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Blaskova, L. J., Le Courtois, S., Baker, S. T., Gibson, J. L., Ramchandani, P. G., O’Farrelly, C., & Fink, E. (2020). Participant Engagement with Play Research—Examples and Lessons Learned from the Centre for Play in Education, Development, and Learning. International Journal of Play, 9, 365-381.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2020.1843804

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Play-Based Learning as a Strategy to Prepare Grade R Learners for Formal Education in Waterberg District of Limpopo, South Africa

  AUTHORS: Masemola Tshoswane Irene, Maile Simeon, Mashaba Ernest, Ntsana Margaret

  KEYWORDS: Childhood Development, Play-Based Learning, Foundation Phase, Grade R, Poverty

  JOURNAL NAME: Creative Education, Vol.13 No.10, October 19, 2022

  ABSTRACT: Current studies reveal that GradeR teachers in quintile 1 and 2 schools struggle to implement play-based learning for various reasons mainly associated with socio-economic factors such as lack of facilities and resources. The purpose of this study was to investigatefoundation phase teachers’ ability to implement play-based learning. The context of the investigation wasschools experiencing poverty categorized as quintile 1 and 2 according to the Department of Basic Education. The context embodies socio-economic factors associated with poverty. We invoked Montessori’s individuality and Piaget’s theory to analyze discourses on play-based learning and utilized qualitative approaches to collect data from four qualified teachers in Grade R and eight practitioners participated in the study, and were all from quintiles 1, 2 and 5 located in Waterberg District of Limpopo province. The results suggest that Grade R teachers’ immense pressure from school managers to adapt their lessons to make them appear like Grade 1 lessons. We concluded that, while Foundation phase teachers’ struggles with improvisation and mitigation of challenges of poverty, their attempts to implement play-based learning is hindered by managers who want to turn Grade R into Grade 1.