African Caribbean parents’ perceptions of two and three year olds’ play and learning in the early years: Understanding play and the links to learning and development

Harris, Wendy 2020. African Caribbean parents’ perceptions of two and three year olds’ play and learning in the early years: Understanding play and the links to learning and development. DEdPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

	PDF (Cardiff University Electronic Publication Form) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (547kB)
Preview	PDF (DEdPsy Thesis) - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

This study introduces the importance of early years education as a phase in its own right where early years settings deliver planned learning and play experiences. The literature review highlights an emphasis on parental involvement in early years education and how best to support their children at home. It reveals gaps in not only looking at parents’ understanding and values about the role of play in early learning but also the minimal focus on the views of particular ethnic groups. In an attempt to address the imbalance this study looks at the perceptions of African Caribbean parents of two and three year olds and their understanding of play and the links to learning and development. A mixed methods design was used; both quantitative and qualitative data was collected. The questionnaire data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the semi-structured interviews conducted with eight parents were subject to a Thematic Analysis. The findings from the combined data showed that this group of parents saw the value in play-based activities and how it contributed to the development of language, physical and social skills. Parents also welcomed the benefits of play including the positive contribution it made to children’s wellbeing and regulation of their emotions. Parents in this study felt that children should be given opportunities to choose activities for themselves and that practitioners should not only structure the activities but also be involved in children’s play. Parents particularly appreciated activities that promoted skills in preparation for transition to school. The findings from this study suggest a number of implications for EP practice including providing greater clarity for parents about the development of literacy and numeracy skills using play-based activities, in addition to bridging the gap between home and early years settings to support meaningful dialogue between parents and the practitioners.

Item Type:	Thesis (DEdPsy)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Biosciences
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	1 October 2020
Last Modified:	25 May 2021 01:31
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/135192

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item