I really can't believe September is almost over. At this moment everything is going well; most of my assignments are in. Work is keeping me so busy but I’m balancing studies, work and my personal life.  I would say this week has been good thus far.

I have learned that playing is very important for children, but there is more to just playing. Children learn through play; this has been established by numerous of cognitive developmental programs. The different type of levels of social play have taught me that children at different age groups are building relationships and developing important social skills through each level of play. I have also learnt that there are different types of play: Free play, guided play and directed play. I also learned that the learners develop different skills through each type of play.

The information that stood out for me the most are the seven elements of play. The different outlook regarding play and how important play really is in the classroom environment.

The different cultural backgrounds of learners may have made some learners uncomfortable during these activities. They don’t understand each other’s cultural background or doesn’t know about the Zulu language.

Learners felt uncomfortable because they did not understand what they were sinning. They could not participate to their full ability due to the shortage of understanding the lyrics of the songs. While others felt self-conscious and shy due to them having a personal religious.

In future, if songs are selected I would teach the learners, first, the meaning of the lyrics if it is a different language to their own. I could also select a song with different languages in, like the national anthem, so that all of the learners feels inclusive. A teacher must beware of is assumption. They should not assume something just because of their own understanding and knowledge. They must always do their research. In order for learners to feel involved they should be given the chance to participate in everything. Learners should also feel free to tell the teacher if they are uncomfortable.