Play-based learning will be part of successful full-day Kindergarten- ETFO

TORONTO, Sept. 3 /CNW/ - With the launch of full-day Kindergarten next week, the province's youngest students will experience a learning environment that is on the leading edge of early childhood development. A focus on play-based learning, long advocated by the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), will ensure that children develop the social and emotional skills to work independently and collaboratively with others as they start their journey in life-long learning.

""The introduction of play-based learning, delivered by elementary teachers and early childhood educators together in one classroom, is an important step forward for the province, our children and our educators," said ETFO President Sam Hammond. "This focus has the potential to make Ontario a world leader in early childhood education."

Years of research in Ontario and world-wide have demonstrated that children improve core skills like literacy, mathematics and science through structured or guided play. It also helps them develop long-term capacities related to cognition, problem-solving and social competencies. "Students are really going to derive the ultimate benefit of play-based learning from the combined skills and expertise of the two professionals delivering the program," added Hammond.

"ETFO commends the Ontario government for not only introducing full-day Kindergarten, but implementing it in a way that will provide our youngest students with the best teaching and learning environment in which to succeed," said Hammond. "ETFO has advocated full-day kindergarten for four-and-five-year olds for a number of years. We look forward to supporting the new program as it is phased in across the province and to ensuring that it receives the necessary resources and financial support it needs to succeed."

Over the last several years, ETFO has supported the development and application of play-based learning in the classroom through a number of written resources, Kindergarten webcasts and professional development opportunities. This year, it hosted several conferences for Kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators featuring renowned experts on early childhood development and structured play.

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario represents 76,000 elementary public school teachers and education workers across the province and is the largest teacher federation in Canada.

For further information:

Valerie Dugale, [phone] (cell); [email protected]