The purpose of this study was to determine whether gender affects early play choices of children diagnosed with autism. Although the research illustrated in this report answer my question through a serious of research methods including, observations and conversations with children, a picture-based activity and interviews with early years educators, it is important to reflect upon the limitations of this small study. In selecting my participants I had to opportunity sample, which consisted of only two girls and six boys. The findings in this study are specifically limited to this group of children, early years educators and this special educational needs reception class and may not apply to other children diagnosed with autism.
Whilst acting as a participant observer, which may have altered the perceptions and the way children play, I uncovered that the children didn’t play in a gendered manner. This finding was striking, as I didn’t expect this to be the case. I found that the boys contested social gender norms (Blaise, 2005) by playing with dolls as well as toys such as cars. I also found that one girl in particular contested to social gender norms (Wohlwend, 2012). …show more content…
This finding is founded on the picture-based activity conducted with the children. The results of this activity oppose what I found in my observations. This finding astonished me because from past experience in working in early years, usually the children’s ideologies are existent and apparent in their play (Burghardt, 2011 and Pellegrini, 2009). Yet here, this was not the case. Which poses the question what are the affects of autism spectrum disorder on gendered
Whilst acting as a participant observer, which may have altered the perceptions and the way children play, I uncovered that the children didn’t play in a gendered manner. This finding was striking, as I didn’t expect this to be the case. I found that the boys contested social gender norms (Blaise, 2005) by playing with dolls as well as toys such as cars. I also found that one girl in particular contested to social gender norms (Wohlwend, 2012). …show more content…
This finding is founded on the picture-based activity conducted with the children. The results of this activity oppose what I found in my observations. This finding astonished me because from past experience in working in early years, usually the children’s ideologies are existent and apparent in their play (Burghardt, 2011 and Pellegrini, 2009). Yet here, this was not the case. Which poses the question what are the affects of autism spectrum disorder on gendered