Beyond the binary: Exploring gendered role negotiation and teacher mediation in playworld pedagogy

Abstract

While extensive research has examined gendered play in early childhood, much of it has concentrated on teachers' gender beliefs, pedagogical practices, and the representation of gender in toys, media, and play materials. However, fewer studies have explored how children themselves conceptualise and negotiate gender roles within the dynamics of play, particularly in non-Western contexts. Concurrently, ongoing discourse persists regarding the origins of observed gender differences, whether they stem from biological factors or are socially constructed. Despite this, there remains a paucity of research on how gender is conceptualized by children within gendered play. This study aims to investigate how children engage with and internalize diverse gendered roles within playworld, a play approach adopted as an activity setting. From a dataset of 40 h of nine teachers and 38 children video observations during play, 11 h of data were analyzed for children-teacher interactions. The findings reveal how imaginary play environments afford children opportunities to explore and challenge traditional gender roles, thereby contributing to their gender identity. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of teachers' responsiveness to children's perspectives on gender role tensions encountered during play. In its facilitation of children's gender identity development through play, playworld emerges as a pedagogical approach that underscores teachers' active role, supporting motive development while children negotiate gender tensions.