play.’ Yet we must not make them passive learners; our learning environments need to allow them to be active learners through their play. Mary Perkins in 1990 recognised that a disability can affect how a child plays, the type of play he/she engages in and the developmental outcomes play can lead to. She also felt they may need to be taught play skills as a prerequisite to learning through play. (Play: Portland State University: ) We do not advocate play therapies that inhibit spontaneity, and enjoyment of discovery. The relationship between communication, intensive interaction and play is discussed in the and is included in the national training. The structure of play in the pre-formal curriculum Adults play an important role in facilitating play for children with CLDD. They need to be aware of the challenges faced by each child and know how to adapt the environment so it encourages the child to explore and learn through play. They must ensure that the child has opportunities to self-initiate play and be active in their play. Although some adult modelling may be required before the child is able to play independently or with peers it is important that the adult doesn’t guide their hands, help, demonstrate or otherwise do it for them. We must be careful it does not become an approach that incorporates overly structured adult intervention strategies that robs the child of the vital essence of learning through exploration. Liske & Lynn Bell (Play & Impaired Child: Are intervention Programs Inadvertently Damaging development Through “Therapeutic” Use of Toys’) argue that the greatest risk is not a physical or sensory disability ‘but the loss of spontaneity and joy in discovery and learning.’ We must remember that the most effective play experiences are child-directed and incorporate and enhance self-esteem, social development, communication, and motor and concept development. It should not be designed to focus on limited, specific skills and concepts. It must not be one directional. It should be spontaneous. It should be active and fun. The nature of the complex needs of the pupils within the pre-formal classes means that we need to provide play partners who enable play. By enabling play we mean the creation of the opportunity to play; the setting up of the environment to enable active play. To ensure that we offer appropriate facilitation of play exploration
Developing Fluency- Children are becoming more competent in acquired responses, behaviours, communicative intentions and reasoning. Consolidation- Children are competent and fluent in their responses, behaviours, communicative intentions and reasoning when in a familiar setting. Generalisation- Children have mastered responses, behaviours, communicative intentions and reasoning in different settings or contexts, or with different materials, stimuli and adults. And Maintenance- Children maintain their level of response and performance. Reactivation- Children regain responses, behaviours, communicative intentions and reasoning. of Facilitated Access to Play (FA2P) Facilitated - Non-facilitated Supported Access to Play Continuum This continuum is designed to look at the levels of adult support required to enable access to play for pupils with profound physical and medical needs. Level of facilitated access to play Fully facilitated Requires some support Independent 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10