Study Unit 3- Musical Play in the Foundation Phase

 Study Unit 3

Musical play in the Foundation Phase

This week was a tough week, with lots of things to do, lots of assignments to submit, and plenty of tests to complete. I was relieved to see how interesting unit 3 of LSKMS was and actually enjoyed working through the content on efundi and the reader.

 

For my blog entry, I will be including Part 3 of the blog post entries to refer to specific content-related question/s posted in the lessons for each study unit on eFundi.

1. What is your opinion about the value of the content of this study unit for your teaching practice?

My opinion about the value of this study unit is that it can be beneficial for me to learn more about diversity and how to include musical games in my teaching practice that will include all the learners in the classroom. It was interesting to read about what music entails and the different ways in which we can incorporate music.

2. Discuss the basic elements of play.

There are seven elements of play according to (Mans et al.,2003)

1.       1. Play involves a state of mind and disposition

In order to play, one must imagine, be playful, wonder, experiment, and explore your physical and emotional surroundings. With its strict rules and regulations, the classroom may be changed into a place where students are encouraged to be creative. Play is a crucial component of self-development, imagination, and creativity.

2.     2.   Play contains elements of surprise and challenge

Surprising someone or being startled adds to the sensation of fun. Curiosity is the driving force behind play. What will happen next, who will be the leader, and who will be the last one standing? Curiosity and creativity in play allow students to try new things and observe what happens.

The element of being challenged or challenging someone is fundamental in many sports. This is seen in games where you compete and are removed if you lack the required skills. You not only put others to the test but also yourself.

3.       3. Play involves a process, attitude, and structure

The element of being challenged or challenging someone is fundamental in many sports. This is seen in games where you compete and are removed if you lack the required skills. You not only put others to the test but also yourself.

4.      4.  Play is voluntary and unifying, forming part of the socialising process

No one is forced to play along. Out of free will you accept the rules and play along.

5.       5. Play involves aesthetic quality judgment by participants

It matters how people play. A nice game is something that everyone appreciates. Children are taught good behavior through play. When they are removed or are not chosen, how do they react?

6.      6. Play creates informal space for socio-historical comment

Play blurs the lines between young/old; rich/poor; strong/weak.

7.       7. Play reinforces societal roles

Social roles and obligations are emphasized in play. Children pretend to be adults in games. Younger children are given a turn before older children, or from weakest to strongest in the social order.

Give your opinion about the value of play for holistic development and learning in the foundation phase.

My opinion is that play is vital to a child's development; it is an essential component of the Early Years Foundation Stage and aids in their learning. The power of play can help young children acquire a variety of skills. They may improve their language, emotional, creative, and social abilities. I personally feel that play is not made as important as it should be in the South African curriculum.

Motivate the importance of including elements of play in as many teaching and learning activities as possible in the foundation phase.

Negotiation, problem-solving, sharing, and group work are all abilities that children can acquire through play. During play, children develop decision-making abilities, proceed at their own pace, and discover their own interests. Unstructured play may encourage children to engage in greater physical activity, resulting in healthier youngsters.

Provide suggestions for how to include play in the foundation phase.

Some suggestions are

-Playing games such as hide-and-seek type games or solving puzzles together

- Using manipulatives such as using Lego blocks to from letters.

- dramatic play is a natural way for children to express themselves, using puppets is a great way to foster.

For study unit three there was an individual reflection to work through and read and answer the following questions:

•             What possibly made some learners uncomfortable during these activities?

The use of a song that the children might not understand the lyrics to can possibly make learners feel uncomfortable and also that the girls might feel self-conscious and uncomfortable dancing in front of the boys even though she is in an all-girls circle. The use of house music that the activity was based on caused feelings of discomfort due to the learners’ religion and house music might seem inappropriate to the learner.

•             Why were some learners uncomfortable?

Something that might be out of the ordinary and also something that can be of another culture can cause a feeling of discomfort in I to think anyone. The unknown instills discomfort in most people and in this case, the choice of music caused learners to feel uncomfortable.

•             Can you think of ways to address these issues in the future? What will you change?

What I would change for future music activities is to not only have one song but multiple other songs that the game can be played with, a mix of songs can also be great. This can even help the learners to learn different cultures music too. Another way could be to have a paper with a “playlist” or choice of songs where the learners can tick or vote for the songs, they all enjoy, the teacher can then use this information to find a common interest between the learners and their choice of music in the future.

•             How can we accommodate diverse learner profiles in our classrooms? What must we beware of?

To accommodate all learners and have a diverse classroom is to always incorporate all learners and to teach them about diversity and respect each other’s cultures and different ways and perspectives. Be aware of the children in your classroom, know where they are from, what culture they are, and what religion. Be respectful and try to always find ways to include every learner in the classroom and make them feel safe and comfortable at all times.