My reflection journal

 The use of metaphor in this block demonstrated how drama can support children's meaning-making, emotional expression and cognitive development. Metaphors allow abstract or complex ideas to be understood through familiar images, making learning both accessible and memorable. In the context of drama, metaphor becomes embodied, enabling learners to experience meaning physically, socially and emotionally. This aligns with the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky, who argues that learning is mediated through language, interaction and cultural tools. metaphor, in this sense, functions as a powerful mediational tool that supports deeper understanding. In our group, we used the metaphor of a "seed growing into a tree" to represent a child's development. This symbolised growth, resilience, and the importance of care and support. By using a familiar and natural image, the metaphor allowed learners to connect emotionally while also constructing meaning. This reflects Bruner's i...

 During week 4, our class focused on developing our stories through warm-up activities, group work and guided improvement of our presentation. The warm-up and small activities helped us feel more comfortable and creative, especially as we moved into storytelling. working in groups allowed us to begin embedding our stories, where we explored ideas, characters and symbols in a more structured way. The teacher also supported us by helping us refine our presentations, which made our storytelling clearer and more meaningful.   This video shows one of the activities we did in class to help us gain more confidence and ideas for our group activities. This was one of the best activities we did, acknowledging the space and people around us, which is important in our group presentation. This process allowed us to think more deeply about how stories can impact children emotionally and socially. In my story, I will use structure and surprise to benefit the children I want to reach. The cle...

  During week  3, our class focused on embodied storytelling through creative play and imagination. We began with a warm-up using simple objects like a plate and a rock, which we transformed into different items such as a phone, a steering wheel or a mirror, etc, moved through the space and physically acted out stories told by others. We also reflected on our emotions after each activity and observed how a single performer ( the teacher) could embody an entire story. These activities emphasised creativity, physical expression and emotional engagement in storytelling. This helped me understand how learning in the foundation phase is not only cognitive but also embodied and sensory, allowing children to construct meaning through actions. Reflecting on our emotions after each activity also connects to social constructivism by Vygotsky, where learning happens through interaction, reflection and shared experiences. The story of Tselani is more relevant to South African youth becaus...

During week 2, we did not engage in our usual academic activities as the class was given time space/time to grieve and process emotions due to a funeral. Now I realise that even though that was not a structured lesson, it became a meaningful learning experience. As we were encouraged to express our feelings, reflect and support one another, this highlights the importance of emotional expression, which is also a key element in drama and storytelling. I realised that storytelling is not only about entertainment, but also about processing real-life experiences and emotions. 3.1 The type of stories I remember from my childhood are many folktales, moral stories and those kinds of stories my elders used to tell us. These stories often include animals or characters that represent real-life behaviours. What made these stories memorable were the metaphors used to teach important lessons about respect, kindness and consequences. For example, animals were often used to represent human traits, suc...

This week, I was unable to attend class because I was sick, but I read the story "Towergirls and the Nursery" and reflected on its key ideas. Storytelling is an effective learning medium because it allows learners to connect emotionally and understand deeper meanings. In the story, the lesson of love, care and growth is not directly told but experienced through Towergirl's journey. As Bandura noted, learners acquire new behaviour more effectively through observation and modelling than through verbal instruction alone. So that means by listening to the story and noting that most lessons were not just talked about, but that the Towergirl was expressing them, the children would like to try them too, and that means learning will take place. This makes learning more meaningful and memorable, as it engages imagination and feelings rather than just talking things out loud. Furthermore, the story highlights the importance of patience, care and attentiveness in teaching. Towergirl...

 In week 5, we focused on the benefits of play and how learning takes place through drama. The activities were practical and suitable for a classroom environment, especially group-based tasks such as role-play and short scene creation. These activities showed me that play is not only for enjoyment, but also an important tool for developing communication, teamwork and confidence. According to the reading, drama supports children's imagination, confidence and social skills. It allows them to take on different roles and perspectives (Farmer,2011). This aligns with what we experienced in class during the past weeks, as in week 5, there was no face-to-face class, where engaging in dramatic play helped us understand concepts more deeply.  Furthermore, the week emphasised the importance of experiential learning. Instead of passively receiving information, we learned by doing, which made the experience more memorable and impactful. Drama-based learning creates a safe space for learner...

 During week 4, we participated in a variety of physical and dramatic activities, such as jumping exercises, collecting Oranges in different positions, swapping positions in a circle, and performing different seasons through dramatic play. These activities demonstrated how play supports both physical and communication development in children, while also making learning engaging and meaningful. For younger children (5-6 years), a game like collecting oranges is very effective in developing psychomotor skills. In this activity, learners moved their bodies in different ways (blending, stretching, running, and balancing) to collect objects placed in different positions. This supports coordination, balance and spatial awareness. It also strengthens fine and gross motor skills because children must control their movements carefully. At the same time, if instructions are given verbally, basic communication skills. This shows that play is not just for fun, but it actively supports p...

1.  Yes, I agree with Professor Grey because many young people in South Africa spend more time on technology and structured activities than free play. This reduces opportunities for creativity, social interaction and natural development.  2. Directed and non-directed pay/free pay Directed play is controlled and guided by an adult with specific goals similar to what we did in class during week 3  were told to do a specific play that can make each of us participate and be able to play in it so by doing that we were directed to do a specific thing that has the same outcome at the end, while free play is child-led, spontaneous and based on the child's own interest and imagination. This kind of play will be mostly useful in the foundation phase class, where it can develop focus, following instructions and achieving curriculum goals. Non-directed or free play is child-led, spontaneous and based on the learner's imagination and interests. As a future teacher, I will allow learne...

      Movement and Body Awareness Rhyme    In this video, I performed a movement rhyme with actions that promote coordination, listening skills and active participation.    Drama is an important tool for stimulating intelligence because it allows learners to actively engage their minds, bodies and emotions. According to Richard Courtney, learning through drama encourages imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills. It also helps learners to express themselves confidently and understand different perspectives through role-play. Drama supports social interaction and communication, which are essential for cognitive development. Overall, drama makes learning meaningful, enjoyable, and more effective because learners learn by doing and experiencing.   Gagne's Learning Outcomes  ( Week 2 - my class activities ) 1. Verbal information   During week 1, in our Drama class, we demonstrated verbal information by recalling and sharing gam...

 In week 1 of Drama, I developed a deeper understanding of play from a teacher's perspective. Play is not a break from learning, but it is the foundation of learning for the young ones. In my own understanding, play is a natural, active process where learners explore, interact and express themselves freely while learning. For teachers, play is important because it creates an engaging environment where learners feel comfortable, confident and motivated to participate. Through play, teachers can support learner's social, emotional and cognitive development holistically.                                                                            During our first class, I actively engaged in play through various activities that clearly demonstrated its importance. One of the first activitie...

Week 1: The importance of play for teachers. Week 2: Play and emotional safety. Week 3: The importance of play in supporting children's development. Week 4: Development through play and learning through dramatic play Week 5: The benefits of play Block 2, WEEK 1:The importance of storytelling. Block 2, WEEK 2: Knowing the stories and the meaning behind its metaphor. Block 2, WEEK 3: Embodied storytelling, imagination and meaning-Making Block 2, WEEK 4: Symbolism and Emotional Development in Drama Block 2, WEEK 5: The role of metaphor in Drama 

Introduction  This journal reflects my learning journey in Childhood studies (Drama) focusing on the role of play in teaching and learning. It highlights how activities such as movement, interactions and role play support learners social, emotional and cognitive development. Through weekly reflection I explore how play  can be used as effective teaching tools, especially within South African context.