garvey play theory

• How does Garvey define play?

• Pleasurable and enjoyable

• No extrinsic goals

• Motivation is intrinsic with no other purpose

• Spontaneous - not beneficial if forced on a child

What did Garvey do?

• Studied pairs of children - found they did pretend okay

• Adopt roles / identities, act out storylines, invert objects and settings required in role play

Link to Halliday

• ‘Pretend play’ fulfils imaginative function

• Social function

• Practice social interaction and negotiation by playing together - roles and responsibilities decided as playing

• Sociodramatic play - clear rules that reflect real world behaviour (agev4) linked to cognitive understanding if different roles and impact in language use

Lexis in play

• Use subject specific lexis in re-enactments - structure them in formulaic ways that adults use in real life situations

• Suggests they can observe and imitate adult behaviours

What 5 basic situations does Garvey consider play?

• Motion and interaction

• Objects

• Language

• Social materials

• Rules