Teaching Assistant who is stuck

[dolly]

Heya im Dolly and next month I will be starting my teaching assistant NVQ2 at college.At the moment I am doing my initial training which has lasted nearly 15 weeks but I havn't really had a lot of time in the class so i am finding some stuff difficult.
Basically I wanted to know if anybody would please explain to me the differences between a learning and play environment.I know once somebody has started to explain that i will get it and it is probably something so simple yet it has confused me :(
So please anybody.................a few sentances would be brilliant,my foler is being handed in Thursday and this is my last piece.

[Chef Dave]

A learning environment encompasses the physical setting of a classroom as well as its emotional climate. It is the place where learning occurs. Teachers are largely responsible for the development of this climate. They arrange furniture, set up learning centers, put up bulletin boards, and implement classroom rules that govern student behavior and often structure student learning.

Play is often much less structured than the academic environment of a classroom. When children play, they are developing their social skills. Students old enough to participate in an organized game learn to follow explicit rules that govern a group's behavior. The mere act of choosing sides is an affirmation of friendship and also establishes a "pecking order" based upon perceived athletic skills.

[dolly]

Senior Dave if you was here right now I would kiss you,thank you so much xxxxx;)

[Mountshasta]

Heya im Dolly and next month I will be starting my teaching assistant NVQ2 at college.At the moment I am doing my initial training which has lasted nearly 15 weeks but I havn't really had a lot of time in the class so i am finding some stuff difficult.
Basically I wanted to know if anybody would please explain to me the differences between a learning and play environment.I know once somebody has started to explain that i will get it and it is probably something so simple yet it has confused me :(
So please anybody.................a few sentances would be brilliant,my foler is being handed in Thursday and this is my last piece.

Learning environment - allocated class time is structured to yield maximum number of instructional minutes in which students are engaged in teacher directed activities.
Play environment - environment in which structure is not emphasized resulting in students doing other things instead of teacher directed activities. Example might be 50 minutes allocated for reading period yet students engaged in learning how to read for only 30.