Abstract

MENA BASTIAS, Carmen Patricia et al. Play in Early childhood: approach to the meaning given by Nursery Teachers. Cuad. Investig. Educ. [online]. 2021, vol.12, n.1, pp.73-89.  Epub June 01, 2021. ISSN 1510-2432.  https://doi.org/10.18861/cied.2021.12.1.3063.

The play, as a natural activity of the human being, mainly during the first years of life, acquires a key relevance from the pedagogical point of view at the level of early childhood education. In this regard, this work presents the main results of a study that aimed at finding out the meaning attributed to the play by nursery teachers who work with children under the age of three. The research was carried out under a qualitative methodology, and as method, the Hermeneutic Phenomenology was used. Six professionals who work with pre-school children under the age of three in institutions located in regions of Ñuble and Biobío in Chile, took part in this study. As information production technique, an in-depth interview was used, analyzed based on a mixed categorization process with the support of Atlas.ti v.8. software. The results highlight that nursery teachers, at a conscious level, have clarity to conceptualize the play, attributing a significant value as a means of learning, while in its implementation, the instrumentalization of this activity is visualized.

Keywords : Early childhood; play; pre-school teacher; educational strategies.

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