This online professional learning resource is led by the playboxes team and facilitated by Education Scotland. It is available on the Autism Toolbox. It includes links to complementary professional learning materials and resources.

Please note however, that the approach is not exclusively relevant to autistic learners.

The Playboxes approach is based on the joint play intersubjectivity assessment method (JPIAM). It was developed by the late Helen Marwick, a developmental psychologist from the University of Strathclyde.

The Playboxes team, consists of teachers and Educational Psychology from the City of Edinburgh and speech and language therapy from NHS Lothian. the team has collaborated with Education Scotland and the national autism implementation team (NAIT) to produce:

• online training film for practitioners
• an implementation pack of guidance
• a professional learning activity to support reflection

Background

Originally developed for use with autistic children, the Playboxes approach is shown to be beneficial for a wider range of children and young people’s needs.

The outcomes for practitioners accessing the professional learning materials are:

• increased understanding of the development of play and joint attention in children and young people
• increased understanding how to support children and young people’s active engagement and participation in early learning and childhood and school settings
• knowledge of how to implement the Playboxes method in practice

Professional learning materials

View a professional learning video on the Autism Toolbox website.

Education Scotland has created a  Playboxes method professional learning activity (login required.) This can be used to enhance learning from the film. You can work through this activity individually or as a group.

The national autism implementation team (NAIT) has created additional guidance and materials which can support practitioners when implementing Playboxes.