Playful Learning in Practice (PLIP)

** You can now register for yourself and your partner at once. Please apply using your own email and a place for your partner will automatically be saved. Please communicate directly with your partner to ensure there are not multiple bookings EA will communicate with your partner school to secure the place and to get their details. **

** Failure to attend once registered will result in a deduction in the partnership TPL allocation.

This module is designed to develop teachers’ competence and confidence in their ability to guarantee educational value within their playful approach to teaching and learning, while maintaining a high level of children’s interest, confidence and overall well-being.  A range of topics will be addressed including designing a play-based and integrated learning environment; ensuring progression within play-based activity; the role of the playful teacher in young children’s learning and development and the observation, planning and assessment cycle to ensure effective learning in the early years.

Day 1

Key Focus: Creating a Playful Experience for young children

The aims of day 1 are to encourage participants:

• to reflect on a range of key skills and understandings about how a playful learning pedagogy can be effectively translated into practice;
• to critically debate the role of the environment and their own role as teacher in  facilitating and progressing young children’s learning and development through a playful learning approach; and
• to become more confident in the delivery of play-based approaches both indoors and out.

Agenda:

9.00 – 9.30          

Arrivals and Registration

Instructions for Registration on Moodle and Course Accreditation

9.30am                

Input: Creating a Playful Learning Environment

• Benefits of play-based activity
• Features of good and bad play
• Critiquing playful environments
• Values within a playful learning environment

Discussion – Sharing ideas and planning together an ideal playful learning environment

11.00am               Break – coffee/tea

11:30am              

Input: The Role of the Adult in the Playful Learning Experience

• Key pillars of playful teaching – the role of  the ‘playful learning teacher’
• Examples of playful learning and teaching in practice

Discussion: brainstorm together a range of playful learning and teaching experiences around a topic of interest, a problem or a question

Share ideas and examples of playful learning and teaching in practice

1:00pm                 Break - lunch

1.45pm                

Input: Playful Learning in the Outdoors

• Why outdoor play
• Examples of playful learning in the outdoors
• The role of the adult in outdoor play

Discussion: getting a taste for outdoor play in practice

2.45pm               

Question and Answer session

Information for tomorrow (if necessary)

3.00pm                 Close

Day 2:

Key Focus: Maximising Learning Opportunities in the Playful Experience

The aims of day 2 are to:

• develop teachers’ awareness and understanding of how to infuse learning into the playful activities and how these learning experiences can be progressed in play
• examine approaches to observing, planning and assessing children’s learning in play
• engage in a practical session on playful learning in practice and reflect on the potential learning and progression within
• provide guidance and material for participants with regard to the module interim tasks and presentations for Day 3

Agenda:

2.45pm                 Discussion – Anything else we need to know before we go?

3.00pm                 Close