article_snippet.sent: Human right': Play can help children develop socially .
article_snippet.sent: Children should be allowed to learn through playing in the classroom until Children reach the age of seven, a union says.
article_snippet.sent: Many pupils are not ready to sit down to do formal reading, writing and maths when Many pupils start school, according to the National Union of Teachers.
article_snippet.sent: Instead the National Union of Teachers is expected to call for ‘play in the curriculum’ throughout infant schools, at the National Union of Teachers annual conference this weekend.
article_snippet.sent: the National Union of Teachers is also due to raise the issue of lunch and break times, which the National Union of Teachers believes are being used for ‘coaching and cramming’ too often.
article_snippet.sent: Members believe this deprives youngsters of Members
article_snippet.sent: ‘fundamental human right to play’ and socialise with Members classmates.
article_snippet.sent: Instead, schools should follow the lead of countries such as Finland and introduce 45-minute lessons immediately followed by 15-minute playtimes, the National Union of Teachers said.
article_snippet.sent: ‘Primary schools are now being driven more and more towards a test and accountability culture which in turn makes Primary schools drive children of primary age to be educated in a formal way.
article_snippet.sent: It goes on to suggest that learning through play is known to help youngsters develop vital communication and social skills and that ‘over-formalisation of learning can cause disaffection with school’.
article_snippet.sent: Speaking ahead of its annual conference, NUT general secretary Christine Blower said many children are not ready for the ‘formal, sitting down, “come on let’s do some work” stage’ before many children are seven.
article_snippet.sent: There is a question about whether we’re expecting children to do things children’re not developmentally ready for,’ she said.