Play and gender in Ontario kindergarten classrooms: implications for literacy learning |
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Authors: | Jessica Prioletta Angela Pyle |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Social Justice Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada;2. Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada |
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Abstract: | Research has highlighted the importance of early literacy development. In light of this, there has been a growing concern around boys’ underachievement on language and literacy assessments. Given the recent mandate for play-based learning in Ontario kindergartens, this paper examines children's literacy integration during play from a gender perspective. An analysis of 380 minutes of children's play revealed that girls and boys often played separately across the 12 kindergarten classrooms in this study. Importantly, the centres at which girls and boys played offered different literacy support. Our findings showed that gender played a salient role in children's play choices affecting the types of academic skills children practiced in their play. In this paper, we shed light on the need for gender awareness and sensitivity in policy mandates and teacher practice. |
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Keywords: | Early childhood education gender literacy play-based learning play centres |
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