Guided play: Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Vygotsky

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Guided play Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Vygotsky

• Elena Bodrova

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Challenges of Comparing Different Approaches to
Play

• Defining play
• Defining the approach
• originalism vs. living theory
• what is/was the original focus of the approach
• what are the teaching strategies used in the
  classrooms implementing a particular approach

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Differences Between Approaches

• The definition of play
• The role of objects
• The role of peers
• The role of adults

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Commonalities Between the Approaches

• Play is viewed as something that
• Comes out of childrens own interests
• Is focused on process and not product
• Involves interaction with others (adults and
  peers)
• Does not depend on extrinsic rewards

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The Most Important Commonality

• child-initiated play when
• combined with playful,
• focused learning leads to
• lifelong benefits in ways
• that didactic drills,
• standardized tests, and
• scripted teachings do not.

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Tools of the Mind

• Comprehensive curriculum (preschool and
  kindergarten)
• Based on Lev Vygotskys Cultural-Historical
  Theory

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Tools of the Mind effects the development of
executive function and the relationship to child
achievement Diamond et. al. Science, Nov 2007
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Vygotskian Approach to Play

• The term play is used to describe make-believe
  (socio-dramatic) play only
• Play is defined by its three major components
• Imaginary situation
• Roles
• Rules
• Play is a leading activity for preschool- and
  kindergarten-aged children

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Lev Vygotsky on Play

• Play also creates the zone of proximal
  development of the child. In play, the child is
  always behaving beyond his age, above his usual
  everyday behavior in play, he is, as it were, a
  head above himself. Play contains in a
  concentrated form, as in the focus of a
  magnifying glass, all developmental tendencies
  it is as if the child tries to jump above his
  usual level.
• (Vygotsky, 1933/1978, p.74)

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• The kind of play referred to by Vygotsky and
  later described by Elkonin as fully developed
  or mature play is the only kind of play that
  positively affects academic skills as well as
  self-regulation

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Role w/ Peers
Role only
Non-play
Minutes
3 yrs
5 yrs
7 yrs
Age
Manuilenko, 1975/1948
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In Mature Make-Believe Play

• Children are regulated by others They play a
  scenario that is agreed upon by all players (not
  necessarily their own idea)
• Children regulate other children They tell
  other children what to do
• Children regulate themselves They stay in the
  role and inhibit impulsive behaviors to stay in
  the play

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Replication of the Manuilenkos study

• Todays preschoolers performed at a lower level
  than 60 years ago
• For many children, taking on a pretend role did
  not improve their performance
• Elkonin play stages correlated with childrens
  ability to follow directions
• Gudareva, 2005

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Purposes of Current Study
(Bodrova et al., 2009)

• Explore the applicability of Elkonins stages of
  play in todays context of American Early
  Childhood classrooms
• Explore the relationship between stages of play
  and standardized measures of self-regulation
• Explore the relationship between stages of play
  and levels of plan written expression

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Participants

• 42 children
• Attend 3 Head Start classrooms
• All classrooms implement Tools of the Mind
• Average age 4 years 7 months

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Measures

• Self-regulationHead, Toes, Knees, and Shoulders
  (Ponitz, McClelland, Jewkes, Connor, Farris,
  Morrison, 2008)
• Level of mature playLevels of Play Rubric (Tools
  of the Mind)
• Level of written language Levels of Drawn and
  Written Expression Checklist (Tools of the Mind).

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Play Planning

• For Vygotsky, make-believe play and drawing are
  direct precursors to writing
• High level of play was expected to correlate with
  high levels of writing

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Stages of Play (Adapted from Elkonin, 1978)

• Stage 1 First Scripts
• Stage 2 Roles in Action
• Stage 3 Roles with Rules Beginning
• Scenarios
• Stage 4 Mature Roles, Planned Scenarios
  Symbolic Props

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PROPELS Tools of the Mind Play Analysis Rubric

• Plans
• ROles
• Props
• Extended Time Frame
• Language
• Scenario

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Results Descriptive
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Results Correlations
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Discussion

• Preschool children in Head Start program display
  various levels of play, but few reach the highest
  level of mature play
• The findings (distribution of play levels and
  the relationship between play levels and
  self-regulation) seem to agree with the findings
  obtained in post-Vygotskian research

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Discussion

• Todays social situation almost guarantees that
  children may not develop mature play unless
  special play scaffolding is provided
• Play scaffolding needs to address childrens
  current level of play

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Ways to Scaffold Make-Believe Play

• Make sure children have sufficient time for play
• Choose appropriate props and toys.
• Provide ideas for themes that extend childrens
  experiences and enrich the play

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Ways to Scaffold Make-Believe Play

• Help children plan their play.
• Monitor the progress of play.
• Coach individuals who need help.

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For more information

• www.toolsofthemind.org