What insights can the experiences of Grade 3-5 teachers provide about play-based learning in math?
Subject
Abstract
This thesis addressed the research question: What insights can the experiences of Grade 3-5 teachers provide about play-based learning in math? In addressing this question, and through narrative inquiry methodology, four experienced educators teaching at the Grades 3-5 levels shared their lived experiences of implementing play-based approaches in their math classes. Four main themes emerged in the course of the interviews conducted with the participants: teachers’ practices evolve throughout their careers, often in response to their own backgrounds in math; the diverse learning needs of students prompted teachers to shift away from more traditional ways of teaching towards more constructivist approaches that offer play-based learning opportunities; teachers identified connections between play-based approaches and mitigating math resistant attitudes and beliefs in their classrooms; and finally, teachers identified numerous benefits for students when including play-based approaches in their Grade 3-5 classrooms. The findings of this study provide an understanding of the value of play-based learning in teaching practice, and recommendations for utilizing play-based learning to increase engagement and decrease anxiety of students in inclusive math classrooms.