Children's Right to Play - Teachers' Beliefs and Practices Around Loss of Playtime As a Sanction

Abstract

Children's right to play is enshrined within Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Despite this clear guidance, children face many barriers in accessing their play rights, including school behaviour policies which promote the withdrawal of playtime as a sanction. Recent research has highlighted the need for children's play rights to be protected within schools and this has spurred an interest in considering alternatives to this sanction. Educational psychologists (EPs) are uniquely positioned to support schools in promoting positive behaviour whilst advocating for children's right to play. Paper One, a systematic literature review (SLR), utilized a framework synthesis methodology to evaluate and synthesize existing research focused on teachers' views about the value and function of school playtime. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, seven eligible studies were critically appraised and evaluated. Paper Two, an empirical study, employed a survey design to explore teachers' beliefs and practices in relation to using loss of playtime as a sanction. One hundred and seventy-seven survey responses were analysed using quantitative methods. Findings from the SLR suggest that teachers perceive school playtime to have a range of cognitive, social, emotional and physical benefits for children. Other themes arising include loss of playtime, and benefits for teachers. The findings from the empirical project present patterns identified within the data, including relationships between teachers' beliefs and their practices with respect to withdrawing playtime from children. Alternatives to using loss of playtime as a sanction are also highlighted. Teachers place significant value on children's playtimes within school, however, there appears to be some dissonance between their beliefs and professional practice. Individual and contextual factors which may play a role in these tensions are discussed. In Paper Three, a dissemination strategy including journals, conferences and professional partners is outlined, alongside implications for EP practice.

Date of Award	31 Dec 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Cathy Atkinson (Supervisor) & Caroline Bond (Supervisor)