Exploration of Play Behaviors in an Inclusive Preschool Setting
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Exploration of Play Behaviors in an Inclusive Preschool Setting Amanda H. Passmore1 · Marie Tejero Hughes1 Accepted: 12 October 2020 © Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract Play-based learning is an integral component of the early childhood classroom; however, little research has been conducted around how children with and without disabilities engage in play within an inclusive preschool setting during center time. The present investigation utilizes the Play Observation Scale and Test of Playfulness to descriptively compare the play behaviors of children with speech-language impairments and developmental disabilities in relation to their peers. Findings indicate that while children with and without disabilities are more alike than they are different in terms of their play, there are trends in play preferences and interest across comparison groups in terms of dramatic play behaviors and sustained attention during play activities. Implications for researchers and practitioners’ facilitation of play in inclusive preschool settings are presented. Keywords Play · Disability · Preschool · Inclusion · Classroom While most of us can attest to being able to identify play when we encounter it, the task of defining play in the context of research has been elusive (Dockett et al. 2013). Play is often defined as a self-initiated activity that is intrinsically satisfying (Hansen et al. 1999). Play has been characterized as: (1) intrinsically motivated; (2) controlled by the players; (3) concerned with process rather than product; (4) nonliteral; (5) free of externally imposed rules; and (6) incorporating active engagement on the part of the players (Rubin et al. 1983). Due to the important role of the play development of children, some have even advocated for play to be a developmental domain in its own right (Lifter et al. 2011). As a medium for learning in early childhood, play is an integral part of the preschool classroom as it relates to academic and social-emotional development (Case-Smith 2013). The value of play in early childhood pedagogy and theory ensure that all children are able to access learning though playbased supports. As preschools become increasingly inclusive of children with disabilities, greater attention towards the impact of developmental variances on play behaviors, and consequently, learning and social development, should be considered.
* Amanda H. Passmore [email protected] 1
Department of Special Education, University of Illinois At Chicago, 1040 W. Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Play-based learning seeks to integrate the intrinsic motivation of children in the promotion of early childhood pedagogy (Taylor and Boyer 2020). The combination of play and learning is both developmentally appropriate and engaging for young children (Pyle and DeLuca 2017), thus making it a central focus of preschool curricula. Studies have demonstrated a connection to a play-based learning design and gains in young children’s self-regulation skills (Elias and Berk 2002; Pyle and DeLuca 2017), social competence (N
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