Learning through play: Our vision for primary classrooms

Longworth Education is a world-leading educational consultancy, based in New Zealand focused on supporting schools who want to implement developmentally responsive play pedagogy into the primary education environment.

Play pedagogy is founded on sound research and the following principles:

  • Play pedagogy is a developmental approach to a child’s learning
  • Learning through play acknowledges that the child is in control of their own learning
  • The teacher role is active and supports, scaffolds and gifts new knowledge using intentional teaching methodology
  • Learning occurs through a process of curiosity and inquiry, and cannot be segregated into isolated subject areas. Rather it occurs when integrated into meaningful, experiential learning opportunities led by the learner with intentional, careful adult support and guidance.

We believe that learning unfolds naturally as children interact with the world around them.

  • The learner needs every opportunity to experience the outside environment
  • The learner should be given opportunities to develop an empathy, a sense of belonging and a connection with their outside environment

How we help schools to implement learning through play

Using a variety of methods including workshops, in-school support sessions and coaching, we help teachers at all levels to implement a learning through play approach in their school.

This is backed up with research and evidence to enable teachers to feel confident using a learning through play approach in education. We aim to inspire teachers to recognise that their learners can take control of their own learning and to have a new respect for the creative abilities of all children.

We encourage teachers to promote and advocate for developmentally appropriate teaching practices and learning opportunities for all children in their school environment. Finally, we support schools to implement learning through play in order to effectively meet New Zealand School Curriculum requirements.

We believe in the implementation of Learning through Play in the Primary Classroom:

This approach to learning is founded on sound research and the following principles:

  • Learning through Play is a developmental and culturally centred approach to a child’s learning
  • Learning through Play promotes agentic learning and allows equity of access to the New Zealand curriculum for all learners, regardless of their culture, gender, or ability
  • Classroom teachers support, scaffold and gift new knowledge using intentional teaching methods, while honouring the knowledge and skills students bring to their play
  • Learning through Play provides opportunities for learners to engage in processes of curiosity and inquiry, and as such cannot be segregated into isolated subject areas.

Learning through Play in the New Zealand Primary Classroom:

For New Zealand schools, effective teaching and learning through play honours Te Ao Māori and creates opportunities for Māori to be Māori.  It recognises akonga as holders of taonga and mātauranga in the context of their learning.  Kaiako, in the context of effective pedagogy, can bring rangatiratanga of Māori learners to the forefront, so that akonga are comfortable in bringing their iwitanga into their learning.  Play ensures equitable access to the curriculum, and values different world views, perspectives, experiences and measures of success.

Learning through Play Outside the Classroom:

We believe that learning unfolds naturally as children interact with the world around them. This means that:

  • The learner needs every opportunity to experience the outside environment
  • The learner should be given opportunities to develop an empathy, a sense of belonging and a connection with their outside environment

Longworth Education Vision

We aim through supporting schools in their professional learning journey to:

  • Engage in evidence-based play pedagogies reflecting what works best when teaching and learning through play for students in an inclusive setting
  • Ensuring teachers understand the use of play pedagogies that honour te ao Māori and the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, thereby providing equitable access and representation of mātauranga, tikanga and te reo Māori within New Zealand classrooms
  • Inspire teachers to recognise that their learners can take control of their own learning and to have confidence in the creative abilities of all children
  • Encourage teachers to promote and advocate for developmentally appropriate teaching practices and learning opportunities for all children in their school environment
  • Support schools to implement play pedagogies that effectively deliver the intent of the New Zealand School Curriculum
  • Acknowledge and support mana whenua to confidently contribute to local curriculum design and engage in decision-making about what is important learning for their rangatahi.