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Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners
This dissertation explores the emergence of self-regulation (SR) in early childhood development (ECD) among a group of Grade R Foundation Phase learners in a Quintile 5 school, in Cape Town. As described within Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this study sought to understand the role of s...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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School of Education
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613251129311232 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Macmillan, Joseph |
| author2 | Lilley, Warren |
| author_browse | Lilley, Warren Macmillan, Joseph |
| author_facet | Lilley, Warren Macmillan, Joseph |
| author_sort | Macmillan, Joseph |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This dissertation explores the emergence of self-regulation (SR) in early childhood development (ECD) among a group of Grade R Foundation Phase learners in a Quintile 5 school, in Cape Town. As described within Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this study sought to understand the role of sociodramatic play, the leading activity of children between the ages of three to six – this study focusing solely on Grade R, ages five to six – in developing SR as a higher mental function (HMF). Additionally, the influence of educator pedagogical approaches for advancing play practices is analysed, as SR is essential in determining school-readiness. The last major intervention in South Africa attending to self-regulation (Harrison & Muthivhi, 2013) is from over a decade ago which underscores this study's relevancy. Within this ethnographic case study, three vignettes exploring in-class activities to dynamic outdoor play are presented with accompanying CHAT analyses. Each analysis draws extensively upon the research of Fleer (2010, 2019, 2023a, 2023b) and Bodrova and Leong (2007, 2003b, 2015; Leong & Bodrova, 2012). Through Germeroth et al. (2019), a CHAT-informed framework, the Mature Play Observation Tool (MPOT), gives shape to each of these analyses. Findings from this study identify how play is often applied merely as a “prop” in contrast to being the foundation for a fully-fledged play pedagogy (Fleer, 2021; Bodrova & Leong, 2007). Insights from the Grade R class teacher illustrate a pervasive belief that children should “self- direct” their play as their own isolated activity, while CHAT research calls for educators to engage in the dramatic process of play (Kravtsova, 2014; Vygotsky, 2004). This dissertation identifies sources of political pressure between “institutional practices” (Hedegaard, 2012). Recommendations are made for enriching ECD play programmes (Zaporozhets, 1986). |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42411 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:33:10.259Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | School of Education |
| publisherStr | School of Education |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42411 Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners Macmillan, Joseph Lilley, Warren Self-regulation Cultural-Historical Activity Theory sociodramatic play pedagogy early childhood development MPOT Conceptual PlayWorlds This dissertation explores the emergence of self-regulation (SR) in early childhood development (ECD) among a group of Grade R Foundation Phase learners in a Quintile 5 school, in Cape Town. As described within Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this study sought to understand the role of sociodramatic play, the leading activity of children between the ages of three to six – this study focusing solely on Grade R, ages five to six – in developing SR as a higher mental function (HMF). Additionally, the influence of educator pedagogical approaches for advancing play practices is analysed, as SR is essential in determining school-readiness. The last major intervention in South Africa attending to self-regulation (Harrison & Muthivhi, 2013) is from over a decade ago which underscores this study's relevancy. Within this ethnographic case study, three vignettes exploring in-class activities to dynamic outdoor play are presented with accompanying CHAT analyses. Each analysis draws extensively upon the research of Fleer (2010, 2019, 2023a, 2023b) and Bodrova and Leong (2007, 2003b, 2015; Leong & Bodrova, 2012). Through Germeroth et al. (2019), a CHAT-informed framework, the Mature Play Observation Tool (MPOT), gives shape to each of these analyses. Findings from this study identify how play is often applied merely as a “prop” in contrast to being the foundation for a fully-fledged play pedagogy (Fleer, 2021; Bodrova & Leong, 2007). Insights from the Grade R class teacher illustrate a pervasive belief that children should “self- direct” their play as their own isolated activity, while CHAT research calls for educators to engage in the dramatic process of play (Kravtsova, 2014; Vygotsky, 2004). This dissertation identifies sources of political pressure between “institutional practices” (Hedegaard, 2012). Recommendations are made for enriching ECD play programmes (Zaporozhets, 1986). 2025-12-05T08:53:29Z 2025-12-05T08:53:29Z 2025 2025-12-05T08:04:38Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MEd http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42411 en eng application/pdf School of Education Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Self-regulation Cultural-Historical Activity Theory sociodramatic play pedagogy early childhood development MPOT Conceptual PlayWorlds Macmillan, Joseph Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners |
| title_full | Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners |
| title_fullStr | Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners |
| title_short | Discovering the development of self-regulation through play: an exploratory case study among Grade R South African learners |
| title_sort | discovering the development of self regulation through play an exploratory case study among grade r south african learners |
| topic | Self-regulation Cultural-Historical Activity Theory sociodramatic play pedagogy early childhood development MPOT Conceptual PlayWorlds |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42411 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT macmillanjoseph discoveringthedevelopmentofselfregulationthroughplayanexploratorycasestudyamonggradersouthafricanlearners |