Difficulties of Hong Kong teachers' understanding and implementation of play in the curriculum

Play is the characteristic behaviour of young children. It is a vital means by which children can reconcile their inner lives with the outside world and is found to be a central activity in kindergarten and nurseries. Following that vein, 'Learning through play' is the recommended means of learning and teaching for young children in Hong Kong as documented in the local official education report (ECR2, 1986). In order to have an in-depth understanding of actual practice, a multi-case study of six kindergarten teachers was conducted in 1996 to investigate the understanding and the implementation of play in the kindergarten curriculum. The findings showed that there were immense difficulties in the understanding of the concept of 'learning through play' and a great gap existed between the practitioners' espoused concept and their actual practices. The study reflected the complex nature of learning and teaching and highlighted the urgent need for the professional development of teachers. Reference ECR2 (1986) Education Commission Report No. 2. Hong Kong Government printer.