Exploring government pre-primary teachers' perception about play pedagogy for pre-primary

Abstract

This thesis investigates pre-primary teachers’ perception about play pedagogy in pre-primary schools in Bangladesh, with an emphasis on classroom practices and helping and challenging factors to implement play pedagogy in the classroom using qualitative analysis of interviews with pre-primary teachers. The findings show that teachers firmly believe that play pedagogy is the most suitable teaching method for pre-primary children, emphasizing the importance of joyful learning experiences through activities like songs, dance, and drama. The findings of this study indicate that teachers’ understanding of play is limited to the utilization of teaching materials in classroom activities. The interviews also show less scope for child-centric play rather teachers use teacher-centric play examples. However, obstacles such as insufficient professional development, limited classroom space, a large number of students, etc. hinder the full adoption of play-based teaching. Furthermore, while teachers recognize the value of play-based pedagogy training, there is a considerable disparity in the quantity of formal training received, emphasizing the necessity for complete professional development programs. Despite these difficulties, teachers showcase a strong dedication to overcoming obstacles and using effective techniques to solve issues such as managing big class sizes and engaging parents in play-based learning concepts. Overall, this thesis emphasizes the need to improve teachers' knowledge and understanding of play pedagogy through intensive participatory training and support for play-based pedagogy in Bangladesh's early childhood education system.