Inquiry 2019

Inquiry 2019 - Play based learning and oral language.

In my inquiry this year I will investigate the impact of Walker Play based learning techniques in my
New Entrant classroom.  I am particularly interested in the relationship between play opportunities
to develop oral language and the impact of this on learners writing.

I have joined the teaching team in this classroom at the beginning of term 3 and therefore have the
opportunity to build on the work begun earlier in the year, namely small world play and role play. These play opportunities invite the learners to build on their literacy and numeracy skills in real world
imaginative settings.

In term three the school wide inquiry topic - Something in the water - has been referenced in our play
space within a number of play centres.  Underwater area - with aquariums - images of selves as divers,
dive masks, dress-up, plastic sea animals. Veterinary clinic where the learners can act out a number of
roles such as Vet, customer, nurse, receptionist.

Beyond this each Friday PBL is given precedence in the day - and along with the play centres which are
up all week, a number of new stations are created which allow the children to revisit learning's from the
week. The classroom play station is enriched with worksheets, materials from the weeks learning and
inquiry focus. The week’s art activities are revisited with more freedom for the learners to expand and
freely create artworks. Maths activities which have been the focus of learning - put out and learners
given opportunities to freely interact with materials. 

In walker learning approaches the role of the teacher is to be actively observing the children during the
playing time. I will use observations during play to identify individual students preferences, challenges,
successes, and social interactions. Also in the Walker approach children are assigned roles of reporter
and photographer with opportunities to present their findings to the class.  

I have scaffolded this for our class by recording evidence of learning through photos and video.

Then the children are asked to report back to classmates on their play using this media as support.

The aim of this practise is to elevate the learning during play by gifting language and allow the learners
to ‘story’ their own play.

As the children become more  familiar with the process I will record their presentations and create a
book which includes their photo and a written record of their oral presentations to the class.

At the moment my focus is on “catching the children” in play which provides them with opportunities to
build stories and developing a set of classroom norms around presenting and listening.