From ?Play-based Learning? to ?Guided Play?: Reflection on Children's Play in European Preschool Education History

Abstract

Play has been widely recognized as a context for children’s early learning and development in European preschool education community. It has also been applied as a pedagogical tool in early childhood education curriculum for more than a century as it contributes to the holistic development and learning of children. However, due to the emphasis on school readiness and human capital development at a macro level, the nature of play and the environment for children to access to play in preschool settings have been changed. A growing number of European preschool curriculums have narrowly adapted play as a pedagogical tool to promote specific area of development rather than focusing on the developmental value of play and the process of play. Therefore,the nature of play and its value to children’s development and learning have been overlooked. This article discusses issues related to play-based learning and its associated reformation in European preschool education community drawing on the self-reflection and criticism of preschool researchers and practitioners. It also introduces the concept of “guided play”as a new pedagogy to promote children’s learning in preschool environment. It is hoped such an exploration could contribute to the development of play-based learning in the preschool education community in China. 由于游戏在欧洲学前教育界早已被公认为是促进儿童早期学习和全面发展的重要途径,所以游戏被广泛运用于欧洲幼儿园的教学活动中,以支持儿童的学习。但是,随着世界各国对入学准备与人力资本竞争的重视,游戏在学前教育教学活动中的性质发生了变化。越来越多的欧洲幼儿园将游戏视作一种教学工具,其作用仅在于达成教学目标,而不关注游戏本身对儿童的发展价值。在此背景下,欧洲学前教育研究者的最新研究成果及欧洲学前教育界对游戏教学所做的各种改革,促使"引导游戏"作为一种介于结构性游戏和自由游戏之间的"中间地带教学法",被引入到欧洲幼儿园课程实践中,游戏的本体价值日益受到重视。欧洲游戏教学发展的历史与当下的改革启示我国学前教育界应进一步转变思想观念,根据学前儿童发展特点,灵活开展游戏教学,同时应进一步深化教师对游戏教学的理解,重视高质量教师队伍的培养。