Description:
Play is an important part of childhood that is essential to a child’s development. It is the aim of this chapter to explore the way play is approached and viewed for children with dis/ability. Frequently play is used either to measure and compare play skill and ability or play is used for the basis of an assessment for diagnosis. This chapter explores some of the research that has a focus on skill acquisition and deconstructs this research from a disability studies perspective.
Description:
Play is an inherent part of childhood, often cast as an innate behaviour of children. Over the years, play has been scrutinised by theorists, researchers and educators alike in their attempts to understand how children engage in play, the role of play in development and how to identify, define and measure play. For children with impairments, play is frequently subjected to surveillance and compared to that of children whose development is considered typical. This thesis interrogates the play-based learning experiences of five children who attended a special educational school in rural Victoria, Australia. It examines the experiences that these children had in play and how teacher actions and responses enabled and supported their engagement in play-based learning. The theoretical framework for this study draws on critical ethnography underpinned by disability studies. Disability studies recognises the social model of disability, in which disability is a social construction. Using this model, impairment is distinct and separate from disability. In this study, socially constructed barriers that confront children in their play are identified as being created by attitudes, structures and environments (Bishop et al., 1999). These barriers are overlaid by the psycho-emotional dimensions of disability (C. Thomas, 1999) in an effort to represent the experiences of children as shaped by the actions and responses of others. This thesis introduces a new analytic tool in the learning portal framework. The learning portal framework aims to provide a platform through which teacher actions and responses can be analysed to understand how children are enabled to access play-based learning. The findings of this study indicate that children with impairments play in complex and nuanced ways. They show purpose in their play, are able to self-initiate, and independently investigate play-based learning experiences. Adult actions and responses often enable children with impairments to engage in play by offering opportunities and pathways for exploration. Indirect adult facilitation in play supports children’s ability to act in play with individuality and determination.
Description:
Play is an inherent part of childhood, often cast as an innate behaviour of children. Over the years, play has been scrutinised by theorists, researchers and educators alike in their attempts to understand how children engage in play, the role of play in development and how to identify, define and measure play. For children with impairments, play is frequently subjected to surveillance and compared to that of children whose development is considered typical. This thesis interrogates the play-based learning experiences of five children who attended a special educational school in rural Victoria, Australia. It examines the experiences that these children had in play and how teacher actions and responses enabled and supported their engagement in play-based learning. The theoretical framework for this study draws on critical ethnography underpinned by disability studies. Disability studies recognises the social model of disability, in which disability is a social construction. Using this model, impairment is distinct and separate from disability. In this study, socially constructed barriers that confront children in their play are identified as being created by attitudes, structures and environments (Bishop et al., 1999). These barriers are overlaid by the psycho-emotional dimensions of disability (C. Thomas, 1999) in an effort to represent the experiences of children as shaped by the actions and responses of others. This thesis introduces a new analytic tool in the learning portal framework. The learning portal framework aims to provide a platform through which teacher actions and responses can be analysed to understand how children are enabled to access play-based learning. The findings of this study indicate that children with impairments play in complex and nuanced ways. They show purpose in their play, are able to self-initiate, and independently investigate play-based learning experiences. Adult actions and responses often enable children with impairments to engage in play by offering opportunities and pathways for exploration. Indirect adult facilitation in play supports children’s ability to act in play with individuality and determination.
Description:
This paper examines play as a fundamental children’s activity, giving particular attention to the inclusion of children with impairments at play and children’s shared constructions of their playworlds. Children with impairments are customarily portrayed as incompetent, unskilled or deficient in their play, thus being positioned on the margins (or, as ‘who’s out’?) of mainstream discourses. On the other hand, non-impaired children are usually regarded as competent players, who play in ‘normal’ ways (as ‘who’s in’?). Little attention is afforded to noticing skilful or proficient play by children with impairments and including their perspectives in play research. The Social Model of Childhood Disability offers a perspective for considering ‘disabled childhoods’ and framing enquiry into the culturally-constructed playworlds of children with impairments. Evidence from two ethnographic studies that examine children with impairments at play is discussed, employing vignettes that utilise data from researcher and teacher observation notes. The authors document specific play interactions related to individual experiences and interests and explore how children work together and alone to create meaningful play interactions. The notion that play for children is a mutual, shared and inclusive cultural experience is supported in this paper.
Description:
This paper examines play as a fundamental children’s activity, giving particular attention to the inclusion of children with impairments at play and children’s shared constructions of their playworlds. Children with impairments are customarily portrayed as incompetent, unskilled or deficient in their play, thus being positioned on the margins (or, as ‘who’s out’?) of mainstream discourses. On the other hand, non-impaired children are usually regarded as competent players, who play in ‘normal’ ways (as ‘who’s in’?). Little attention is afforded to noticing skilful or proficient play by children with impairments and including their perspectives in play research. The Social Model of Childhood Disability offers a perspective for considering ‘disabled childhoods’ and framing enquiry into the culturally-constructed playworlds of children with impairments. Evidence from two ethnographic studies that examine children with impairments at play is discussed, employing vignettes that utilise data from researcher and teacher observation notes. The authors document specific play interactions related to individual experiences and interests and explore how children work together and alone to create meaningful play interactions. The notion that play for children is a mutual, shared and inclusive cultural experience is supported in this paper.
Description:
The aim of this chapter is to explore the way in which play is used in a range of educational settings. It compares and contrasts play principles as adopted in early childhood settings, regular primary schools and special educational settings. Focusing on play for children with impairment, play in special educational settings is deconstructed using a disability studies lens and a way forward recommended through combining disability studies with childhood studies. Investigating the focus on assessment of and in play development, the embedded culture of approaching play for children with impairments is challenged. Reframing how children are perceived to engage in play can reimagine how play can be incorporated into special educational settings. Inclusive Education : Making Sense of Everyday Practice, BRILL, 2017.
Description:
The aim of this chapter is to explore the way in which play is used in a range of educational settings. It compares and contrasts play principles as adopted in early childhood settings, regular primary schools and special educational settings. Focusing on play for children with impairment, play in special educational settings is deconstructed using a disability studies lens and a way forward recommended through combining disability studies with childhood studies. Investigating the focus on assessment of and in play development, the embedded culture of approaching play for children with impairments is challenged. Reframing how children are perceived to engage in play can reimagine how play can be incorporated into special educational settings. Inclusive Education : Making Sense of Everyday Practice, BRILL, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ballarat/detail.action?docID=4803299.