EECERA 2007EECERA 2007Jane WatersJane Waters

Swansea UniversitySwansea University Spacious communication:Spacious communication:

A socio-cultural consideration of the A socio-cultural consideration of the affordances of the indoor and outdoor affordances of the indoor and outdoor

environment for different communication environment for different communication episodes between children and their teachersepisodes between children and their teachers

Questions Questions

What kind of interaction takes place between What kind of interaction takes place between teacher and child in their indoor and outdoor teacher and child in their indoor and outdoor spaces?spaces?

What are the features of the environment that What are the features of the environment that contribute to the form of this interaction?contribute to the form of this interaction?

How can these features be altered to privilege How can these features be altered to privilege certain types of interaction episode as required certain types of interaction episode as required by UK policy?by UK policy?

Policy context Policy context UK interest in play-based learning for EY UK interest in play-based learning for EY

children; interest in increased use of outdoor children; interest in increased use of outdoor spacesspaces

Welsh policy context Welsh policy context Foundation phase Foundation phase

Focus on play-based approaches for children 3-7 years Focus on play-based approaches for children 3-7 years to replace the current two stage system: 3-5 years to replace the current two stage system: 3-5 years (informal), 5-7 years (formal)(informal), 5-7 years (formal)

Focus on the outdoor space as a learning space Focus on the outdoor space as a learning space Impact of the EPPE studyImpact of the EPPE study

Increased use of the outdoor spaceIncreased use of the outdoor space

Rationale (see Maynard and Waters, 2007):Rationale (see Maynard and Waters, 2007): space to move freely (Rivkin, 1995)space to move freely (Rivkin, 1995) opportunity to explore the world at first hand and opportunity to explore the world at first hand and

experience natural phenomena experience natural phenomena (Bilton, 2002)(Bilton, 2002) adults appear to relate differently to children in the outdoor adults appear to relate differently to children in the outdoor

environment (Rivkin, 1998) environment (Rivkin, 1998) children can explore who they are and what they can do children can explore who they are and what they can do

without fear of being admonished for being too boisterous, without fear of being admonished for being too boisterous, loud or messy (Ouvry, 2003; Bilton, 2002)loud or messy (Ouvry, 2003; Bilton, 2002)

wild natural environment supports children’s own wild natural environment supports children’s own investigations (Waite, Davies and Brown, 2006)investigations (Waite, Davies and Brown, 2006)

context for authentic, purposeful activities in which the context for authentic, purposeful activities in which the development of knowledge, concepts and skills from across development of knowledge, concepts and skills from across the ‘curriculum’ are embeddedthe ‘curriculum’ are embedded

Implicit implications Implicit implications

Policy makersPolicy makers Implicit expectation that something different will happen Implicit expectation that something different will happen

outdoors in terms of learningoutdoors in terms of learning Staff (in Maynard and Waters, 2007)Staff (in Maynard and Waters, 2007)

Explicit statements concerning ‘freedom’, being ‘more Explicit statements concerning ‘freedom’, being ‘more relaxed with the children’, being able to ‘let go’relaxed with the children’, being able to ‘let go’

I suggest that there is an assumption that interaction I suggest that there is an assumption that interaction will be different (and less constrained) outdoors.will be different (and less constrained) outdoors.

The EPPE studyThe EPPE study

The EPPE project (Siraj-Blatchford & Sylva, The EPPE project (Siraj-Blatchford & Sylva, 2004) 2004) A pre-requisite for excellence in EY settings is the A pre-requisite for excellence in EY settings is the

existence of existence of sustained shared thinkingsustained shared thinking A period of verbal communication between adult A period of verbal communication between adult

and child in which thinking is extendedand child in which thinking is extended May result from child-initiated action or adult May result from child-initiated action or adult

initiated actioninitiated action Policy implications – inclusion of the terminology Policy implications – inclusion of the terminology

in the proposed Foundation Phase for Walesin the proposed Foundation Phase for Wales [Assumption – this will happen outdoors][Assumption – this will happen outdoors]

What does SST look like?What does SST look like?

Key question given the inclusion of this term Key question given the inclusion of this term in the Welsh EY policy agendain the Welsh EY policy agenda Guidance is in preparation Guidance is in preparation

What kind of environments afford SST What kind of environments afford SST interactions?interactions? Is there a difference in the occurrence of SST in Is there a difference in the occurrence of SST in

indoor and outdoor spaces?indoor and outdoor spaces?

Theoretical contextTheoretical context

Socio-cultural approach (Rogof, 2003)Socio-cultural approach (Rogof, 2003) Classification of interaction episodes as Classification of interaction episodes as

spacious or narrow (Bae, 2001)spacious or narrow (Bae, 2001) Gibson’s affordances (1979)Gibson’s affordances (1979) Kytta’s analysis of potential affordances Kytta’s analysis of potential affordances

(2002, 2004)(2002, 2004)

Affordance 1Affordance 1 Following from Gibson (1979) and Heft Following from Gibson (1979) and Heft

(1988) (1988) Kytta (2002, 2004) suggested affordance Kytta (2002, 2004) suggested affordance

resides in the interface between the individual resides in the interface between the individual and the environment but and the environment but potentialpotential affordances affordances can be described by an observer with an can be described by an observer with an individual in mindindividual in mind

Affordance 2 Affordance 2 Physical aspects:Physical aspects:

A stone may afford throwing (size and shape fits A stone may afford throwing (size and shape fits the hand of a particular child)the hand of a particular child)

Will only be thrown if this affordance is perceived Will only be thrown if this affordance is perceived by the childby the child

AlsoAlso affective aspects: affective aspects: Will only be thrown if the child perceives the Will only be thrown if the child perceives the

socio-cultural environment as conducive to the socio-cultural environment as conducive to the throwing of stonesthrowing of stones

‘‘physiognomy of the milieu’ (Heft, 1988)physiognomy of the milieu’ (Heft, 1988) The ‘discourse’ of the spaceThe ‘discourse’ of the space

Interaction Interaction

The totality of what passes between two The totality of what passes between two people when they communicate, including:people when they communicate, including: Verbal communicationVerbal communication Body languageBody language GazeGaze Facial expressionFacial expression

Defining interaction episodes Defining interaction episodes

Bae (2001):Bae (2001): Narrow communication patterns:Narrow communication patterns:

the teacher responds to content rather than mood, the teacher responds to content rather than mood, evaluates rather than validates the child's contribution, evaluates rather than validates the child's contribution, the child’s vitality at the outset is subdued if not the child’s vitality at the outset is subdued if not invalidated by the end of the interaction (p.4)invalidated by the end of the interaction (p.4)

May lead to the child being ‘cast into the position May lead to the child being ‘cast into the position of having to find the correct answer’, doubting of having to find the correct answer’, doubting ‘whether or spontaneous sharing of thought is OK’‘whether or spontaneous sharing of thought is OK’

Bae (2001)Bae (2001) Spacious patterns: Spacious patterns:

recognised by the teacher's ‘attentive and emphatic recognised by the teacher's ‘attentive and emphatic presence’, a confirmation of the child’s meta-presence’, a confirmation of the child’s meta-communicative signals, tolerance of mistakes, the communicative signals, tolerance of mistakes, the interaction is rounded off without trouble and in interaction is rounded off without trouble and in ‘good mood’ (p.3)‘good mood’ (p.3)

May lead to the child forming expectations about May lead to the child forming expectations about the value of their own ideas, the value of the value of their own ideas, the value of communicating and sharing these ideas. communicating and sharing these ideas.

SSTSST

It is proposed here that SST It is proposed here that SST requiresrequires spacious spacious communication patterns:communication patterns: It is a genuine co-construction of meaning between It is a genuine co-construction of meaning between

two participantstwo participants What the child brings must therefore be valued, the What the child brings must therefore be valued, the

teacher must be ‘present’, the episode should end teacher must be ‘present’, the episode should end in ‘good mood’in ‘good mood’

Pilot study Pilot study

Setting Setting EY unit within an urban primary school with a high EY unit within an urban primary school with a high

proportion of children from new immigrant and asylum proportion of children from new immigrant and asylum seeking familiesseeking families

Minimal green outdoor space – small garden area, Minimal green outdoor space – small garden area, sloping tarmac yardsloping tarmac yard

Indoor and outdoor activity recorded and Indoor and outdoor activity recorded and analysed in detail with attention paid to body analysed in detail with attention paid to body movement, gaze, facial expressionmovement, gaze, facial expression

Episodes in which the child initiated Episodes in which the child initiated interaction were classified as spacious or interaction were classified as spacious or narrownarrow

Preliminary findingsPreliminary findings

Episodes when the child brought an idea or Episodes when the child brought an idea or question to the interaction were rare question to the interaction were rare

It was possible to classify these short episodes It was possible to classify these short episodes of interaction as narrow or spaciousof interaction as narrow or spacious

There were no differences in the types of There were no differences in the types of interaction episode taking place in the indoor interaction episode taking place in the indoor and the outdoor spaces between teacher-child and the outdoor spaces between teacher-child

There were no episodes of sustained shared There were no episodes of sustained shared thinking identified in the pilot studythinking identified in the pilot study

What afforded spacious What afforded spacious communication?communication?

What environmental factors afforded the What environmental factors afforded the spacious communication episodes? spacious communication episodes?

Teacher was interviewed before data Teacher was interviewed before data collection and after the findings had been collection and after the findings had been presented to her.presented to her.

Key finding:Key finding: Identification of Identification of language developmentlanguage development as key as key

learning objective and personal rationale learning objective and personal rationale

Tentative conclusions Tentative conclusions Affordances for interactionAffordances for interaction

While affordances reside within the space between While affordances reside within the space between person and environment, features of the interactive person and environment, features of the interactive environment include the extent to which the environment include the extent to which the teacher permits engagement (opens or closes the teacher permits engagement (opens or closes the interactive space, Payler, 2005)interactive space, Payler, 2005)

In this setting, when the content of the child’s In this setting, when the content of the child’s enquiry was closely aligned to the teacher’s enquiry was closely aligned to the teacher’s objectives for learning (indoors and outdoors) objectives for learning (indoors and outdoors) there appeared to be more ‘space’ for children’s there appeared to be more ‘space’ for children’s enquiry, and more validity given to their enquiry, and more validity given to their contribution contribution

Freedom outdoors?Freedom outdoors?

The interaction episodes between adult – child The interaction episodes between adult – child outdoors were no different from those outdoors were no different from those observed indoors.observed indoors. See also Maynard and Waters (2007)See also Maynard and Waters (2007)

What, then, is the benefit - in terms of What, then, is the benefit - in terms of interaction - of being outdoors?interaction - of being outdoors? Main study will include data collection on child-Main study will include data collection on child-

child interaction.child interaction.

Discussion: KyttaDiscussion: Kytta

We can analyse the interaction episodes in We can analyse the interaction episodes in terms of Kytta’s (2004) model of potential terms of Kytta’s (2004) model of potential affordances affordances

Kytta considers potential affordances for Kytta considers potential affordances for physical action in her workphysical action in her work

Potential affordances include:Potential affordances include: Field of promoted action Field of promoted action Field of free actionField of free action Field of constrained actionField of constrained action

Kytta 2004Kytta 2004

Potential affordancesPotential affordances

Potential affordances are made up of three Potential affordances are made up of three particular subsets:particular subsets: the field of promoted action (socially + culturally the field of promoted action (socially + culturally

promoted)promoted) the field of constrained action (design features, the field of constrained action (design features,

inclusive or otherwise nature of the setting, inclusive or otherwise nature of the setting, socially + culturally restricted) socially + culturally restricted)

the field of free action (children’s independent the field of free action (children’s independent discovery of affordances of an environment)discovery of affordances of an environment)

Fields of action adaptedFields of action adapted The field of promoted The field of promoted interinteractionaction

socially + culturally promotedsocially + culturally promoted school norms, teacher expectation, teacher objectives, school norms, teacher expectation, teacher objectives,

parental expectation, children’s understanding of the spaceparental expectation, children’s understanding of the space The field of constrained The field of constrained interinteractionaction

design features, inclusive nature of the setting, social-design features, inclusive nature of the setting, social-cultural restrictionscultural restrictions

equipment, resources, rules, other people: what/who is equipment, resources, rules, other people: what/who is there to interact with or about/ in what ways?there to interact with or about/ in what ways?

The field of free The field of free interinteractionaction children’s independent discovery of affordances of an children’s independent discovery of affordances of an

environmentenvironment what kinds of interaction children try out (with each other what kinds of interaction children try out (with each other

and what they bring for consideration to the teacher); and what they bring for consideration to the teacher); children’s enquiry, questions and commentschildren’s enquiry, questions and comments

DiscussionDiscussion

The adaptation of Kytta’s model provides a way of The adaptation of Kytta’s model provides a way of considering the socio-cultural and physical features of considering the socio-cultural and physical features of a space that may impact upon the interactions a space that may impact upon the interactions afforded within the spaceafforded within the space

In the examples shown today the field of promoted In the examples shown today the field of promoted action (i.e. the teacher’s ideas about what should action (i.e. the teacher’s ideas about what should happen, what is valuable) appeared to dominate the happen, what is valuable) appeared to dominate the affordances for interaction between child and teacher affordances for interaction between child and teacher both inside and outside the settingboth inside and outside the setting

Implications Implications

How might this setting develop the capacity How might this setting develop the capacity for spacious communication, and potentially for spacious communication, and potentially SST?SST? Privilege the Privilege the field for free interactionfield for free interaction by placing by placing

value on what the child brings, offers, enquiresvalue on what the child brings, offers, enquires Review the Review the field of promoted interactionfield of promoted interaction by by

challenging notions of content-based objectiveschallenging notions of content-based objectives Review the Review the field of constrained interactionfield of constrained interaction by by

providing rich spaces for interactionproviding rich spaces for interaction

Rich spaces for interaction Rich spaces for interaction

The outdoors (particularly the wild natural The outdoors (particularly the wild natural environment) may provide this rich space for environment) may provide this rich space for interactioninteraction

But spacious communication and sustained But spacious communication and sustained shared thinking will not happen shared thinking will not happen simply simply becausebecause teacher and children are outside teacher and children are outside

Other aspects of the socio-cultural features of Other aspects of the socio-cultural features of the space need to reviewedthe space need to reviewed

After word: interactional affordanceAfter word: interactional affordance

This concept is a ‘work in progress’This concept is a ‘work in progress’ Similar to the conceptualisation of the physical Similar to the conceptualisation of the physical

affordances of a space for an individual so I hope to affordances of a space for an individual so I hope to develop this concept to enable a conceptualisation of develop this concept to enable a conceptualisation of the affordances for interaction offered by a space to the affordances for interaction offered by a space to individualsindividuals

‘‘Interactional affordanceInteractional affordance’ then may be defined as the ’ then may be defined as the affordances offered by a space to individuals for affordances offered by a space to individuals for interactioninteraction

Interactional affordance is heavily influenced by the Interactional affordance is heavily influenced by the socio-cultural context of both the space and the socio-cultural context of both the space and the individualsindividuals

References References Bae, B. (2001)Bae, B. (2001) Qualitative aspects of dialogue between children and adults in pre-Qualitative aspects of dialogue between children and adults in pre-

school institutions school institutions 23rd World Congress of OMEP, Santiago, Chile 29/07/2001 - 23rd World Congress of OMEP, Santiago, Chile 29/07/2001 - 04/08/2001.04/08/2001.

Gibson, J. J. (1979/1986) Gibson, J. J. (1979/1986) The ecological approach to visual perceptionThe ecological approach to visual perception . Hillsdale, . Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum. (Original work published in 1979).New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum. (Original work published in 1979).

Heft, H. (1988). "Affordances of Children's Environments: a functional approach to Heft, H. (1988). "Affordances of Children's Environments: a functional approach to environmental description " environmental description " Children's Environment Quarterly Children's Environment Quarterly 55(3): 29 - 37. (3): 29 - 37.

Kytta, M. (2002). "Affordances of children's environments in the context of cities, Kytta, M. (2002). "Affordances of children's environments in the context of cities, small towns, suburbs and rural villages in Finland and Belarus " small towns, suburbs and rural villages in Finland and Belarus " Journal of Journal of Environmental PsychologyEnvironmental Psychology 2222: 109 - 123.: 109 - 123.

Kytta, M. (2004). "the extent of children's independent mobility and the number of Kytta, M. (2004). "the extent of children's independent mobility and the number of actualized affordances as criteria for child-friendly environments." actualized affordances as criteria for child-friendly environments." Journal of Journal of Environmental PsychologyEnvironmental Psychology 2424: 179 - 198.: 179 - 198.

Maynard, T. & Waters, J. (2007) Maynard, T. & Waters, J. (2007) Learning in the Outdoor Environment: a missed Learning in the Outdoor Environment: a missed opportunity? opportunity? Early Years Early Years

Payler, J. (2005) Opening and closing interactive spaces: early years pedagogy and Payler, J. (2005) Opening and closing interactive spaces: early years pedagogy and four year old children’s contributions to it in two English settings. Paper presented four year old children’s contributions to it in two English settings. Paper presented at BERA Annual Conference, 2005, University of Glamorgan. at BERA Annual Conference, 2005, University of Glamorgan.

Rogof, B. (2003) Rogof, B. (2003) The cultural nature of human developmentThe cultural nature of human development Oxford. OUP Oxford. OUP Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Sylva, K. (2004) Researching pedagogy in English pre-Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Sylva, K. (2004) Researching pedagogy in English pre-

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