Conceptualising the influence of sensopathic-focussed play pedagogy on the young learner

Abstract

Teacher-led sensory play pedagogy, which specifically focuses on the sensopathic senses, has the potential to facilitate sensory processing in Grade R (Reception Year) children in preparing them for the transition from informal to formal schooling. In this study the complexity of the nature of this inquiry became evident when the body of scholarship was found not to reveal one single framework that represents play pedagogy, sensory integration and best early childhood practices. A variety of theories are available, but not a unifying conceptual framework that integrates cross-disciplinary knowledge systems to inform a scientific research process. Constructing an encompassing teacher-led sensory play pedagogy framework requires the integration of key principles of renowned and trusted grand theories of play, sensory play and play-based pedagogies with international best practice to preserve and advocate the importance of sensory play and learning in the early years. The newly conceptualised framework that represents the phenomenon had to be implemented using scientific research principles. Interpretivism as methodological paradigm guided the entire research process from selecting participants and sites to data generation, analysis and interpretation. The nature of the phenomenon justified a qualitative mode of inquiry with a multiple case study approach. The selection of the research sites as well as the participants warranted a purposive sampling technique. The five sites and ten participants represent teaching communities and learning environments that value sensory play as pedagogy when implementing South Africa’s national curriculum. The conceptual framework informed the construction of sensopathic pathways for indoor and outdoor learning environments. They served as a real-time exposition with actively engaged children. The teacher-participants observed this engagement and expressed their observations and interpretation through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. To ensure quality data, the participants were given access to a cloud-based data generation application (app) with which they captured their experiences, impressions and thinking textually and visually. Member checking and a reliable audit trail were ensured by empowering the participants to capture their experiences as first-hand raw data themselves. The analysis of the data sets is aimed at determining how the conceptual framework informs teacher-led sensory play pedagogy. Therefore, I conceptualised an a priori coding framework using a deductive derivation of themes (statements), categories and codes to make sense of the data sets. A pivotal part of the study was to scrutinise how the conceptual framework inspired the integration of sensory processing and sensory play activities, as well as how teacher-led activities introduced sensopathic play opportunities to children in an informal learning environment. The importance of aligning sensopathic play experiences with the intended curriculum is key in preparing children for the transitions from Grade R to Grade 1. The interpretation of the analysed data sets indicated that the nature of this phenomenon is more complex than anticipated, as children demonstrated a dire need for a sensory play programme whether they had been diagnosed with sensory processing deficiencies or not. In other words, sensory play pedagogy that stimulates sensory processing, self-regulation and problem-solving skills readies children for formal schooling. The newly conceptualised framework affirms that teacher-led sensory play pedagogy can be incorporated into teachers’ daily school programmes and the national curriculum in South African preschools.