A Study on the Quality of Play towards Student Development in The International Schools of Thailand

Abstract

Play is believed to provide benefits for cognitive, social, emotional, physical and moral development for children from all socioeconomic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. As children spent most of their time these days at school, schools should provide quality play especially to the early year’s programs. Play would facilitate the development of the whole child if it is of quality.Schools can provide quality play for children if they consider the ten dimensions of play in order to evaluate the quality of play at schools. Aims and objectives, curriculum, learning and teaching strategies, planning, assessment and record keeping, staffing, physical environment, relationships and interactions, equal opportunities, parental partnerships and liaison, monitoring and evaluation are the factors that affect the quality of play at schools. The other essential element to produce quality play is teacher facilitation and understanding towards play.Many theorists like Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Erikson and others have supported the importance of play for children to develop. Thus, the question is not about the presence of play at schools but the quality of play that has been provided by the school is essential. Since, play is common for children, especially in early years, schools already have an essential tool for the development of children but schools need to evaluate and be aware of the quality of play in the schools.Piaget stated the pre – operational stage related to the child’s development. At this stage students can apply the theory of assimilation and accommodation. While the child is at classroom experiencing an academic experience, the child is experiencing assimilation but when children are at play they get a chance to accommodate what they have learnt through play.