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The state of play in school: defining and promoting playful learning in formal education settings

ABSTRACT Noting a growing movement towards learning through play in schools, this article considers important areas of discussion and debate in what it means to incorporate play into learning in schools. It describes three models (the Five Characteristics of Learning through Play, the Indicators of Playful Learning, and a Continuum of Play-Based Learning) that help define what learning through play in school involves. The authors explain the complexities of promoting learning through play in school, and teacher-research is forwarded as a way that educators can learn to navigate the complexities. The article concludes by arguing that, despite resistance by some policymakers, school leaders, and other critics, the word ‘play’ is an appropriate and effective way for educators to describe playful approaches to teaching and learning.