Learning Through Play - Development Series - Siren Films - Child Development and Observation DVD resources for child care training

Development Series

Introduction

*New for 2008
The Wonder Year
1st Year Development & Shaping the Brain

Life at Two
Attachments, Key People & Development

Learning Through Play
The 3 to 4 Year Old

Attachment in Practice

Born to Talk

Watch the Baby

Learning to Talk

Falling Out

My Little Sister

Physical Development
0 to 12 months

Play - The First Year

EYFS Principles Index

Learning Through Play - The 3 to 4 Year Old

» Click to watch a film clip «

This unique film follows one three-year-old boy for a year, where he has been carefully filmed at play.

He is seen playing at home indoors and out and sometimes at his playgroup. He plays on his own, with friends and with his mum. His mum is seen supporting his play.

Key aspects of learning through play are highlighted and explained with a friendly and personal commentary.

You can really see learning and development taking place in all of the six areas referred to in the EYFS curriculum.

The film is divided into these six areas for ease of use.

30 mins

Includes user notes

£79

Links to EYFS principles:

• A Unique Child: 1.1, 1.4
• Positive Relationships : 2.1, 2.3
• Enabling Environments : 3.2, 3.3
• Learning & Development : 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4

*Show 6 professional reviews of this DVD title

EARLY TALK 2007

3 STAR RATING

www.ican.org.uk/ earlytalk

Learning through play (The 3 to 4 year old) & Child Observation No. 8 - Learning through Play (The 3 to 4 year old)

Siren films have produced these two resources which follow a three-year old boy for one year and capture and describe the development of his play skills during this time. Sequences show the boy playing alone, with friends and his mother at home and at playgroup. Both films are designed for use by early years practitioners with parents, carers and colleagues as part of training and professional development activities.

The Learning through Play film (running time 30 minutes) aims to illustrate and discuss how important play is as an early learning opportunity. The film is divided into the six areas of the English foundation stage curriculum. The commentary addresses each of these areas individually and as such the film can be watched as a whole or in sections. The section on communication and language shows some excellent interaction with the boy’s mother and provides opportunities for group discussion and, importantly, reflection on communication styles.

The accompanying observation film is 42 minutes of footage of the same boy playing but without commentary. The film is a series of clips of around two to six minutes in length presented in order of age. As in the other film, the boy is shown playing with peers, his mother and on his own.

These films would be very useful for parents and carers and practitioner training sessions. The commentary of the first film is particularly relevant to England as it refers to the foundation stage curriculum. The observational film footage is appropriate for practitioners in various countries. It is often difficult to find footage to use in training sessions and these films would be a useful supplement to training and information packages. The commentary is both accessible and interesting and could facilitate more in–depth discussion of the topic.



		LEARNING THROUGH PLAY (The 3 to 4 year old) DVD REVIEWED BY THE FSF REVIEWING TEAM THE FOUNDATION STAGE FORUM www.foundation-stage.info The focus of the film is to show Seb's spontaneous play opportunities, (at home with mummy, with a friend, and at pre-school) and to define and describe his learning and development. The central tenet is that play is the best way of learning and of having fun! The presentation of Seb’s learning experiences is divided into the six areas of learning of the Foundation Stage, although of course children do not learn in convenient subject-based chunks. This format is very useful when using the DVD as a training tool both in your own setting, and in training establishments, as clear links can be made to the Foundation Stage guidance document, and, one expects, to the new EYFS later this year. Beginning with communication, language and literacy, the film focuses on the development of speaking and listening skills. We see Seb having meaningful conversations, learning the conventions of social interaction, and learning to question and negotiate. The commentary is excellent: concise and succinct explanations of Seb’s skills. We then see how Seb is learning to make relationships and care about other people. The descriptions of his verbal and non-verbal behaviour are particularly good, as is the sensitive explanation of Seb having to deal with a rather dominant little girl in the role-play kitchen! Mathematical development focuses quite correctly on doing, showing Seb manipulating objects and developing his understanding of size, shape, and position. The section showing creative development includes the most important aspect of painting, cooking, playdough and interacting with stories: the process not the product. The commentary emphasises how previous knowledge and experiences influence children’s role-play, and how useful this genre is in supporting children’s development. Keeping closely to requirements of best practice, the knowledge and understanding section emphasis the importance of using the senses to explore the world. We see Seb as an inquisitive child, who needs a supportive, exciting learning environment to satisfy his curiosity, and to motivate him to learn. Finally, the section devoted to physical development covers the indoor and outdoor environments, and fine and gross motor development. A scenario very familiar to early years practitioners is recorded: a member of staff explains to Seb that the best place to run around, as a superhero is probably not in the playroom! I recommend this DVD highly: a very useful tool to use with your colleagues or students. Every school improvement service should have several copies to lend out to settings, and to allow their consultants to use with the settings they support. The accompanying notes are very useful to encourage discussion and to plan for continuous self-improvement in your practice and provision. The partner DVD, Child Observation No. 8 Learning through Play (3 to 4 year old) shows 9 clips, taken from the DVD above, but without any commentary at all. This would be useful when training students and practitioners in observation techniques. An excellent set of user notes is available to support the trainer. This is a valuable resource, both for colleges offering early years courses, and for local authorities providing continuous professional development for their early years workforce. Available from: www.sirenfilms.co.uk

Early Childhood Practice: The journal for Multi-Professional Partnerships

Volume 8, No.2 – 2006
www.earlychildhoodpractice.net

It is very difficult to find films, DVDs or videos which are, to use a Goldilocks expression, ‘Just right.’

I have now viewed, and used with different groups, three of the DVDs developed by Siren Films, and have found them to be an invaluable addition to my library. They range from 30-42 minutes in duration, and are helpfully divided and signposted for those inexperienced in using DVDs for training sessions. They can be used with students at introductory levels, from GCSE to level 3 courses. They can expand and remind experienced practitioners of important aspects of their work. The films would also be of interest to parents eager to understand their children’s developing learning.

Because the children, parents and practitioners have been filmed consistently across time, a journey in development of several children is shown. This is unusual to find in film-making, and a rich resource for those involved in training at both initial and in-service training levels. The commentary is not too intrusive, and so we are able to see what children, parents and practitioners say to each other. This is a rare and important contribution of these. The commentary is sound in theory and supported by research and theory.

The first film I viewed was ‘Attachment in Practice’ which shows the development of attachment behaviour in the first three years. The film has been made in conjunction with Dr. P.O. Svanberg, consultant clinical psychologist. He gives very helpful analysis. We see attachment forming in early sections, and explore issues of ‘insecure attachment’ and ‘stranger situation ‘in section 3. The last section shows the increasing independence that develops with secure attachment. We need a film like this to bring alive so helpfully the theoretical aspects.

The next film ‘Learning through Play: Child Observation No. 8’ shows a young boy from 2 year 11 months until he is 4 years old. We see him, at different ages, at home with his mother, in the garden with a peer, at playgroup, making a den with a friend, and in the park with his mother. The commentary is helpful and would form the basis of interesting discussion around the observations.

The last film ‘Learning Through Play: the 3 to 4 Year Old’ links with the one just described. We follow the same boy for a year when he is three years old, and explore some essential aspects of his play at home, and in the playgroup. The film also helps viewers to reflect on Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Mathematical Development, Creative Development, Knowledge and Understanding of the World and Physical Development. Again, the commentary helps reflective practice to develop.

These films, Videos and DVDs will be a must for a range of practitioners and those who work with them and tutor early childhood courses of all kinds.

NURSERY WORLD’S Recommended Choice

ATTACHMENT IN PRACTICE & LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

REVIEWED BY MARIAN WHITEHEAD, LANGUAGE & EARLY YEARS CONSULTANT

These DVDs are intended to help early years practitioners advance their professional skills in child observation and their knowledge of child development. Each one is accompanied by a booklet of user’s notes, including background reading, film content details, questions and discussion topics.

The filmed material is exceptionally high quality. Watching the DVDs is a sheer delight. They are relaxed, contemporary and accessible and have captured spontaneous play and talk between children, and adults and children. I am already planning ahead for opportunities to share this material with early years students and practitioners.

There are some differences of emphasis and academic input between the two programmes. The one on attachment incorporates current theories and research about the nature and significance of ‘the bond that ties’ mother and infant and other key persons. This is cutting-edge stuff. The 'Learning Through Play' film and booklet have been organised under the Foundation Stage six areas of learning. The observations are beautifully integrated and the lengthy section on ‘personal, social and emotional development’ sets the right priority. As you watch, listen out for the child’s use of mathematical language in play and the powerful influence of picture book language on spontaneous play. These materials may be expensive but they are worth it.



		ANNA DAVIES, WELSH JOINT ASSEMBLY, CHIEF EXAMINER FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT About LEARNING THROUGH PLAY & OBSERVATION NO. 8 ‘I teach the GCSE pupils aged from 14-16. I will use them in Child Development and Health and Social Care – both GCSEs I teach with the WJEC. They did seem age appropriate to me across all abilities. Videos related to any of the four developmental areas PIES – physical, intellectual, emotional and social can be used as we study all the areas.They could also be used in some sections of my A-level Health and Social where we look at development, again across the PIES.



		Teachers Review of 'Child Observation No. 8 (Learning through Play)' This is also a good example of how to base a lesson on short sections from the Observation films. KAREN HUDSON, EARLY YEARS LECTURER, NEARTH PORT TALBOT COLLEGE I have shown the (Bakers) section of (Child Observation No 8) of children playing in the sand to my 1st year students. The aim of the lesson was to prepare the girls to carry out a narrative description observation on a child aged 1-3 years 11 months, based on play. The booklet was really useful in helping me to plan the lesson and to direct the students whilst they were observing the children. The students were able to identify several different areas of the child’s development including social, creative and imaginative. They particularly found it interesting to see how the children used their imagination and creativity because there was no adult intervention – and there were ample opportunities for child centred spontaneous play. The students also found it interesting to observe the change in the child’s behaviour when an older child joined the group. I can see that the film and pack (Learning through Play (the 3 to 4 Year old) and Child Observation No 8 (Learning through Play) has great potential as a resource for teaching students about development and observation skills. I intend to use the films more next year. I also intend to discuss with our library manager, the possibility of ordering more films.

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