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29 (2002, p. 1) cautions teachers about the importance of LTSM: learning support materials are an essential part of curriculum development and a means of promoting teaching and learning. This study revealed that teachers were clinical about their use of Department-produced workbooks and policy documents, and were heavily dependent on them - to the point where they became very rigid in their engagement in pedagogy. Teachers need to support their work by having more information and background knowledge on the subject matter to enhance their teaching and learning.
2.7.2 Parental involvement
According to Van Wyk & Lemmer (2009) parental involvement can be defined as a dynamic process whereby educators and parents work together for the ultimate benefit of the learner. Lack of parental involvement may cause problems in Grade R learning. Parental involvement is vital in the successful schooling and education of young learners and it needs commitment from both parents and teachers.
Brown and Medway, (2007) posit that the involvement of parents in their children’s literacy development is associated with higher academic achievement, greater cognitive competence, greater problem solving skills, greater school enjoyment, better school attendance and fewer behavioural problems at school.
Parental involvement has the greatest effect in children’s early years. Its importance to learners’
educational and literacy outcomes continues into the teenage and even adult years (Desforges &
Abouchaar, 2003). Research shows that learners who receive support from their parents early gain confidence and become independent at a later stage (Singh, Mbokodi & Msila, 2004). The education policy of South Africa maintains that parental involvement in schooling is necessary.
According to the South African Schools Act 84 of 1986, parents should be part of the school governing body (SGB). Parents are thus obliged by the law to be part of their learners’ education during formal school years.
Good relationships between parents and teachers are one of the key factors that make the child develop positive self-esteem. Furthermore, teachers also acknowledge that parental involvement is necessary for the academic achievement of children (Brown & Medway, 2007). Parents have a
30 role to play in providing teachers with sufficient knowledge on their involvement in school. The National Curriculum Statement, (2002) stipulates that parents have a pivotal role to play in the curriculum. Furthermore, NCS states the value of parental involvement which includes the improvement of learners’ performance and reducing school drop-out rates.
Meier & Marais (2012) argue that though parental involvement is valuable to both the school and home, research shows several reasons which should be considered by the school to find out why parental involvement is still a problem. High level of unemployment in South Africa results in failure for parents to provide for their children’s basic needs. Teachers should not be overcritical of parents who are not keen on being involved at their child’s school, because of unforeseen circumstances. Though parents have problems in involving themselves fully at their children’
school, teachers should try by all means to strengthen the relationship between home and school.
In addition, Meier & Marais (2012) maintain that parents and teachers should work in collaboration.
2.7.3 Perspectives on Play
Modern Western society views play as offering a time and space for the separation of learners from the adult world of work and a medium through which young learners can make sense of their world. The findings of a case study of two kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong revealed immeasurable problems in understanding the concept ‘learning through play’ and a gap between the teachers’ adopted theories and practice (Cheng, 2001).
New & Cochran (2008, p. 991) argue that in the current Chinese kindergarten curriculum play appears in three forms: as leisure, free activity and separated from the teaching and learning activities. In this way, play is treated as a means to meet the needs of learners’ social and emotional development. When play is incorporated into the curriculum, it will make learners like school and they are likely to learn far more than when play is side-lined (Tucker, 2010).
New & Cochran (2008) affirm that in China, play is regarded as the activity in which learners may make fun freely. While playing, learners are usually joyful, excited and roused. They are absorbed in the imagined situation, with rapt attention, initiative and creativity brought into full
31 play. Play in early childhood is not there for fun alone, but for teachers to achieve their goals and specific objectives of imparting knowledge to learners (Reet, 2012, Hatch, 2007).
Similarly, Vaughan (1993) avers that Chinese pre-school teachers enhance their teaching by using play whereby they will be guiding learners to the objectives of the lesson. Teachers find opportunities to facilitate learners’ learning by providing materials or scaffolding within learners’ play (New & Cochran, 2008). Wu & Rao (2011) claim that Chinese teachers believed that their learners learn cognitive and pre-academic skills in play. They associated learning results in play with pre-academic learning such as concepts of shapes, weight, quantity, measures, and mathematics. According to Duncan et al., (2007), a sound mathematic background before entering formal schooling is critical to future development. Learners achieve good results when they are exposed to some form of play.
Taylor, Rogers, Dodd, Kaneda, Nagasaki, Watanabe & Goshiki (2004) with Japanese teachers’
claims that play embodies the essence of living. One Japanese teacher said, "Play is the child's life itself, and learners learn how to live through play." Another Japanese kindergarten teacher provided additional insight when she said, "Through play learners learn how to interact with others, to become independent, to cooperate with others, and to be creative. Thus, they learn the sources of living and become yutakana (empathic, receptive, open hearted) human beings,"
(Taylor et al., 2004, p. 315). Play in the Japanese context is viewed as a means of promoting learners’ social interaction and at the same time maintain their learning abilities.
Furthermore play is seen as a mode of developing the power to live and empowering learners to be competent citizens. Play gives Grade R learners an opportunity to think for themselves, create their own ideas, and use their imaginations when playing with their friends.
Within New Zealand’s education community, play in kindergarten is closely associated with ideas about freedom; freedom of expression and creativity are linked to play (Fleer, 2009). In New Zealand, pressures of the modern society on families, coupled with a market driven push for formal learning have resulted in early childhood education professionals playing a strong
32 advocacy role for the rights of learners to play as it provides the most appropriate platform from which learning can take place.
Play is viewed as both purposeful and exploratory with the ultimate intention of increasing learning. Play is in the curriculum and the teacher’s role is mainly to support and facilitate play programmes so that learners can learn from every form of play (Fleer, 2009). Through learners’
proper facilitation of play programmes, they would be able to take part in play which helps in their development. Learners’ play is linked closely to development in Canada. According to Bevc (2004) learning through play teaches all aspects of child development (physical, cognitive, linguistic and socio-emotional).
In Cameroon, research shows that young learners are given the opportunities to play, “work”, and learn together, free from parental supervision and adult control. As books and pencils are scarce, teachers borrow a leaf and use it to write; by so doing the teacher encourages the learners’ use of objects in their environment (Kenyatta, 1965, Mweru, 2005), pupils learning to write would be encouraged to practice their writing skills on the ground using sticks while pupils learning about sinking and floating would be encouraged to bring objects such as feathers, leaves, stones and maize cobs and have practical lessons where they observe for themselves the objects that sink or float. There are many benefits that inclusion of songs, dance and games can have in the teaching-learning process. Games of memory for example are important as they prepare learners for school tasks and tests that require recall (Kenyatta, 1965; Mweru, 2005).
In the South African context, play is considered to be a valuable means of working with learners.
It is a child's natural means of communication and a means for learners to assimilate learning about what happens in their country and around the world (Hough, 2001). Learners will understand what happens in their country by playing games. For example, a teacher may let learners play a game of naming provinces or countries with their common features. Such games enable learners to enjoy playing and at the same time develop a comprehensive understanding of the country and other countries.
33 Chikovore, Makusha, Muzvidziwa & Richter (2012) argue that different games that learners in early childhood in South Africa play have a meaning attached, for example, a pit and pebble game commonly played by little girls in South Africa. This game, which frequently involves a friendly rivalry between players, is often played during times of the day at school or home. It promotes interaction and learners also gain mathematically related concepts, such as counting and sequencing (Chikovore et al., 2012). Learners’ understanding of language is enhanced by play (Lidelli & Masilela, 1992).
From the review of related literature, it would be realise that play as a teaching strategy is relevant and important for both the holistic and cognitive development of children irrespective of their social and economic background. Both national and international literatures were sort of to this regard. The next section within this chapter deals with the theoretical framework for the study. The inclusion of the theoretical framework in this chapter is a deliberate attempt to relate the relevance of the theoretical framework with the review of related literature.