The Aesthetics of Play: A Didactic Study of Play and Culture in Preschools. Uppsala Studies in

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DOCUMENT RESUME
PS 024 276
ED 396 824
Lindqvist, Gunilla
AUTHOR
The Aesthetics of Play: A Didactic Study of Play and
TITLE
Culture in Preschools. Uppsala Studies in Education
62.
ISBN-91-554-3506-8; ISSN-0347-1314
RE"ORT NO
ATE
95
PL.
231p.; Doctoral Thesis, Uppsala University.
NOTE
Doctoral Dissertations (041)
Dissertations/Theses
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC10 Plus Postage.
TEDRS PRICE
*Aesthetic Values; Child Caregivers; Comparative
----DESCRIPTORS
.Amalysis; *Cultural Influences; Dramatics; Early
Childhood Education; Foreign Countries; Games;
Learning Activities; *Play; Teaching Methods; *Young
Children
Froebel (Friedrich); Sweden; Vygotsky (Lev S)
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
Based on Vygotsky's theory amongst others that play
reflects different aspects of children's development and culture,
this thesis explores in depth how aesthetic activities can influence
children's play and the nature of the connections between play and
a
literature.
culture, primarily in the aesthetic forms of drama and
for
The thesis also presents ideas on testing and developing models
Part 1 of the thesis
an aesthetic pedagogy of play in preschool.
presents the background and theoretical starting points of this
didactic study, and includes discussions of the role of play in
Swedish Preschools, the Froebel pedagogy, developmental theories of
psychology and play pedagogy, as well as the different traditions of
research into play ani the need for an aesthetic approach. Part 2
discusses interpretations and analysis of different types of
pedagogy, ideas in creating a play world for children, and examples
of games that can reinforce children's sensitivity to role,
dramatization, and aesthetics. Part 3, the conclusion, discusses the
meaning of dramatic action in play, the roles of adults, play
development in classes, and the linkage between play and children's
culture. Results of a survey of child care workers in one Swedish
municipality are appended. Contains 250 references. (MOK)
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The Aesthetics of
Play
A Didactic Study of Play and Culture
in Preschools
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UPPSALA 1995
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Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis
Uppsala Studies in Education
62
Gunilla Lindqvist
The Aesthetics of Play
A Didactic Study of Play and Culture in Preschools
UPPSALA 1995
Doctoral thesis at Uppsala University 1995
ABSTRACT
Lindqvist, G., 1995: The Aesthetics of Play. A didactic study of play and culture in pre-
schools. Acta iJniversitatis Upsaliensis.
62. 234 pp. Uppsala.
Uppsala Studies in Education
ISBN 91-554-3506-8.
This didactic study of the aesthetics of play examines the connections between play, drama
and literature. The aim is to develop a creative pedagogy of play for Swedish preschools.
The study is a reaction against the preschool approach to play as a "free" activity and an
expression for children's self-regulation, instead of an approach which regards play as a
cultural activity which concerns both adults and children.
On a basis of Vygotsky's cultural historical theory, amongst others, and theories of drama
pedagogy, an approach to play is developed, which recognizes a dynamic connection be-
tween children's play and the cultural influence of their environment.
A cultural theme is tried in a didactic project: "Alone in the big, wide world". The
narrative is the main thread, drama pedagogic methods are used and the structural basis is the
form of play. The project was carried out at a day-care centre in Karlstad, and lasted for a
period of 12 moitths.
The results show that a common playworld helps developing play in preschools, and this
is created in relation to a cultural context. The multi-layered text prevents the play from
becoming one-dimensional and stereotype. The dramatic action is vital as it provides the
play with a meaning. The adults' dramatized characters give life to the play through their
acting, and establish a dialogue with the children so that they can enter the play fiction.
World, action and characters are all interconnected. This gives rise to the variety which
develops the play and enables everyone to meet in the common playworld.
the aesthetics of play, preschool pedagogy, cultural historical theory (Vygotsky),
Keywords:
drama, literature, playworld, dramatic action, (dramatized) character.
Gunilla Lindqvist, Department of Education, Uppsala University, Box 2109, S-750 02
Uppsala, Sweden
Gunilla Lindqvist 1995
ISSN 0347-1314
ISBN 91-554-3506-8
Cover design: Jerk-Olof Werkmäster
Typesetting: Editorial Office, Uppsala University
Printed in Sweden by Gotab, Stockholm 1995
Distributor: Almqvist & Wiksell International, Stockholm, Sweden
Contents
Preface
11
Part I: Background and Theoretical Starting-points
CHAPTER 1: Introduction
15
Didactic projects and interdisciplinary teacher training
17
Aim
19
The outline and terminology of the thesis
19
CHAPTER 2: The Role of Play in Swedish Preschools
22
From the Frbbel pedagogy to the preschool-programme of today
24
The Fröbel pedagogy and attitude to play
24
The influence of child psychology over preschool pedagogy
and the attitude to play
26
Dialogue pedagogy and approach to play
28
The 1980's emphasis on the structure of and the approach to play
29
Conclusion
30
A comparison of two approaches to play pedagogy: that of a play
researcher and that of a drama pedagogue
31
Developmental theories of psychology and play pedagogy
32
A psychoanalytical theory of play
32
A cognitive theory of play
32
Theories of play which emphasize child socialization
33
Cultural and social anthropological theories on play
33
Drama pedagogic views on the pedagogy of play
35
The different traditions of research into play and drama
37
Summarising the conclusions
38
CHAPTER 3: Vygotsky and the Cultural Historical
Theory of Play
40
A dialectic approach to knowledge
41
"The dialogical word"
42
An all-embracing cultural approach
43
43
The importance of art
44
The correspondence between the internal and the external
45
Imagination and reality
47
The imaginary process
48
Vygotsky's approach to playan aesthetic, cultural theory
48
Why do children play7
50
Comparison between Vygotsky and Leontiev/Elkonin
50
What is characteristic of play7
54
Comparison between Vygotsky and Leontiev/Elkonin
55
The role of play in children's development
56
Comparison between Vygotsky and Leontiev/Elkonin
CHAPTER 4: The Preschool as an Institution in Modern Society
57
and the Need for an Aesthetic Approach
58
Thomas Ziehe's cultural analysis as part of the critical theory
59
The critical analysis of schools and preschools as institutions
The need for an aesthetic approach in schools and preschools
61
Part II: The Project
67
CHAPTER 5: Research Method and Interpretation
67
Vygotsky's method of "double stimulation"
68
Using a didactic project as research method
68
Method of documentation
69
Interpretation and analysis
70
Model for analysis
71
A play pedagogic project
72
The theme
77
CHAPTER 6: Creating a Playworld
Frejaa feeling peoples the world
77
78
Fear comes to Freja
Dramatizationplay
80
Reality and imagination
81
82
The ad: Its want to be part of the playworki
83
"Pippi doesn't want to grow up"
85
The children's play
85
Transformations of play
86
Showing solidarity with the children
Valhallthe world is a stage
87
88
"Lisen Can't Sleep"
IP
90
Child play and adult playfulness
The road to Moomin Valley
91
92
At theatre Valhall: "The invisible child"
92
Scene 1 : In the kitchen
93
Scene 2: At the beach
7
Little Mythe children's favourite
95
Puppet theatre and children's play
95
96
Tove Jansson's Moomin world
97
Who will comfort Toffle7
Enter, Toffle, and jcin Valhall's fun-fair party
98
Play and art
100
The message in the bottle
101
Toffle saves Miffle from Groke
102
A literary and dramatic world of play
105
Odenthe world is in the forest
107
Fear comes to Oden
108
Ghost game
108
The need for meaning
110
The house in the forest
111
Toffle chases Groke, saves Miffle and moves into the house
112
The aesthetic forms provide meaning and generate play
115
116
The story of Hybele±,!:-. develops
Hans story abom Hybelejen
118
The hunt for hybelejen
120
The trip to the Sättersholms
120
The story about Hybelejen creates several different meanings
122
Back to Freja
122
The children's play
123
The dangerous journey
123
Hybelejen comes to Freja
125
The balloon journey
126
Play analysis
129
Conclusion
130
How the common playworld was developed
132
Our participation in the spring term
132
CHAPTER 7: Playing and Dramatizing
135
Relation between play and cultural, aesthetic forms
135
The lyrical and musical patterns of playa theme with variations
136
.
The dramatic and literary patterns of playbased on the folk-tale
138
.
CHAPTER 8: Focusing on the Action
142
Play as adventurous journeys
142
The Children in the Jungle
142
Adventurotn, journeys at Oden
143
A pedagogic analysis of Oden's "journeys into the big, wide world" 145
A psychologicalnot a drama pedagogicapproach
146
Adventurous journeys at Valhall
147
The first trip to the jungle
148
Play
^lysis
156
6
The second trip to the jungle
151
Play analysis
154
Lyrical and musical patterns
154
Adventurous journeys at Freja
155
The first trip to the jungle. Focusing on the action .
156
Play analysis
158
The children's imagination in relation to the fiction of the
story
158
Keeping up the actiona feeling for what is dramatic and
hullwcus
158
Teacher-in-role challenges the children's zone of proximal
development
159
The second adventurous journey to the jungleaction meets
characters
160
Play analysis
165
The characters give life to the action
165
Play stimulates the children's imagination as well as problem
solving
166
The formula of the story and the different play settings
167
The third and fourth trips to the jungle
167
Play analysis
169
The circle of imaginationa new story takes shape
170
Towards conscious dramatization
170
Conclusion
171
Freja
171
Oden
172
Valhall
172
CHAPTER 9: Focusing on the Characters
173
Role, type and character of children's play
173
mit
Role, character, type and personality in the drama or
dramatization
175
From Alfie to Mr. B
176
Alfie Atkins as a play theme
181
Analysisa theme of freedom and restrictions
183
"Peter No-tail" at the Valhall Theatre
185
The clown who had lost his theatre
186
"The Mysterious Polisher"
187
"The lost star"from theatre to children's play
190
Analysisa play theme of equality
192
Children's play and theatre
194
Mr. B and the 6-year olds
196
The activities for 6-year oldsa brief background
196
The hunt for Mr. B
197
Analysisplay as a detective story in a world of letters
199
9
Part III: Conclusions
203
CHAPTER 10: The Aesthetics of PlayWhat Does It Look Like?
203
Creating a shared fiction and a common play world
205
The literary themes and what dramatic action means to play
209
The roles the adults played and what they meant to play
211
Play development in the clas.es
213
The aesthetic patterns and progression of play
216
CHAPTER 11: What Role Can Play Be Given in Preschools?
221
References
233
Appendix
233
Approach to playA survey