Approaches

to Play and
Learning
EDUC1221
Week 4:
The environment- Caring Spaces: learning
places.
Welcome to Country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug-vL-JJtgU
Week 4
Tutorial
Agenda
• Acknowledgment of Country

• Assignment Information

• Analysis of Centre/Classroom
Layouts Task

• Designing a Learning
Environment Task

• Introducing Respect, Reflect,

Relate Document
Assignment 1: Reading
Reflection (1200
words)
Task: a reflection of your learning in the first half of the semester

Considering the required weekly readings and the reflection tasks on FLO, write a reflection on
what you have learned in the topic so far.

Consider how the literature has informed and supported:

Your growing Early Childhood pedagogy

Young children’s learning

Required topics readings must be cited and referenced in your reflection. You must cite and
reference all required readings from weeks 1-6 (those highlighted in blue in this booklet).

Marks will be awarded for additional referencing from Early Childhood literature and credible
sources.

First person prose can be used but writing should maintain an academic approach that is
objective and professional.
Topic Text – edited
book Use the following as a guide to help you:
1.Find the author of the chapter you are referencing. It will be one or more of
the following:
Irving, D., Carter, D., Burton, F., Colville, M., Hooper, A., Hughes, M., & Pestana, G.
2. reference as follows;
Author's surname, initial. (2018). Chapter title. In E. Irving & C. Carter (Eds.), The child in
focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. chapter page numbers).
Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
You will need to add in the sections in red.

EXAMPLE: (chapter 1 is referenced as follows)

Irving. E. (2018). What is a child? Concepts and images of childhood. In E. Irving & C.
Carter (Eds.), The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 3-
29). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford.
 • Page numbers
APA •
•
Quotation marks
Copied directly from the book
referencing • Use sparingly, when it is hard to
paraphrase.
In your assignment
Direct quote:

“Nurture reflects the time and place context of a child’s life; nature, by
contrast, is timeless” (Irving, 2018, p. 7).

Or:

Irving (2018) says that “Nurture reflects the time and place context of
a child’s life; nature, by contrast, is timeless” (p. 7).
Indirect quote: • No page numbers
• No quotation marks
• Summarise the text in your own words
• Use more often, when it is easy to paraphrase.
• Don’t always put reference at the end of the sentence (the second option
here).

Irving (2018) identifies the differences between nature and nurture, and
describes nature to be timeless, as compared to nurture, which is time and
place specific.
Or:
Whilst nature can be described as timeless, nurture is tied more to time and
place and the context of a child’s life (Irving, 2018).
EndNote
referencing
Flinders information,
download and support:
https://
students.flinders
.edu.au/support/compu
ting/endnote
Assignment
2
Organising our groups
Analysing centre/classroom layouts
Caring
spaces,
learning
places
As educators creating an aesthetically pleasing space, we
can consider:
• How equipment and materials are placed and
maintained.
• How the environment evolves over time with the
changes reflecting the interest of the children.
• The areas used to encourage children to relax, reflect
and rest.
• Sounds and aromas (wind chimes, music, plants and
flowers should be placed just as carefully as any other
resource).
Which materials are
always there and
which ones change.
Especially outside
where it can be
trickier to change the
environment.
Consider how you
offer new and
interesting
equipment for
children to use.
Are some toys inside
toys or outside toys
or can they be both?
Can children
manage tasks such
as painting
independently or
does it always need
The equipment, materials and
an adult to assist? spaces you make available in
the inside and outside play
areas.

Educators must consider…

 Which
Do you always get out the same
outside equipment or does it
materials are
vary? always there
Is it always the same paint pots,
paint and brushes at the easel or and which
do you change them?
Do you allow children choice in ones
what is set out for them to play
with?
change.
 Children feel secure in smaller spaces.
Homely environments, important for
children who may not have a stable home
environment. Come to their place of
learning and feel welcome.
Spoke about toxic stress and not being
ready to learn. If you can create a
welcoming learning environment, much
more likely to feel safe and secure and
more learning will take place.

Think also about closed tasks and

activities. Those that have an end point
e.g. a puzzle and those that don’t e.g.
building blocks.

The balance between the

different types of closed and
open spaces and materials.
Is it easy for children
to run through the
inside environment?
Use furniture at
different angles to
slow children down
inside.

Subtle tones, not

overstimulating, not a
The boundaries between
different areas.
huge distraction.
Open for them to learn and develop at their own pace.
You can be there to prompt and question and extend
their thinking.
The ways in which the
placement of
materials will allow for
quiet moments of
reflection.
 Consider
the areas
used to
encourage
children to
relax, reflect
and rest.
 The ways in which the
placement of materials will
encourage movements and
interaction between children.
The lighting, colour, texture, size, space, furnishing and
equipment all contribute to the aesthetics of a learning
environment.
To create an aesthetically pleasing space,
teachers need to consider:

 How equipment and materials are

placed and maintained.
 How the environment evolves over time
with the changes reflecting the interest of
the children.
Sounds and aromas (wind chimes,
music, plants and flowers should be placed
just as carefully as any other resource).
Consider how children's work
and creations are treated
carefully and respectfully and
If you put it down low where children can
learning is celebrated in this touch it, make sure it is looked after and not
way. ripped or spoilt.
 Consider how
lighting is used to
create atmosphere
and define areas.

Strip lighting is very harsh.

Think about how you can use other lighting to
avoid this.
Tables covered with fabric and plastic to
avoid excessive noise. When children are
working, there will be less noise this way.
 • YOU WILL BE ALLOCATED AN
AREA OF PINTYA KUU.
• SET UP THIS SPACE FOR THE AGE
GROUP YOU HAVE BEEN
ALLOCATED.
• CONSIDER WHETHER YOUR AREA
Let’s have a HAS A ‘ THEME’ OR WHAT THE
go… FOCUS OF LEARNING IS.
• BE PREPARED TO SHARE WITH
THE GROUP AND JUSTIFY YOUR
CHOICES.
Connections to learning

Work with your group to: Wednesday AM Group:

 Photograph the learning space
 Identify the learning outcomes, knowledge,
skills and dispositions that you hope the
children would learn through engaging in your
learning experiences. Wednesday PM Group:
 Find connection to curriculum documents.
 Outline the educators role.
 Upload your work to the Padlet board.

Thursday Group:
https://padlet.com/rachaelhedger/1221-week-4-learnin
g-environments-wednesday-am-ffnophzt37zgk0al
Explanation of Provocation
This image shows my seashell play provocation that I have
created for children in preschool (3-5 years old). It includes a
sensory bin in the centre with shells, rice (dyed blue to
represent water) , dry pasta (dyed red, green, and yellow to
represent coral), and playdough seaweed. Jenga blocks
were also painted blue to display the bigger shells on a
higher level to be seen better and display a variety of levels.
Small stones can also be sound in the sensory bin. More
shells are placed in front of the bin the scoopers go to to dig
through the bin and shells. Playdough (front left) is
accessible for children to press shells and discover patterns
or create their own shells. Fabric mats are placed next to the
sensory bins to add different textures to the setting. Fiction
and non-fiction books (non-fiction books were not accessible
at the time of the photograph) related to the theme placed to
support children's understanding with literacy. A magnifying
glass (which was also not accessible at the time of the
photograph) would also have been placed in this provocation
for children to have a close up look at the details of the
shells.
Learning Intentions
The play provocation photographed is based around seashell exploration, designed for children in preschool, aged
three to five years old. This provocation has been designed for children in this age group as they benefit from small
world play and multi-sensory spaces (Thornton & Brunton, 2014). Children three to five years old will engage in the
discovery basis of the provocation, as they learn of new concepts, patterns, and materials. As children make
comparing and contrasting connections between different aspects of the provocation they also begin to develop their
investigation and inquiry skills. The provocation setup is also appropriate for preschool children as it provides open-
ended resources that spark creative ideas, including both natural and manufactured materials which are arranged to
attract children’s interest and invite them to play (Thornton & Brunton, 2014).

Connection to Curriculum DocumentsThe seashell provocation was built around two critical early childhood
education documents, the Early Years Learning Framework [EYLF], and the Preschool Literacy and Numeracy
Indicators. This meets outcome 1.4 “Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy, and respect”
when using the provocation in small group scenarios, as children will need to treat their peers with respect if one is
engaging with an item another child wants to use (Department of Education and Training, 2009). Outcome 4 “Children
are confident and involved learners” and outcome 5 “Children are effective communicators” are also met within this
provocation.
Educators Role
As the educator running the experience, there are things I can do to foster children's learning and development as
they engage with the provocation such as providing general instructions but encouraging the children to take it where
they want. I can also engage with the children during their play and work together to help them formulate their ideas,
whilst also providing opportunities for independence (Thornton & Brunton, 2014).
 Summary: The learning environment
– what’s important?
Respect – for each child’s needs &
interests, moment-to-moment &
across the day
Resources – fostering exploration,
discovery, play & independence
Aesthetically pleasing – light &
open, neutral colours,
comfortable & quiet
Space – for movement & safety
Time – for 1:1 interactions,
prolonged periods of exploratory
play, unhurried caregiving
routines
Language rich surroundings –
both spoken & written
 When early education
programs pay attention
to young children’s
emotional and social
needs as well as their
mastery of literacy and
cognitive skills, they
have maximum impact
on the development of
sturdy brain
architecture.
 Arriving & saying goodbye
Young children’s arrivals and
departures are important because the
way they start their day determines
the quality of it!
It’s the role of the educator to help
parents and children separate & say
farewell to each other.

Consider how you can develop a sense

of belonging in your environment.
In Summary…
In the words of Loris Malaguzzi…

‘We value space because of its power to organise and

promote pleasant relationships among people of
different ages, create a handsome environment, provide
changes, promote choices and activity, and its
potential for sparking all kinds of social, affective, and
cognitive learning. All of this contributes to a sense of
well-being and security in children. We also think as it
has been said that the space has to be a sort of
aquarium that mirrors the ideas, values, attitudes and
cultures of the people who live within it.’

Gandini, L. (2012). Connecting through caring and learning spaces. The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in
transformation, pp. 339.
The 100 Languages
of Children
- A poem by Loris Malaguzzi
Tasks to complete this week:

Make sure you have organised your group for Assignment 2 and up to date
with your weekly readings and lecture viewings.

Ensure you understand how to reference using the APA referencing system.
 References
Cadwell, L.B. (1997). Bringing Reggio Emilia Home: An Innovative Approach to
Early Childhood Education. New York: Teacher’s College Press.
Carter, C. (2018). Social construction of childhood. In E. Irving & C. Carter, The
child in focus. Melbourne, Oxford University Press. pp. 56-87.
Department of Education and Children’s Services South Australia. (2008).
Assessing for Learning and Development in the Early Years Using Observation
Scales: Reflect, Respect, Relate. Hindmarsh, SA: DECS Publishing.
Gandini, L. (1998). Educational and caring spaces. In C.P. Edwards & G.E.
Forman (Eds), The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach
- Advanced Reflections (pp. 161-178). Greenwich: Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Gandini, L. (2012). Connecting Through Caring and Learning Spaces. In C.
Edwards,
L. Gandini & G. Forman (Eds.), The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio
Emilia Experience in Transformation (pp. 317-341). Santa Barbara: Praeger.
Greenman, J.T. (2007). Caring Spaces, Learning Places: Children's Environments
that Work. Redmond, Washington: Exchange Press
Ormrod, J. (2011). Educational Psychology; Developing Learners. New
Jersey: Pearson Education. pp. 26-68.
Rinaldi, C. (2013). Re-imagining Childhood. The Inspiration of Reggio Emilia
Principles in South Australia. Adelaide: Department of the Premier and the
Cabinet. Retrieved from https://
www.decd.sa.gov.au/sites/g/files/net691/f/reimagining- childhood.pdf