Research has shown that early language skills allow children to learn from others
and provide the foundation for successful reading experiences. Young children
learn language by actively participating in events. Typically, children expand
their skills to a higher level when they engage in play activities with their
peers. This book examines how play activities can guide children to enhance
their high-quality language and literacy skills.
Adults must have a comprehensive understanding of the similarities between play,
language, and literacy development. They must know how to create contexts in
which all children are self-motivated to enhance their literacy abilities and
that create a strong foundation for further successful academic learning
throughout their school years. Chapter 1 explains the need to modify classroom
practices so that children are engaged in developmentally appropriate practices
that motivate them to expand their learning. Chapter 2 addresses
how play activities enhance childrenās learning, while Chapter 3
discusses the impact that symbolic representations have on the development of
early language and literacy learning. Chapter 4 then
focuses on how the development of play supports language and literacy
enhancement. Finally, Chapter 5 centers on the idea that all adults,
professionals, and family members must work together so children can maximize
their learning of skills during the early education years. By understanding the
relationships between play, language, and literacy, adults can create activities
that motivate all children to achieve their highest level of learning.
Events similar to the ones described in this scenario appear in classrooms for young children, community centers, and homes of young children. Play events have always been considered both developmentally appropriate and a cornerstone of a young childās learning. As children engage in play they share their creativity through verbal and nonverbal language and tangible representations of their thinking. The interaction of children as they play provides a safe environment for acquiring both conversational and academic language. Through play children learn how to engage in oral discourse. They exchange their understanding and use of vocabulary, syntax, and cultural knowledge. Additionally, they also learn how to problem-solve and negotiate ideas. These rich, developmentally appropriate learning opportunities are seamless for children through play. As children develop, play allows them to escape from their present worlds and travel to fictitious worlds that are created by the intertwining of their personal knowledge, plans, and dreams. As this book will demonstrate, many of the skills that children develop during pretend play activities provide the foundation for the skills needed when they are enrolled in school and participate in common core activities. These skills include solving problems, making predictions, analyzing information, and negotiating ideas.
Developmentally Appropriate Practices
Within the past two decades formal early learning standards have been designed and many parents, administrators, and politicians have proposed that formal academic activities replace the traditional play activities of young children (Hirsh-Pasek, Golinkoff, Berk, & Singer, 2009). Many educators are alarmed about the impact on childrenās overall learning with these types of curriculum changes that decrease play opportunities and child-centered activities where childrenās interactions focus on meaningful learning activities that the child is self-motivated to accomplish. Instead, those activities are being replaced with inappropriate adult-directed instruction focusing on activities where adults lead children through specific steps of a learning activity.
Play has typically been thought to be a valuable experience for young childrenās learning and development.
Michael Greenberg/Photodisc/Thinkstock
Educational researchers have produced a comprehensive collection of studies that clearly demonstrates a direct relationship between play activities and early academic skill developmentāthat is, language and literacy skills, math and science skills, and social and self-regulatory skills, which are summarized below (for a complete review, see Fisher, Hirsh-Pasek, Golinkoff, Singer, & Berk, 2011).
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nationās premier organization of early childhood professionals. It establishes research-based standards for programs and professionals, provides resources to improve the quality of early education programs, assists families in learning how to identify high-quality educational programs, and enhances professionalsā knowledge through professional development activities such as workshops, seminars, and conferences.
In 2009 the NAEYC published a Position Statement that offers a framework for creating best practices for the development and learning of children birth through age 8. This report is grounded in current research findings on child development and learning and expressly identifies the following needs: (1) to reduce learning gaps in achievement, (2) to improve the connection between preschool education and elementary education, and (3) to identify teacher knowledge and decision making as vital to educational effectiveness. This statement, which addresses concerns similar to the ones addressed in this chapter, complements other NAEYC position statements (NAEYC, 2005; NAEYC & NAECS/SDE, 2002, 2003) by outlining practices for use in todayās eclectic classrooms to promote optimal learning and development.
Todayās diverse classrooms promote ideal learning opportunities for all children.
Ā© iStockphoto.com/CEFutcher
For almost 20 years, the NAEYC has advocated two fundamental commitments: (1) that excellence and equality must be provided for the education of all children, and (2) that teachers must have a core understanding of how children learn and develop physically, socially, emotionally, linguistically, and cognitively. Specifically, the NAEYC endorses the concept of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP), which is the belief that all teaching practices should be appropriate to childrenās ages and developmental status, attuned to them as unique individuals, and responsive to the social and cultural contexts in which they live (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009).
Likewise, the National Head Start Association (NHSA) is an organization that advocates on behalf of two federally funded early education programs. One program is the Early Start Program, which promotes the school readiness for children birth to 2 years old from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Another program is the Head Start Program, which promotes the school readiness of children ages 3 to 5 years old from low-income families by also enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Similar to NAEYC, the mission of NHSA is to combat poverty in the United States by advocating for educational equality for all children and for early education professionals who are capable of providing high-quality, comprehensive programs in the areas of education, health, social services, and parent-community. This book fully supports the commitments of NAEYC and NHSA. However, as discussed later in this chapter, unfortunately the following trends exist (Child Trends Data Bank, 2012):
- Only 55% of 3- to 6-year-olds who were not in kindergarten attended early education programs in 2007
- Children from low-income families are less likely than children in more affluent families to attend early education programs
- Children of mothers who work are more likely than children whose mothers do not work to attend early education programs
The NAEYC (2009) proposes the following four evidence-based findings that provide the framework for efforts to ...