While global research highlights children’s agency in play, studies specifically addressing children with impairments remain sparse. Moreover, limited attention has been given to how adults facilitate or hinder children’s agency. This chapter investigates how children with impairments demonstrate agency through play. This study, conducted in an Australian context, used play to examine the agency, independence and self-determination of children with impairments. Underpinned by the social model of childhood disability, this research examines socio-cultural constructs of childhood and disability, by emphasising the collective and interactive nature of play. The Mosaic Approach—a multimodal methodology that incorporates interviews, observations, and photo elicitation techniques—was employed in the study. Data were collected from five children, a teacher, and an aide in a Special Developmental School in rural Victoria, Australia. The study shows that adults play a pivotal role in validating or obstructing children’s agency. Agency is realised through validation of verbal and non-verbal communications and demonstrated through four main areas: agency through choice, agency through interaction, agency through actions and influence, and agency as unique peer cultures. This chapter identifies the importance of educational practices that empower children to assert agency through play and subsequently in their learning, as well as through power, influence and collaboration.

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Identifying Agency in Play-Based Learning for Children with Impairments

  • Amy Claughton

摘要

While global research highlights children’s agency in play, studies specifically addressing children with impairments remain sparse. Moreover, limited attention has been given to how adults facilitate or hinder children’s agency. This chapter investigates how children with impairments demonstrate agency through play. This study, conducted in an Australian context, used play to examine the agency, independence and self-determination of children with impairments. Underpinned by the social model of childhood disability, this research examines socio-cultural constructs of childhood and disability, by emphasising the collective and interactive nature of play. The Mosaic Approach—a multimodal methodology that incorporates interviews, observations, and photo elicitation techniques—was employed in the study. Data were collected from five children, a teacher, and an aide in a Special Developmental School in rural Victoria, Australia. The study shows that adults play a pivotal role in validating or obstructing children’s agency. Agency is realised through validation of verbal and non-verbal communications and demonstrated through four main areas: agency through choice, agency through interaction, agency through actions and influence, and agency as unique peer cultures. This chapter identifies the importance of educational practices that empower children to assert agency through play and subsequently in their learning, as well as through power, influence and collaboration.