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Language Play Talking

Functions
Language Play and Quiet Play
Alternative Names
  • Talking and playing (At School 07)

Sometimes children just sit, or move around the playground, talking to each other.

Details

At School 14

Players: 7
Girls
Age: 8-12
Props: : Nil

At School 14 Three groups of two sisters and a friend who get together at recess and lunch times and just talk - sometimes the younger ones play other games but often they'll join the older sisters to talk.

School 07

Players: 6
Girls
Age: 11-12
Props: : Play Equipment

At School 07 Girls would gather near the Play equipment and talk.

School 04

Players: 3
Boys
Age: 11

boys sitting and talking and 'reading each others mind'. (Map Ref: F)

School 04

Players: 2
Boys
Age: 11

Boys standing against rock escarpment and talking about games and 'imagining' the Parents and Friends oval as another space with many different configurations - see accompanying hand-drawn map which had been prepared well in advance. (Map Ref: N1)


At School 08

Players: 4
Girls
Age: 10

These girls were standing near a group boys that were playing cricket and described their activity as just talking about cricket. However it is possible they were mainly just talking about the boys that were playing the cricket. It was a regular past-time

On other occasions, groups of girls could be found just sitting and talking, and then they moght break into a game of chasey. One group of five girls in the 12-13 yo gorup said that they didn't do much else except talk, and maybe play a game of chasey.

See random observation sheets.

At School 19

Players: 6
Girls
Age: 12

talking, social organisation - discussing what they did last weekend and planning their next weekend

Players: 3
Girls and male
Age: 9-12

Swinging on branch - hanging together, just talking

Players: 3
Girls and male
Age: 9-11

Hanging around the playframe just talking - social discussion - mentioned dissatisfaction with the playframe - too old - wants one where there is an object that they can swing around on

Players: 3
Girls
Age: 8-9

generally hanging around and talking and then spontaneously breaking out into running races.

School 18

2 Players:
Boys
Age: 9

Sitting, chatting in amphitheatre.

At School 05

Players: 7-10
Boys and female
Age: 14
NB: There is a school rule that says students in year 8 and 9 are not allowed to be in groups bigger than 3!

This group of Year 8 students was standing around talking about music, favourite bands, etc. They said their favourite place used to be sitting at the tables just around the corner behind the Year 3 classrooms (Area R on playground map), but the teachers didn't like them sitting there and kept on telling them to move, and they're not allowed to sit there now. One boy said that it was because one of the boys was 'canoodling' with a girl. He said, "Canoodle…it reminds me of hot dogs for some reason", and they all laughed at him and said, "What??"

The boys said they liked to sing 'screamo', which basically means screaming at the top of their voices - yelling and screaming at people. Some of the bands they like are heavy metal and 'death metal' bands, punk bands, blues and acoustics. Some of the bands they mentioned are:

'Bring Me the Horizon'
'Here Comes the Kraken'
'Slip Knot' (9 people in the band - described as 'awesome')
'All Time Low' (favourite band)
'Hey Monday'
'Escape the Fate' (described as an 'emo screamo band')
'Wolfmother' (the only band I knew)
'Cobra Star Ship'
'Green Day' (One boy said, "We went to Green Day" and I thought he was talking about some sort of environmental event, not a band. They laughed when I told them this.)


In the group there were boys interested in playing music - 3 drummers and one guitarist - and the girl was learning bass guitar. They said they didn't do music at school because it's optional and costs $100 or so to learn to play an instrument. They're not allowed to bring iPods to school, but they do anyway.

They asked me what kind of music I like, so I said mostly classics like The Beatles, Icehouse, The Oils (Midnight Oil), Queen, Sherbet, Skyhooks, Crowded House, etc. They agreed and added Split Enz to the list. I also said I liked the other classics - Chopin, Beethoven, etc., but didn't think I could listen to 'screamo' for too long, and they laughed. Then it was time to go in to class.

At School 05

Players: 2
Boys
Age: 9

Two boys sitting on edge of artificial turf talking, 'smoothing' dirt with hands. AREA W.

Players: 3
Boys
Age: 9

Walking around, hiding, eating and dancing. AREA W.

Players: 4
Girls
Age: 10

Girls are standing together on the artificial turf. They are talking and playing 'picnic'. Gobstoppers as 'food' are shared around. They proceed to sit and play 'Truth or Dare'. AREA:W

Players: 5
Girls
Age: 10

Girls are sitting on the artificial turf talking about the environment, pollution, extinction, etc. AREA:W

Also

Players: 30+
Boys and Girls
Age: 14-15
Props: Soccer Ball

Boys playing soccer and football on the soccer field beside the main oval. Other groups of boys and girls standing around talking at the edge of the field.


Players: 3
Girls
Age: 13

Three girls are sitting on the ground behind the electrical meter box, near to the perimeter fence. They are eating their lunch and talking while they wait for one of the girls' brothers - he's not at the school. A teacher comes along and tells them they're not allowed to be there, so they go away.

Players: 20+
Boys and Girls
Age: 11-13

Large number of people standing around and sitting at the tables underneath shade cloth, beside the senior school classrooms. One group is practising dance moves while others watch, some are in groups talking. The area looks comparatively crowded.

Players: 12-15
Boys and Girls
Age: 7-12

Groups of children playing on the adventure playground they share with another school. The younger children are climbing on the equipment and sliding through the pipe tunnel and a group of Year 6 students are just standing around talking in the little painted metal cubby-house that's part of the equipment. They say they always go there to talk.

Players: 8
Girls
Age: 13

A group of girls sitting cross-legged in a circle in the doorway to the Performing Arts Centre, talking. They said they were talking about 'High Five' (a children's TV program).

Players: 4
Girls
Age: 14

A group of girls sitting on the steps beside the Agora (open rectangular area, covered with artificial turf and flanked on three sides by buildings, which is used for assemblies). The girls said they always sit there and talk. One of the girls has a weak leg and uses a crutch for walking.

H4>At School 13

Players: 3
Boys
Age: ?
Props: Playground equipment

Boys were just hanging around talking and climbing

At School 06

Players: 2
Girls
Age: 11

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