{"id":2413,"date":"2012-07-25T15:11:07","date_gmt":"2012-07-25T21:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/?p=2413"},"modified":"2014-09-12T11:56:54","modified_gmt":"2014-09-12T17:56:54","slug":"cmec-statement-on-play-based-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/2012\/07\/25\/cmec-statement-on-play-based-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"CMEC Statement on Play-Based Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"Approximate Reading Time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

A great start….<\/p>\n

play-based-learning_statement_EN.pdf (application\/pdf Object)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, play lies at the core of innovation and creativity for adults too….. what do you think real scientists do all day?<\/p>\n

CMEC = Council of Ministers of Education<\/p>\n

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CME<\/span>C Sta<\/span>t<\/span>emen<\/span>tonPla<\/span>y<\/span>-BasedLearning<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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A<\/span>tthe r<\/span>ecen<\/span>tW<\/span>orldCon<\/span>f<\/span>er<\/span>enceon E<\/span>arlyChildhoodCar<\/span>eand E<\/span>duca<\/span>tion,or<\/span>g<\/span>aniz<\/span>er<\/span>s, k<\/span>e<\/span>ynot<\/span>e speak<\/span>er<\/span>s, scien<\/span>tis<\/span>ts,e<\/span>xperts, and politic<\/span>alfigur<\/span>esunder<\/span>sc<\/span>or<\/span>ed the enormous bene<\/span>fitsof early learning.<\/span>1<\/span><\/p>\n

CME<\/span>C agr<\/span>ees with this positionand believ<\/span>es tha<\/span>t purpose<\/span>ful pla<\/span>y<\/span>– based early learning se<\/span>ts the st<\/span>ag<\/span>e f<\/span>or futur<\/span>e learning<\/span>, health, and w<\/span>ell-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Learning through playissupport<\/span>ed b<\/span>yscienc<\/span>e.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The bene<\/span>fitsof pla<\/span>y ar<\/span>e r<\/span>ec<\/span>ogniz<\/span>ed b<\/span>y the scien<\/span>tificc<\/span>ommunity<\/span>. Ther<\/span>e is no<\/span>w e<\/span>vidence tha<\/span>t neur<\/span>al pa<\/span>th<\/span>w<\/span>a<\/span>y<\/span>s in childr<\/span>en\u2019<\/span>s br<\/span>ains ar<\/span>e in<\/span>fluencedand adv<\/span>anced in their de<\/span>v<\/span>elopmen<\/span>t thr<\/span>ough e<\/span>xplor<\/span>a<\/span>tion, thinking skills, pr<\/span>oblem solving<\/span>, and languag<\/span>e e<\/span>xpr<\/span>ession tha<\/span>t occur during pla<\/span>y<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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R<\/span>esear<\/span>ch also demons<\/span>tr<\/span>a<\/span>t<\/span>es tha<\/span>t pla<\/span>y<\/span>-based learning leads t<\/span>o gr<\/span>ea<\/span>t<\/span>er social, emotional,and ac<\/span>ademic success. Based on such e<\/span>vidence, minis<\/span>t<\/span>er<\/span>s of educa<\/span>tionendor<\/span>se a sust<\/span>ainable pedag<\/span>ogy f<\/span>or the futur<\/span>e tha<\/span>t does not separ<\/span>a<\/span>t<\/span>e pla<\/span>y fr<\/span>om learning but brings them t<\/span>og<\/span>e<\/span>ther t<\/span>o pr<\/span>omot<\/span>e cr<\/span>ea<\/span>tivityin futur<\/span>e g<\/span>ener<\/span>a<\/span>tions.In f<\/span>act, pla<\/span>y is c<\/span>onsider<\/span>ed t<\/span>o be so essen<\/span>tialt<\/span>o health<\/span>y de<\/span>v<\/span>elopmen<\/span>t tha<\/span>t the Unit<\/span>ed Na<\/span>tionshas r<\/span>ec<\/span>ogniz<\/span>ed it as a specificrigh<\/span>t f<\/span>or all childr<\/span>en.<\/span>2<\/span><\/p>\n

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Learning through playissupport<\/span>ed b<\/span>ye<\/span>xperts.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Learning thr<\/span>ough pla<\/span>y is support<\/span>ed b<\/span>y early y<\/span>ear<\/span>s e<\/span>xperts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Le<\/span>v V<\/span>y<\/span>g<\/span>otsky iden<\/span>tifiedpla<\/span>y as the leading sour<\/span>ce of de<\/span>v<\/span>elopmen<\/span>t<\/span><\/p>\n

in t<\/span>erms of emotional,social, ph<\/span>y<\/span>sic<\/span>al, languag<\/span>e, or c<\/span>ognitiv<\/span>e<\/span><\/p>\n

de<\/span>v<\/span>elopmen<\/span>t. Ps<\/span>y<\/span>chologis<\/span>t Da<\/span>vid Elkind tha<\/span>t \u201cpla<\/span>y is not only our<\/span><\/p>\n

cr<\/span>ea<\/span>tiv<\/span>edriv<\/span>e; it<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s a fundamen<\/span>t<\/span>al mode oflearning.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>3<\/span>Such e<\/span>xperts<\/span><\/p>\n

r<\/span>ec<\/span>ogniz<\/span>e tha<\/span>t pla<\/span>y and ac<\/span>ademic w<\/span>ork ar<\/span>e not dis<\/span>tinctca<\/span>t<\/span>eg<\/span>ories f<\/span>or<\/span><\/p>\n

y<\/span>oung childr<\/span>en: cr<\/span>ea<\/span>ting<\/span>,doing<\/span>, and learning ar<\/span>e ine<\/span>x<\/span>tric<\/span>ably link<\/span>ed.<\/span><\/p>\n

When childr<\/span>en ar<\/span>e eng<\/span>ag<\/span>ed inpurpose<\/span>ful pla<\/span>y<\/span>, the<\/span>y ar<\/span>e disc<\/span>o<\/span>v<\/span>ering<\/span>, cr<\/span>ea<\/span>ting<\/span>,impr<\/span>o<\/span>vising<\/span>, and e<\/span>xpanding their learning.Viewing childr<\/span>en as activ<\/span>eparticipan<\/span>tsin their o<\/span>wnde<\/span>v<\/span>elopmen<\/span>t and learning allow<\/span>s<\/span><\/p>\n

educat<\/span>or<\/span>s t<\/span>o mo<\/span>v<\/span>e be<\/span>y<\/span>ond pr<\/span>ec<\/span>onceiv<\/span>ed e<\/span>xpect<\/span>a<\/span>tionsabout wha<\/span>t childr<\/span>en should be learning<\/span>, and f<\/span>ocus on wha<\/span>t the<\/span>y ar<\/span>e learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Learning through playissupport<\/span>ed b<\/span>ychildrenand paren<\/span>ts.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Learning thr<\/span>ough pla<\/span>y is support<\/span>ed b<\/span>y childr<\/span>en. It is their na<\/span>tur<\/span>al r<\/span>esponse t<\/span>o the en<\/span>vir<\/span>onmen<\/span>t ar<\/span>ound them. When childr<\/span>en ar<\/span>e manipula<\/span>tingobjects, actingout r<\/span>oles, or e<\/span>xperimen<\/span>tingwith diff<\/span>er<\/span>en<\/span>t ma<\/span>t<\/span>erials, the<\/span>y ar<\/span>e eng<\/span>ag<\/span>ed in learning thr<\/span>ough pla<\/span>y<\/span>. Pla<\/span>y allo<\/span>w<\/span>s them t<\/span>o activ<\/span>elyc<\/span>ons<\/span>truct, challeng<\/span>e, and e<\/span>xpand their o<\/span>wn under<\/span>st<\/span>andings thr<\/span>ough making c<\/span>onnectionst<\/span>o prior e<\/span>xperiences, ther<\/span>eb<\/span>y opening<\/span><\/p>\n

the door t<\/span>o ne<\/span>w learning. In<\/span>t<\/span>en<\/span>tionalpla<\/span>y<\/span>-based learning enables childr<\/span>en t<\/span>o in<\/span>v<\/span>es<\/span>tig<\/span>a<\/span>t<\/span>e,ask ques<\/span>tions,solv<\/span>e pr<\/span>oblems, and eng<\/span>ag<\/span>e in critic<\/span>althinking. Pla<\/span>y is r<\/span>esponsiv<\/span>e t<\/span>o each child\u2019<\/span>s unique learning s<\/span>tyle and c<\/span>apit<\/span>aliz<\/span>es on his or her inna<\/span>t<\/span>e curiosity and cr<\/span>ea<\/span>tivity<\/span>.Pla<\/span>y<\/span>-based learning supports gr<\/span>o<\/span>wth in the languag<\/span>e and cultur<\/span>e of childr<\/span>en and their f<\/span>amilies.<\/span><\/p>\n

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When childrenare playing,childrenare learning.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Giv<\/span>en the e<\/span>vidence, CME<\/span>C belie<\/span>v<\/span>es in the in<\/span>trinsic v<\/span>alue and import<\/span>ance of pla<\/span>y and its r<\/span>ela<\/span>tionshipt<\/span>o learning. E<\/span>ducat<\/span>or<\/span>s should in<\/span>t<\/span>en<\/span>tionallyplan and cr<\/span>ea<\/span>t<\/span>e challenging<\/span>, dynamic, pla<\/span>y<\/span>– based learning opportunities.In<\/span>t<\/span>en<\/span>tionalt<\/span>eaching is the opposit<\/span>e of t<\/span>eaching b<\/span>y r<\/span>ot<\/span>e or c<\/span>on<\/span>tinuingwith tr<\/span>aditionssimply bec<\/span>ause<\/span><\/p>\n

things ha<\/span>v<\/span>e alw<\/span>a<\/span>y<\/span>s been done tha<\/span>t w<\/span>a<\/span>y<\/span>. In<\/span>t<\/span>en<\/span>tionalt<\/span>eaching in<\/span>v<\/span>olv<\/span>es educat<\/span>or<\/span>s being deliber<\/span>a<\/span>t<\/span>e and purpose<\/span>ful in cr<\/span>ea<\/span>tingpla<\/span>y<\/span>-based learning en<\/span>vir<\/span>onmen<\/span>ts \u2014 bec<\/span>ause when childr<\/span>en ar<\/span>e pla<\/span>ying<\/span>, childr<\/span>en ar<\/span>e learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

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FR<\/span>OMTHEEXPER<\/span>T<\/span>S<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Pla<\/span>y lies a<\/span>t the c<\/span>or<\/span>e of inno<\/span>v<\/span>a<\/span>tionand cr<\/span>ea<\/span>tivity<\/span>.It pr<\/span>o<\/span>vides opportunitiesf<\/span>or learning in a c<\/span>on<\/span>t<\/span>e<\/span>x<\/span>t in which childr<\/span>en ar<\/span>e a<\/span>t their mos<\/span>t r<\/span>ecep<\/span>tiv<\/span>e.Pla<\/span>y and ac<\/span>ademic w<\/span>ork ar<\/span>e not dis<\/span>tinctca<\/span>t<\/span>eg<\/span>ories f<\/span>or y<\/span>oung childr<\/span>en, and learning and doing ar<\/span>e also ine<\/span>x<\/span>tric<\/span>ably link<\/span>ed f<\/span>or them.<\/span><\/p>\n

(On<\/span>t<\/span>ario Full Da<\/span>y E<\/span>arly Learning Kinder<\/span>g<\/span>art<\/span>en<\/span><\/p>\n

Pr<\/span>ogr<\/span>am, 2010)<\/span><\/p>\n

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In pla<\/span>y<\/span>, childr<\/span>en r<\/span>epr<\/span>esen<\/span>t and tr<\/span>ans<\/span>f<\/span>orm the w<\/span>orld ar<\/span>ound them, pr<\/span>o<\/span>viding other childr<\/span>en and adults with a windo<\/span>w int<\/span>o their though<\/span>ts and per<\/span>cep<\/span>tions,and oft<\/span>enhelping adults t<\/span>o see the w<\/span>orld in ne<\/span>w w<\/span>a<\/span>y<\/span>s.<\/span><\/p>\n

(BC E<\/span>arly Learning Fr<\/span>ame<\/span>w<\/span>ork, 2008)<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pla<\/span>y e<\/span>xpands in<\/span>t<\/span>ellig<\/span>ence, s<\/span>timula<\/span>t<\/span>esthe imagina<\/span>tion, enc<\/span>our<\/span>ag<\/span>es cr<\/span>ea<\/span>tiv<\/span>epr<\/span>oblem solving<\/span>, and help<\/span>s de<\/span>v<\/span>elop c<\/span>on<\/span>fidence,self<\/span>-est<\/span>eem, and a positiv<\/span>e a<\/span>ttitudet<\/span>o<\/span>w<\/span>ar<\/span>d learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Dr<\/span>. Fr<\/span>aser Must<\/span>ar<\/span>d)<\/span><\/p>\n

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