Press Release
The Rainy River District School Board is engaged in a play-based inquiry project that involves targeted groups of kindergarten and Grade 1 students.
The board’s Intentional Teaching in a Play-based Environment Action Research Project was sponsored by the Literacy Numeracy Secretariat to determine the positive effects of intentionally planning and facilitating various play centres within the classroom.
The teacher observes the student group in each centre to help shape and extend learning opportunities.
Play-based instruction and assessment requires planning and instructional expertise. Purposeful play is an essential part of the learning process that motivates children to be creative and develop their ideas, understanding, and language.
In this research project, students are encouraged to make choices, problem-solve, and share their understanding with others as they explore the content associated with the play centres.
The teachers involved in this project have been very enthusiastic about the impact of the changes in their classrooms on student learning.
After analysis of student data and teacher reflections collected to date, three outcomes of the project have been identified as having been particularly positive:
•greater opportunities to observe students’ strengths as independent learners and problem-solvers;
•greater student motivation for learning tasks within the play-based centres; and
•more effective collaboration among team members in building one another’s strengths.
The board’s Intentional Teaching in a Play-based Environment Action Research Project is designed to enhance the opportunity for young students to learn from their peers, to develop social and oral communication, and to strengthen the creative thought processes.
Planning already has begun to build on the enthusiasm and new understandings of project participants to include other kindergarten and Grade 1 teachers and students for next year.
