Discuss_Play_in_Relation_to_the_Teaching_and_Learning_of_Problem_Solving,_Reasoning_and_Numeracy_in_the_Early_Years.

Discuss play in relation to the teaching and learning of problem solving, reasoning and numeracy in the Early Years. Children observe and participate in maths within various settings, such as at home, nursery or school, which is carried out during day to day activities. This may vary from estimating the quantity of toothpaste to place on the toothbrush, pouring cereal to telling the time. According to Tucker (2005), children learn about mathematics through play. He further explains how children can repeat, rehearse and refine their skills during play. It is not a formal aspect of teaching as children are free to explore their surrounding environment. Bruce (2005) later explains how play is the foundation of learning as through everyday play, children are learning life skills which help them to develop later on in life. Children are constantly using their imagination and expressing themselves during play. Play in the Early Years is vital as it develops many aspects such as communication skills, social and emotional, literacy etc… This is supported by the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage: “Learning for young children is a rewarding and enjoyable experience in which they explore, investigate, discover, create, practice, rehearse, repeat, revise and consolidate their developing knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes”. QCA (2000:20) Play allows children to put themselves into control, provides opportunity to build relationships with others, increasing their confidence and giving the child a sense of identity. Many practitioners emphasise outdoor play especially within numeracy development, where there is more space for children to take risks, for example, experiencing different types of weather, use various materials etc. It also greatly improves their physical skills as well as other areas of development. Play can influence the process of learning and is seen as an abstract way of learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFS),(DFES: ) provides a framework for the learning and development of children from birth to five years. The EYFS adopts a play based approach and is linked with the Key Stage 1 curriculum. Therefore, lead professional from Key Stage 1 need to be familiar with the learning stages from the EYFS in order to further develop children’s learning. The framework divides itself into 6 key areas of development: Creative development, physical development, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy development and finally, problem solving, reasoning and numeracy development (PSRN). However, Williams (2008) argues how the revised mathematics framework should be reconsidered in order to sustain a more user friendly approach. He further argues how there is limited support for the practitioners within the document implying the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage (DfES 2007) booklet seems to benefit practitioners more as it provides a more detailed account around how to develop children numeracy development. A key theory for mathematical development is by Liebeck (1984) who proposed the ‘ELPS Model’, suggesting there are four stages in which children learn: ‘Experience’, ‘Language’, ‘Pictorial representation’ and ‘Symbolic representation’. Liebeck (1984) explains how children develop abstract thought by exploration of objects such as toys (through play). Later, children will start to recognise words/pictures representing that experience and will associate written symbols with the object. Involvement of adults through play is important for children development within maths. According to Munn and Schaffer (1993), (citied in Pound, 1999:6), young children’s ability to think mathematically heavily depends on their experiences and social interactions with one another, especially with the adult. Children should be able to explore and adults need to ensure children are free to use their imagination, for example, children should be encouraged to make their own games and rules during numeracy sessions as this gives the child a chance to explore and expand on their learning (child initiated activity) with adults support. Practitioners should ensure that children have access to appropriate maths games as this method of teaching through play can stimulate children. This also provides a more fun approach to learning, especially within the use of maths rather than supplying the children with worksheets. In relation to this, Fisher (1996), (citied in Pound 1992:72), suggests how worksheets do not give accurate views of what children can do and achieve and it is only observations and social interactions with the children can give the insight. Adults therefore need to think of effective ways to keep children stimulated especially when teaching maths. This is therefore implemented through the use of games, indoor and outdoor. Play is a good way to support children’s thinking and mathematical development as they are using imagination, exploring and consolidating information. It is also fundamental to encourage discussion during play as this provides improvement and development in language skills, which interlinks with English as discussion develops communication, listening using terminology (Williams 2008). Ball (1990) supports this and further explains how children’s social skills are developed by the communication and working together skills. Sharing experiences through play also leads to a better understanding of topics learnt, (Ball 1990). An analysis of how the implementation of games and Information, Communication Technology (ICT) resources could be used effectively to encourage mathematical mark making. Playing games in the Early Years is vital as it develops many aspects including the six areas of learning from the EYFS (DfES: 2000). It allows children to put themselves into control, provide opportunities for them to build positive relationships with others creasing their confidence and the children a sense of identity. Mark making can be used to describe the children’s early recordings through drawings, writing and painting, whereby children are able to use various materials to record and express their thoughts and feelings. According to an article in Nursery World (2009), children make marks for various reasons across the six areas of learning embedded in the EYFS. Mark making is seen as fundamental for the development of children’s learning, as it not only encourages expression of thoughts and ideas, but it enhances children’s movement, gross and fine motor skills. However, in order for this to take place, children need to be given opportunities to make marks, therefore, adults should provide children with these opportunities. Williams (2008) supports this as he established adults are not supporting children’s mathematical mark making indoors or outdoors to the full extent. For example, in relation to games, the outdoors should be a spacious, free environment where children should be able to explore and be provided with chalk, sand, water, paints, and pebbles to freely make marks. Mark making should go beyond using pencil and paper as children should be encouraged to explore mark making by using paints, using easels, large paint brushes, and paint in the playground, with water etc. From a personal experience, whilst employed at a Sure Start Centre, children were provided with a very large ‘black board’ outdoors. I provided children with water, chalk and various sized paintbrushes to allow them free movement and creativity. Children were also encouraged to draw on the concrete, which they thoroughly enjoyed. After modelling this, I found after a week children were using the equipment freely and discussing what they were ‘drawing’ within the outdoor environment with one another. To further extend this development, during role play I provided children with ribbons where they would freely dance around with the ribbon in their writing hand, making invisible marks to music. Parker (2007) supports this and suggests how children should be encouraged to finger paint and draw shapes in the air to further develop their mark making skills. Athey (1990) states how children use mark making through games to express schemas, (patterns of repeated behaviour, whereby new learning is assimilated). Athey (1990) stresses the importance of self initiated activities in order for schemas to be consistent and clear. Practitioners need to scaffold this new learning and encourage positive behaviour. Also, during these free activities where children are expressing their mathematical thinking and making representations of graphics, they are communicating with each other, thinking and working collaboratively, using language which all develops children’s overall logic. Williams (2008) supports this and further states how children then develop further by rehearsing the vocabulary. Williiams (2008) stresses the importance of children being given the opportunity to think, questions and explore during play to develop mathematical reasoning. The use of ICT plays an important contribution towards children’s mathematical development. Using ICT within the classroom adds an element of interest to the children and should aim to engage and enhance overall teaching and learning. Activities must be directly related to the teaching taking place and learning objectives in order for effective learning. However, the use of ICT such as computers, electronic note pads, interactive white boards, etc can be confusing to children and may not suit individual needs. It is therefore important for the lead professional within the setting to assess children prior to lessons to establish effective ways each child learns. In relation to mark making, it may stop the development of mark making. The EYFS stresses the importance of putting greater emphasis on children’s mathematical mark making as mentioned previously. The guidance further states how practitioners should provide ICT resources to allow children to represent their mathematical thinking. This can be achieved by using paint programs, interactive white boards etc for children to explore and begin to problem solve. Also, by allowing and encouraging the use of ICT, children are building and improving on their learning skills. Children can explore, investigate, consolidate and rehearse their learning and understanding using different media. However, according to Hara (2004) the main criticism of using ICT within the classroom involves the teachers own attitude. For example, some professionals may see using ICT as a device to help and support children’s mathematical development, whereas, others may see it as a waste of space. There have been many theorists supporting and disagreeing with the use of ICT, for example, Blatchford and Whitebread (2003) argue how, professionals who haven’t experienced the use of ICT during their own learning experiences may have a negative attitude and may also lack in up to date knowledge and training. Twinning (2002) supports this notion and further states how trainee teachers cannot qualify unless obtaining a pass on their ICT skills test. Knowledge must be secure in order for effective learning to take place. Records of children’s mathematical mark making are crucial to undertake as it supports children further development. Practitioners are able to observe, assess and carry out the appropriate procedures in order to enhance children’s learning. However, a study by Worthington and Carruthers (2003), found how practitioners infrequently keep examples of children informal mark making, Williams (2008) also supports Worthington and Carruthers (2003). This therefore suggests how children’s informal mark making during self initiated play is recognised as less significant in relation to children’s development, compared with teacher initiated directed activity. References Aubrey, C. (1997) Mathematics teaching in the Early Years: An investigation for teachers’ subject knowledge. London: The Falmer Press Athey, C (1990) Extending Though in Young Children: A Parent –Teacher Partnership. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ball, G. (1990) Talking and Learning: Primary Maths For The National Curriculum, Oxford: Basil Blackwell Publishing Bruce, T. (1991) Time to Play in the Early Childhood Education, London: Hodder and Stoughton Bruce, T. (2005) Early Childhood Education – 3rd edition. London: Open University Press DCSF (2003) Primary National Strategy, Department for children, schools and families (DCSF) Available at www.nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk (Accessed on 2/01/2012) DfES (2007) Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage, DfES Available at www.atm.org.uk (Accessed on 2/01/2010) Hara, M. (2004) ICT in the Early Years, London: Continuum Kyriacou, C. (1997) Effective Teaching in Schools. Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition, Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Liebeck, P. (1984) How Children learn Mathematics, London: Penguins Munn, P. And Shaffer, H.R. (1993) Literacy and Numeracy events in social interactive contexts. International Journal of Early Years Education, 1 (3): 61-80 Nursery World (2009) Learning and Development: Movement, mark making and maths. Nursery World, 14/05/2009. Available at www.NurseryWorld-LearningandDevelopmentMovement,markingmakingandmaths.htm (Accessed on 5/12/09) Parker, M. (2007) Developing pencil control and mark making, [online] London: Optimus Professional Publishing Available at: http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/developing-pencil-control-and-mark-making-1724 (Accessed on 7/12/2009) Pound, L. (1999) Supporting Mathematical Development in the Early Years, PLACE Buckingham Press Sirad - Blatchford, J. and Whitebread, D. (2003)Supporting information and communications technology in the Early Years. Bell and Blain LTD: Glasgow Skemp, R. (1989) Structured activities for Primary Mathematics: How to enjoy real mathematics, Volume 1. London: Routledge Tucker, K (2005) Mathematics Through Play in the Early Years, London: Paul Chapman Publishing Twinning, P. (2002) Conceptualising Computer use in Education: Introducing the computer practice framework, CPS. Available at www.newman.ac.uk (Accessed on 3/01/2010) Williams, P. (2008) Independent Review of Mathematics Teaching the Early Years Settings and Primary Schools, DCSF Wothington and Carruthers (2003) Making sense of mathematical graphics: The development of understanding abstract symbolism. European Early Childhood Research Journal, P13(1), 57-79 QCA (2000) Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage Profile, London: QCA