in Northern Ireland. Participatory learning theories (PLTs) [Hedges, H., & Cullen, J. (2012). Participatory learning theories: a framework for early childhood pedagogy. Early Child Development and Care182(7), 921–940] are used as the theoretical lens through which the views and practices of teachers have been mapped. The findings highlight how participatory models of learning can illuminate differences between early years practitioners, with many teachers tending to adopt either an overly passive or directed stance in the play experience. In light of the collated evidence, the authors propose an innovative pedagogical framework of what teaching might look like in play-based practice.

Output Information

Glenda Walsh, Carol McGuinness & Liz Sproule (2017) ‘It’s teaching … but not as we know it’: using participatory learning theories to resolve the dilemma of teaching in play-based practice, Early Child Development and Care, 189:7, 1162-1173, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2017.1369977

Published Output URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2017.1369977

Received: 01/08/2017 Accepted: 17/08/2017 Published: 05/09/2017