International Journal of Early Childhood

, Volume 43, Issue 1, pp 43–65 | Cite as

A Multicultural Perspective on Play and Learning in Primary School

  • Ole Fredrik Lillemyr
  • Frode Søbstad
  • Kurt Marder
  • Terri Flowerday
Original Article
First Online:

Abstract

In the school’s conception of learning, the cultural aspect of children’s play has often been lacking. In different countries, it is emphasized that play is important for learning (Dockett and Fleer, Play and pedagogy in early childhood: Bending the rules. Harcourt Brace & Comp, Sydney, 1999; Lillemyr, Nordisk Pedagogik/Nordic Educational Research 22:38–52, 2002; Wood and Attfield, Play, learning and the early childhood curriculum, 2nd ed. Paul Chapman, London, 2005). Recent research has focused on social aspects and friendship as fundamental elements in learning activities. A sense of relatedness to culture is strongly linked to aspects of self-determination, respect, and sense of competence. The socio-cultural theory perspective is of special relevance in this concern, as presented in the theories of Vygotsky and Deci & Ryan (Deci and Ryan, In: Efficacy, agency, and self-esteem. Plenum Press, New York/London, 31–49, 1995; Vygotsky, Thought and language. The M.I.T. Press, Cambridge, 1986), as this perspective is essential in promoting motivation for all students, irrespective of background. In a cross-cultural research study of student groups in Australia, USA ,and Norway; the intention was to identify cultural profiles among student groups on their interests in play, learning preference, self-concept and motivational orientation, applying scales, and interviews. Similarities and differences were documented among Aboriginal, Navajo, and Sámi students, compared with non-indigenous (majority) students, in interest in free vs. directed play and learning, aspects of self-concept, and motivation. A tendency of indigenous students to favor a traditional, teacher-directed concept of learning was found, compared to non-Indigenous students. Furthermore, indigenous students had a significantly lower self-concept, compared to non-indigenous students (presented elsewhere, Lillemyr et al., Students’ relatedness—a neglected aspect of motivation and learning? AARE International Conference in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 2009). In Norway, teachers of indigenous students used play to a lesser degree than teachers of majority students. Teachers in Arizona and Australia seldom used play in the classroom. Our research indicates friendship and sense of competence are important for students’ motivation to participate and achieve in school, partly confirming results from other research studies. The authors found a sense of relatedness to be quintessential in this concern. Educational consequences for play and learning in multicultural early years’ education are suggested.

Keywords

Interest of play Interest of learning Self-concept Sense of relatedness 

Résumé

L'aspect culturel du jeu chez l'enfant a souvent été absent de la conception scolaire de l'apprentissage. Dans différents pays, il est souligné que le jeu est important pour apprendre (Dockett & Fleer, 1999; Lillemyr, 2002; Wood & Attfield, 2005). De récentes recherches se sont concentrées sur les aspects sociaux et l'amitié comme éléments fondamentaux des activités d'apprentissage. Le sens de relation à la culture est fortement lié à l’auto-détermination, au respect et au sentiment de compétence. La théorie socioculturelle apporte une perspective particulièrement pertinente à cet égard, telle que présentée dans les théories de Vygotsky et Deci & Ryan (Deci and Ryan, 1995; Vygotsky, 1986),étant donné que cette perspective est essentielle à l'émergence de la motivation chez tous les élèves, indépendamment de leur origine. Une étude interculturelle de groupes d'élèves d’Australie, des États-Unis et de Norvège, avait comme intention d'identifier les profils culturels chez ces groupes d'élèves quant à leur intérêt pour le jeu, leurs préférences d'apprentissage, leur concept de soi et l'orientation de leur motivation, au moyen d’échelles et d’entrevues. Des ressemblances et différences ont été trouvées chez les élèves aborigènes, navajos et lapons, comparativement aux élèves non indigènes (majoritaires) relativement à l’intérêt pour le jeu et l'apprentissage libres contre dirigés et à des aspects du concept de soi et de la motivation. Les résultats montrent chez les élèves indigènes une tendance à favoriser l'enseignement traditionnel et l'apprentissage dirigé par un enseignant, comparativement aux élèves non indigènes. De plus, les élèves indigènes montrent un concept de soi significativement inférieur à celui des élèves non indigènes (résultats présentés dans Lillemyr et al. 2009). En Norvège, les enseignants d'élèves indigènes utilisent le jeu à un degré moindre que les enseignants d'élèves non indigènes. Les enseignants d'Arizona et d’Australie utilisent rarement le jeu en classe. Notre recherche indique que l'amitié et le sentiment de compétence sont importants pour la motivation des élèves à participer et réussir à l'école, ce qui confirme partiellement les résultats d'autres études. Nous estimons que le sentiment d'appartenance est quintessentiel à cet égard. Nous suggérons qu’il y a des conséquences éducationnelles du jeu et de l'apprentissage dans les premières années d’éducation multiculturelle.

Mots-clés

Intéret pour le jeu Intéret pour l'apprentissage Self-concept Sentiment d'appertenance 

Resumen

Dentro del concepto de aprendizaje en la escuela, el aspecto cultural del juego infantil ha estado a menudo ausente. En diversos países se ha enfatizado que el juego es importante para el aprender (Dockett & Fleer, 1999; Lillemyr, 2002; Wood Attfield, 2005). Investigaciónes recientes en este tema han centrado su foco en la amistad y otros aspectos sociales como elementos fundamentales de la actividad del aprendizaje. Este sentido de coneccion a lo cultural se liga fuertemente a los aspectos de la autodeterminación, del respeto y del sentido de ser competente. La perspectiva de la teoría sociocultural es de especial relevancia en este sentido, según lo presentado en las teorías de Vygotsky y de Deci & Ryan (Deci y Ryan, 1995; Vygotsky, 1986). Esta perspectiva es fundamental en el fomento de la motivación de los alumnos independientemente de los orginenes de estos. En un estudio intercultural (tomando en uso escalas de registro y entrevistas) de grupos de alumnos en Australia, E.E.U.U. y Noruega, donde la intención del studio era: identificar perfiles culturales entre grupos de alumnos, tanto en sus intereses en el juego, preferencias en el modo del aprendizaje, concepto de sí mismos y la orientación de la motivación. Fueron documentadas similitudes y diferencias en los alumnos de origen aborígen, Navajo y Sámi, en comparacion con los alumnos no-indígenas pertenecientes a la mayoría de la poblacion; en el interes entre el juego libre versus juego organizado y la enseñanza, en aspectos del concepto de si mismos, y en la motivacion. Tambien fue encontrada una inclinacion entre los alumnos indígenas a favorecer un concepto tradicional del aprendizaje , con mayor grado de control por parte del maestro, en comparacion a los alumnos no-Indígenas. Además, los alumnos indígenas muestran en este estudio un concepto de sí mismo perceptiblemente más bajo, comparado a los alumnos no-indígenas (presentados en otro articulo por Lillemyr y otros 2009). En Noruega los maestros de alumnos indígenas usan el juego en forma menor que los maestros de los alumnos pertenecientes a la mayoria. Los maestros en Arizona y Australia usan escasamente el juego en la sala de clases. Nuestra investigación indica que la amistad y el sentido de capacidad son importantes para la motivación de los alumnos en su actuacion y participacion en la escuela, resultados en parte confirmados en otros estudios. En esta investigación encontramos que el sentido de la relación cultural y/o social es el aspecto mas significativo. Esto hace suponer consecuencias pedagógicas del juego y la enseñanza en la educación preescolar y los primeros años escolares.

Palabras clave

Intereses en el juego Intereses en el aprendizaje Concepto de mismos Sentido de la relacion 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Ole Fredrik Lillemyr
    • 1
  • Frode Søbstad
    • 1
  • Kurt Marder
    • 2
  • Terri Flowerday
    • 3
  1. 1.Queen Maud’s University College of Early Childhood EducationTrondheimNorway
  2. 2.University of Western SydneySydneyAustralia
  3. 3.University of New MexicoAlbuquerqueUSA

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