'Structured play'

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Hi,

Just wondered how others interpret the phrase 'structured play'?

Thanks,

Green Hippo x

[Guest]

I guess for us it's those activities that need to be done 'a certain way'...is very adult led - like cookery, board games...struggles to think of more!

 

I guess group time is another time - but other than that it's not really a term used here much!

 

tootled of for a google (doubted self!) and found this

 

<Goes off to reflect on day to see if we are more structured than I first think!>

[Guest]

....Its where activities are sometimes specifically designed to see/observe certain attributes of a child's learning disposition or their response to i/ or to meet learning outcomest, usually involves adult scaffolding, intervention, participation. Social constructivists prefer this approach because they value the construction of knowledge and meaning through interaction/ socialisation..

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Just what I thought...Interesting... I have read it a couple times recently in sentences such as "children are involved in teacher-led activities supported by structured child-chosen play" which are from what you are saying essentially the same thing - as both a teacher-led. Basically a structured play activity is a teacher-initiated play activity? So, when reading these I was thinking that maybe the interpretation here is on the 'structure' of the equipment/provision e.g. clearly layed out, not just a pile of toys but where we have them in areas of provision or do you think that these articles are suggesting that free-choice of provision is not appropriate/best practise?

Green Hippo x

[Guest]

Some theorists (Vygotskian) are keen on structured play because of what is learned through socialisation (you know that whole argument that some argue whether ' thought can exist without language and vice versa') others think you dont need the 'interference' from the adults around you to learn.

This is a very interesting debate and depends on whether you are swayed by Piagetian or Vygotskian thinking....a bit of everything I say! ..

[Guest]

I agree and think there needs to be a balance...too much 'free' play may lead to stagnation...they have limited opportunities to experience new things without adult led experiences (though that's not to say the adult must have control constantly)

Too much structure and it may lead to an inability to think for ones self, be imaginative, problem solve, entertain themselves in times of boredom etc and In Itself could be limited by the adults interest, knowledge, experience and style

 

I find (though admittedly have very little experience of) the Montessori style of learning structured

 

I think there is great value to having a 'structured environment' as opposed to 'organised chaos' (that seems to strike us by about 10.30!) as long as there is flexibility for meeting the children's needs and ideas and the adults can recognise the value in what ty are seeing so it doesn't become a free for all

 

For what it's worth I'm a girl who weighs heavily in the 'child led' with a pinch of appropriate adult support as needed to sustain, challenge etc sprinkled with some structured group work for things like numeracy/literacy...all smothered in fun!

 

I have purplewednesday to thank for starting me with cookery like descriptions...needs some work though - cooking ain't my strength!

[AnonyMouse_4562]

I agree - a good balance is what is needed and indeed what has been proven through the research! These articles mentioned NOTHING about the element of free-play being important or part of the sessions.

I remember a few years ago my old head-teacher would talk about 'structured-play' as almost a way of justifying the continuous provision as he really had no understanding of how or why CI works! It fill me with dread at having to actually try to explain it! I often have people ask me about it and I think "people write whole books on this - how the hell am I going to explain it to you in a couple of sentences!" I almost find it easier to explain the down-sides of a too structured approach?

Green Hippo x