Practitioners will no doubt be aware of the many publications filled with activity ideas around 'themes' or 'topics', such as 'Holidays', 'Minibeasts' or 'Under the Sea'. The activities usually involve much adult preparation and end with a display. But do practitioners sometimes overlook the interests of the children when selecting the topic for the week?
In a setting using the High/Scope approach, the emphasis is on following the interest of the child because of children's powerful impetus to explore and understand their environment.
Motivation comes from within and can lead to active learning experiences that are meaningful for the child, as illustrated in the following observation of three- and four-year-olds children engaged in role play.
Colleen, Martin and Douglas work at lining up hollow blocks from the block area until they have made a satisfactory 'waiting bench' for their hairdresser's. Chelsea provides direction - 'Yeah, that's good... Make 'em all go in one line.'
Carrie collects a chair and basket with dull scissors and clippers from the house area, and a scarf from the music and movement area. She arranges them in the toy area near the 'bench'.
Colleen places the large floor mirror in front of the chair. Chelsea gets the telephone from the house area and a clipboard, paper and pencil from the reading and writing area. Surveying the scene, she announces, 'We will be ready to cut hair at nine five two.' Douglas adds some magazines and books to the waiting bench and sits down.
Carrie and Colleen are negotiating about who gets to cut hair first.
'I should be the haircutter 'cause I got the clippers,' says Carrie.
'Well, I got the mirror,' replies Colleen.
'I already have the clippers, though,' says Carrie.
Finally they agree to take turns, with Carrie going first. Martin sits in the chair, and Carrie tucks the scarf around his neck, saying, 'You want your hair cut, Martin?' Martin nods.
'A little or a lot?' asks Carrie.
'A little,' replies Martin.
Meanwhile, Chelsea tells Douglas he can be next and makes a mark on her clipboard. 'Wait Douglas, this is probably another one,' she says, picking up the telephone. 'Hello?' she says. 'Yes, you can get your hair cut. No, not now. How about seven-five-six? It's good? Then that's your time.'
Carrie has finished Martin's haircut. Martin looks at himself in the large mirror. 'Good,' he says, satisfied, 'a little haircut.' He goes to Chelsea and pays her price of '14 quid' in cut paper strips. She consults her clipboard and tell Douglas that it's his turn. Colleen assumes the haircutter's spot as Douglas sits down.
Complex representation
Here the 'topic' was chosen by the children and expanded over considerable time with adult support. This type of pretend play can provide children with opportunities to develop both social and cognitive skills. Children draw on their own experiences and apply it to the play situation - a form of symbolic or representational thinking. Group pretend play helps them become aware of others' points of view and gain experience in co-operating and negotiating.
How can adults support and encourage this complex, representational play? Through observing, providing related experiences and materials, and entering the children's play as a partner.
Observing children
The first step for adults wishing to help children expand the complexity of their play is to observe what children are interested in, what they are already depicting in their play.
Some weeks before the incident just described, adults noticed a few children repeatedly acting out a simple scene in which one would sit in a chair as another pretended to cut their hair.
During discussion the adults noted that this haircutting play had been occurring for about a week and that each time it involved the same three children, objects and activities. The repetitive quality of the activities suggested that the children were assimilating their newly acquired roles.
After this exploratory play the children eventually came to an understanding of the situation. At this point, they were ready to expand the play sequence, incorporating additional ideas and variations, including washing the doll's hair and taking appointments over the telephone.
Experience and materials
Once you've observed children engaged in a repeated play episode, you can encourage them to extend this interest by planning a related 'hands-on experience'. In this case, the adults arranged a trip to a local hairdresser. At the hairdresser, the children were able to sit in the chair, feel the vibration of the electric clippers and blow dryer, wait and watch as one of the children had their hair cut.
After such a trip or related experience, children's interest in a topic is likely to increase. Once back in the setting, adults can provide follow-up support that will enable children to build on this heightened interest.
First, there should be a plentiful supply of open-ended materials that children can use in a variety of ways, and many real-life tools and other props. The adults in this example added blunt scissors and real hairclippers (with the cord cut off) to the hair-care materials in the house area. The room was already stocked with many materials that had open-ended applications. Half-circle blocks became combs, scarves were used for gowns, paper strips and plastic discs served as money.
It is also important for adults to be flexible and accept children's unexpected uses of materials. In the pretend hairdresser activity, the adults were initially nervous about children using scissors to 'cut' hair, but they observed that the children were very careful not to cut anyone's hair. The next morning at greeting time they talked with the children about using the old, blunt scissors, and at the end of the day were relieved to see that no children went home with less hair than they arrived with!
As a result of visiting the hairdresser's, the number of children engaged in the play extended from three to six and, after two weeks, to 13 children, while the play props used by the children grew in both number and diversity.
Entering children's play
In addition to providing stimulating materials, adults can help develop children's play by taking part themselves. When entering a play situation, be mindful of the need to allow children to retain control of their play.
Children will often invite you to play with them if you first observe what they are doing and then imitate their action, waiting for further cues. But be careful to tread lightly, remembering how easily children's ideas are trampled, how easy it is for an adult to take charge of the play. Enter in a supporting role, rather than as the 'star'.
As you observe and imitate children and participate in their pretend play, they may give you cues that show they need help in adding variations.
Subtly, without stepping out of your role, you could pose a problem or make a comment that extends their ideas or stimulates them to expand their play.
It is clear from the complexity of the activities that the children were generating experiences in all of the Foundation Stage areas of learning:
* Personal, social and emotional development - through negotiation, turn-taking, co-operative play
* Communication, language and literacy - as part of the group play, discussion with the adults, taking and giving messages, 'writing'
appointments
* Mathematical development - talking about number and time, taking money, collecting props
* Knowledge and understanding of the world - the trip to the 'real'
hairdresser, hairdressing equipment
* Physical development, fine motor skills - cutting, combing, writing
* Creative development - dramatic play, arranging props.
This approach gives you the opportunity to engage with children as supporter and enabler, ready to extend thinking, communication and imagination, rather than focus on an end product. And discussing it with parents will give them an awareness of their child's deepening understanding of the complexity of the world.
Joan Norris is director of High/Scope UK
Further information
Based on an article in 'Supporting Young Learners, 2' available from High/Scope UK, 192 Maple Road, London SE20 8HT, tel: 020 8676 0220, www.high-scope.org.uk
