Developmental education: Foundations of a play-based curriculum

Bert van Oers*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter gives a general conceptual introduction to the educational approach called “Developmental Education”, as it was developed in the Netherlands on the basis of Vygotskij’s Cultural-historical theory of human development. This educational approach is usually profiled as a play-based curriculum; what this means will be clarified in the course of this chapter. The main foundational concepts will be explained: agency, social situation of development, meaningful learning, involvement, leading activity, zone of proximal development, and finally play will be discussed. The notion of play in particular is presented as a fundamental concept that characterises the whole approach as play-based. This chapter will serve as a reference frame for those that follow.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDevelopmental Education for Young Children
Subtitle of host publicationConcept, Practice and Implementation
EditorsB. van Oers
Place of PublicationDordrecht
PublisherSpringer
Chapter2
Pages13-25
Number of pages13
ISBN (Electronic)9789400746176
ISBN (Print)9789400746169
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Publication series

NameInternational Perspectives on Early ChildhoodEducation and Development
Volume7

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