A socio-cultural study of play-based pedagogy for teaching mathematics in diverse Grade R classrooms in South Africa

Abstract

This study investigates the role of play-based pedagogy in facilitating mathematics teaching in diverse South African Grade R classrooms. The primary research question driving this enquiry is how a cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) model of play-based pedagogy can enhance mathematics instruction in Grade R. To address this question, several secondary research questions are posed, focusing on the use of play in mathematics teaching, strategies for promoting a sociocultural model of play, teacher responses to culturally relevant pedagogical models, and the implications of implementing a play-based approach in diverse backgrounds. The research aims to explore the integration of a sociocultural model for mathematics teaching, assess teacher responses to pedagogical collaboration and mentoring, and identify implications and future research directions for play-based mathematics education in Grade R. The study’s objectives include exploring existing sociocultural theories of play-based learning, analysing Grade R teachers’ efforts to integrate play into teaching, assessing the effectiveness of a sociocultural model in teaching emergent mathematics, and proposing suggestions for enhancing the relationship between play and emergent mathematics for teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers through the use of the CHAT model. Three Grade R classrooms were purposively selected for the study based on the criteria that they represented linguistically, culturally, and socio-economically diverse communities. The research was qualitative and consisted of a five-stage plan of observations, followed by interview cycles. The data was analysed into themes with the support of the CHAT framework to guide analysis and recommendations. The findings revealed that there is potential for the pedagogy of play to be implemented more actively in classrooms with the support of a sociocultural model, and in doing so, replace assessment practices and formal teaching that conflict with play-based teaching. This implies ongoing collaboration as a collective and teacher mentorship which is less top-down and more partnership-based.