Literature Review

Authors: J. Leach
Title: It's Child's Play
Year: 2012

Main Ideas

Supporting Evidence

This article reviews the best ways to engage

students in the learning concepts across all

Students must be given a chance to play with

grade levels using play.

new ideas and concepts in order to allow them

to link, build, and assess (Leach, 2012).

One hugely important concept behind play is

the chance for students to link the new concept

Leach stresses the idea that play is not only

or knowledge to background or previous

done through active science experiments, but it

knowledge.

is more of an informal time to allow students to

interact with the new material or concepts

The teacher should encourage this link by

(2012).

asking questions that pertain to earlier

learning; building and linking concepts and

This connection allows students to see how

ideas allows this knowledge to grow within a

classroom learning does matter to what is

student, which is key to optimal learning in my

going on outside the walls of the school, which

eyes.

allows students to commit it (the knowledge)

to long-term memory (Leach, 2012).

Another key point brought up in the article is

to allow students to express how they feel

This idea along with the uses of various types

about their understanding of a concept, which

of lesson instruction (kinesthetic, oral, visual,

can be done formally or informally. This

etc.), students will be able to connect to

allows the teacher a quick insight into what

material on a more mastery level than if the

may need to be covered again or what needs to

teacher solely relies on teacher-directed

be taught to the students in a new, more

instruction. (Leach, 2012).

engaging manner. While it seems as if this is

only a self-assessment for the student, it plays

double duty by being an assessment for the

teacher to see how well what is being taught or
which lessons are working the best for that
specific group of students.
Leach also explored the importance of play as
it allows students to connect classroom science
lessons and concepts to the real world (2012).
This type of instruction allows students to learn
the concepts on a more meaningful level,
which in turn allows student to connect with
the curriculum.

Reference
Leach, J. (2012). It's child's play: teaching shadows with a twist on a student favorite. (Jan 2012).
Science and Children, 49(5), 60. Retrieved from
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