What is role play?

Role play also known as dramatic play is where children have the opportunity to take on different roles while expressing themselves (Morrison,2007). Role play can be done individually, in pairs, small groups or even a whole class. The role play may be a true event (the doctors) or it may be a fantasy event (A knight slaying a dragon). How to implement it across the early years settings? Each grade for the purpose of this will participate in the same role play, this will show the progression of learning that can take place as the students gain more knowledge and use prior knowledge to build on the role play. Below will outline how this role play can relate to the curriculum and clearly show how much learning is taking place across multiple curricula areas. The Activity: The students have shown interest in restaurants and have asked to make their own restaurant. The students discuss roles that may be present for example a chef, waitress and a receptionist etcetera. These roles all depends on the childrens prior knowledge and what the teacher wishes to build on. The students then move on to creating the restaurant considering seating, food, invitations, guests and so on. Grade Kindergarten Learning/Subject Involved Maths- Counting, Spatial awareness of seating, measurement Technology- Camera photos of construction, computer to make invitations English- Letter formation Life skills- Social Skills, relationship building, conflict & resolution skills and team building skills Wellbeing and identity (relating to being, becoming, belonging framework) Maths- Counting, spatial awareness of seating, measurement ICTs- By using computers and camera English- Letter formations, Sounds, language, grammar Life skills- Social Skills, relationship building, conflict & resolution skills and team building skills Maths- Money recognition, Counting, spatial awareness of seating, measurement and sequential order ICTs- By using computers and camera English- Literacy skills, writing skills, language, sounds, grammar Life skills- Social Skills, relationship building, conflict & resolution skills and team building skills Maths- Money recognition, counting, spatial awareness of seating ICTs- By using computers and camera English- Writing skills, language, literacy skills, sounds, grammar Life skills- Social Skills, relationship building, conflict & resolution skills and team building skills

Prep

Year 1

Year 2

(Perry & Irwin, 2000. & Essa, 2010.)

References

Australian government department of education, employment and Workplace relations.(2009). The Early years learning framework for Australia, p.7. Australian Government. Deves, M. & Press,L.(2007).The best of practically primary. South Australia: Australian literacy educators association ltd. Essa, E. (2010). Introduction to early childhood education. (6th Edn.). United States: Wadsworth Cengage learning. Morrison,G. (2007).Early childhood education today.(10th Edn.). United States: Pearson. Moyles,J. (2005). The excellence of play. (2nd Edn.).New York: Open university press. Perry,R. & Irwin,L. (2000).Playing with curriculum: Strategies and benefits. Australia: Queensland university of technology Wood, L. & Attfield, J. (1996). Play, learning and the early childhood curriculum. London: Paul chapman publishing ltd.

PLAY IS A MEDIUMIN WHICH CHILDREN CAN BE IMMERSED IN ALL THE KEY LEARNING AREAS
(Perry & Irwin, 2000)

So no matter what year level you teach in the early years, give play a go in the classroom, especially role play!