Play and Literacy Development in Early Childhood

This assignment delves into the crucial relationship between play and literacy development during early childhood. It requires students to critically examine relevant research articles and theoretical frameworks that shed light on how play activities contribute to children's literacy skills. The analysis should encompass various aspects of play, including its role in fostering language development, phonological awareness, print awareness, and comprehension.

Running head: EARLY EDUCATION
Impact of play on literacy development
Student Name
University name
Author Name

EARLY EDUCATION
Abstract
This research paper initially analyzed the available theories and strategies to understand the
significant of play in early child education. The research demonstrated that significance of play
in language learning for non native English speakers is underexposed. Therefore the researcher
focused more on role of play in non native English children. The researcher initiated some
experiments in certain hypothetical situations and engaged a chosen subject groups consisting
both native and non native English speakers. The teachers were involved in the data collection
process where they answered questions related to the research. The result highlighted that among
various games the socio dramatic play and musical play are highly effective in English language
skill building for the children.

EARLY EDUCATION
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Research aim....................................................................................................................................4
Methods and analysis.......................................................................................................................7
Data analysis and sampling technique.........................................................................................8
Sample Size.................................................................................................................................8
Analysis and Findings......................................................................................................................9
Physical play................................................................................................................................9
Survey..............................................................................................................................................9
Playing with objects...................................................................................................................10
Symbolic play............................................................................................................................12
Musical play...............................................................................................................................13
Socio dramatic play...................................................................................................................14
Possible impact..............................................................................................................................16
Reference.......................................................................................................................................17

EARLY EDUCATION
Introduction
Play has become a significant tool for the children and the teachers to develop their
literacy skills. The structured play form the learning capacity of the children from the pre
schools, this is also significant for the non English speaking children. The teacher also plays
important role in the literacy development. It has been observed through various researches that
play has been an integral part of the early children learning to increase their learning capacity.
The author’s interest in play at early children education started when the author was engaged in
the pre service of early childhood education. The early education program based on play is
majorly focused on the English language speakers. The study curriculum is composed of various
play activities in order to provide them with writing and reading skills. The teacher is responsible
to enhance the children’s personal development. There are researches that have explored the
direct connection between play and emergent literacy development and those studies have
successfully indicated that the play activities have significant role in the broader literacy skill
development (Roskos 2017). The author also has had the experience to work with children in a
play school for a brief period of time. However there was playing involved in the learning
process but mostly as after activity rewards (Benozio and Diesendruck 2015). The playing in
early literacy program should be an integral part of the learning process. Few significant research
have been initiated by few researchers but not many have explored extensively how through play
the development goals of early education have been achieved and specifically for the children of
non English speakers. It is necessary for the teachers to effectively incorporate play in the
children learning curriculum and make sure that is contributing in the development of the
children irrespective of their language background.

EARLY EDUCATION
Research aim
This research responds to the various available research literatures that deal with the
theoretical knowledge of how play supports the development in early literacy practice. However
this is felt that not many research have been indicated how the play could enhance the
development of non English speaking children in learning English language. Therefore the
research aim is twofold; the primary focus is the role of play in the early literacy education for
the non English speaking children and then how the play is utilized as part of their literacy
program to enhance their English language capacity.
The following research questions can be identified for our research purposes.
 How play develops literacy skills of the children?
 How the teachers involve the children in the learning and development program?
 How play develops the literacy skills for the non English speaking children?
 How play enhances the language skills of the children? What types of play are
used in this process?
 For the non English speaking children how play is used by the teachers to help
them English language?
As we discussed that play has been a part of early literacy education for children for a
long time and the connection between the two has already been established by various
researchers. However in order to concentrate on a limited specific area it was necessary for the
author to reinterpret and analyze the established norms. That is why he set primary two questions
of the research more general regarding the role of teachers and their use of play activities in
literacy education for all children. After exploring these it will easier for the researcher to

EARLY EDUCATION
concentrate on the desired section of exploring play’s role in the literacy education and language
learning for the non English speaking children, on which the later three questions are set.
The research is qualitative in nature using first hand experiences of the author. The author
participated as an observer in a selected day care centre in a rural town of Australia. She has
interacted and observed the preschool learning activities for a long period of time. The author has
interacted with the teachers about how they are engaging play in their learning curriculum and
language education how the children are developing their literacy behaviors during play and in
certain hypothetical situations. The research in the preschool can be divided into three parts
where in each part the teacher intervention increased. In the methodology section the
observations have been discussed in details in order to find the results.
Underpinning literature
The literature review also followed the similar approach where it explores various
literature related to significance of play in the early childhood education, various concepts
applied in the learning through playing and the teachers’ role in the learning process. The
literature gap is explored that not much research has been done for the non native English
speakers in their early childhood education.
Children learn to read and write a lot more effectively if play activities are included in
their learning curriculum (Saracho and Bernard 2006). The play blocks are colored tools help
them to engage in the learning procedure with great concentration and they express their natural
ideas and express their thoughts more easily. The imagination capability is nurtured through
playing as it is stated that during the play activity the child hold himself above his or her average
age behavior (Kyratzis 2017).

EARLY EDUCATION
The linguistic development of children gets developed in their early years that help them
to develop future communication abilities. Through paying the child gains more understanding
about the language through interacting with others around him. The researchers believe that the
literacy development should be built naturally through playing. The cognitive, emotional and
social development of the children is greatly influenced by the learning techniques that involved
playing in it.
The narrative stories are used by the educator in the learning process and the language
has great impact on the children as from the very first day the children start developing their
literacy and language (Banerjee, Alsalman and Shehana 2015). The book related play is often
incorporated by the educator in the playing that includes certain props, self direction and
repeated exposure. The participation by the children in the activities helps them learn more than
the teacher’s promt as many scholars found (Mielonen and Paterson 2009). Montessori explained
that the learning process should consist of repeated activities and practically doing things. It has
been experienced that children remember the past playing experience and incorporate those in
their new playing activities.
The teachers take multiple strategies for forming the playing in the children learning. The
socio dramatic play, make believe situations and objects and communication games are included
in the process. The responsible adult participation of the teacher makes the experience enriching
for the children (Saracho and Bernard 2006). During the dramatic learning phase the teachers support,
encourage and involve with the children through the literacy materials and observe the growth and notice
the changes towards good.
The literacy gap between the native English speakers and the non native English speakers
who have been learning the language is significance (Saracho 2002). The native English

EARLY EDUCATION
speaking children learn the activities through playing fasters than their non English speaking
peers who also have to learn a new language. The investigation highlighted that culture has to be
implemented into the learning activities and playing in order to make the process easier and more
effective for both native non native English speakers and that has to be done in a very early age.
Methods and analysis
Methodology is the systematic process of conducting and completing a research (Bergh
and Ketchen 2009). This research paper has included various concepts, ideas and observations
that are relevant to the research topic. The philosophy and the approach of the research will get
reflected upon the research method (Yilmaz 2013). The researcher believes that mix
methodology is best suited for this particular research. This is the research approach the author
can incorporate qualitative and quantitative data. The research will be more aligned with the
quantitative research approach where the reasoning process is more dependent on theories and
practical analysis in contrast with the deductive research that is based on experimental data.
Mix methodology consists of both qualitative and quantitative data collection (Rocco et
al. 2003). Primary data is collected through interviewing the teachers or educators of the learning
center who initiated most of the activities and willingly participated in the observation.
Secondary data is collected from suitable books, websites and journals (Cooper and Schindler
2010). Certain play methods were implemented in during the data collection, the analysis and the
results will be discussed in the following section. In order to gather information related to the
children’s English language knowledge and proficiency the author with the help of the teachers
has conducted writing, reading and verbal proficiency test. The experimental subject group was
under same study curriculum like the control group only they were provided with certain play

EARLY EDUCATION
tools and activities more than the others. The subject experiment group is consisted of 12
children of the age group 4 to 5 from the selected kindergarten.
The data collection method here is the mix nature which allows the researcher to collect
general knowledge on the selected research topic. Based on the qualitative and quantitative data
analysis the researcher came to a detailed explanation and conclusion. The empirical data is
gathered through the data analysis that can help researchers to work on the similar topic in the
future. Certain tools like selected subject groups, existed case studies and research actions have
been used in the process of finding and gathering qualitative data. The lawful ethics have been
followed throughout the process of data collection (Riege 2008).
Data analysis and sampling technique
The questions that the teachers participated were both qualitative and quantitative in
nature. The quantitative and qualitative both methods have been adapted by the researcher for
this research. The data have been presented in graph, diagrams and in description as well.
Sample Size
The author analyzed the existing theories, concepts and data available on the selected
topic and based on the theories and researches she developed her own research where she also
included her primary data based on his interviews with the teachers (Research-methodology.net
2014). Total 5 teachers were selected by the researchers to take participate in the survey
questions.

EARLY EDUCATION
Analysis and Findings
Physical play
The physical play is a part of the children’s daily activity where the subject groups
participated in the jumping, dancing, climbing, skipping, ball playing, bike riding, junk
modeling, cutting and constructing toys with all other children (Chow, McKenzie and Louie
2015). The teachers gave simple instructions for following certain game rules in languages other
than English, the children who know the language shows interest but do not actively engage.
However in the English language instruction even if some did not follow the instructions but
followed how others are reacting. It has been observed they are most active and energetic during
these mainly outdoor games. It has also been observed that the subject children are most
expressive about their ideas as they communicate with their peers spontaneously without any of
the educator’s intervention. About 10 children were active during the physical play section and
they are also the most active participant during the later interactive sessions with their teachers.
Survey
1. Are you aware how many children in your activity are native or non native English
language speakers?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Yes 02 05 40
No 03 05 60

EARLY EDUCATION
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Yes
No
Source: Created by Author
2. Do the non native English speakers face difficulties understanding instructions in
English language?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Easy for both
native and non
native speakers
03 05 60
Struggle to
understand
02 05 40
Do not understand 00 05

EARLY EDUCATION
No of
respondents Total
respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Easy for both native and
non native speakers
Struggle to understand
Do not understand
Source: Created by Author
3. Do you think English language learning is a significant a part of the physical play in
the learning center?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Yes 01 05 20
Sometimes 02 05 40
No 02 05 40

EARLY EDUCATION
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Yes
Sometimes
No
Source: Created by Author
Playing with objects
The children were given toy equipments for building a construction where they had to
build a fantasy fort. It was interesting to notice that 5 out of 12 children were engaged in
narrative story building while building the fort. This play is designed such a way that the
reasoning, thinking and problem solving skills of the children get expressed through these (Kultti
and Pramling 2015). The teacher explained to the researcher how the students while playing with
objects like this the children tend to set their own objectives and goals and monitor their progress
throughout the process (Yilmaz 2016). The teachers encouraged the subjects to engage in the
“private speech”, which they are demonstrating during the development of the toy. This is the
process of explaining and narrating every step of the toy construction (Diaz and Berk 2014). The
teacher gave toys related to English culture like Christmas tree or Toy English Sailor which
helped the non native English speakers to know the culture specific terms as well.

EARLY EDUCATION
4. Did the students respond to the English language learning in the private speech?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Spontaneously 02 05 40
Reluctantly 02 05 40
Neutral 01 05 20
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Spontaneously
Reluctantly
Neutral
Source: Created by Author
5. How did the non native English speaking children participate in the narration?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Better than their
native English
00 05 00

EARLY EDUCATION
speaking peers
Worse than their
English speaking
peers
03 05 60
Equal to their
English Speaking
peers
02 05 40
No of
respondents Total
respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Better than their native
English speaking peers
Worse than their English
speaking peers
Equal to their English
Speaking peers
Source: Created by Author

EARLY EDUCATION
Symbolic play
In the next step the children were engaged in the symbolic play. Here various mediums
like reading, writing, painting, making collages, and spoken languages are part of it. This play is
designed in order to support the children in developing their technical abilities to reflect and
express their emotions, experience and ideas. In developing early literacy skills, especially
regarding language learning the phonological awareness plays significant role (Christie and
Roskos, 2006). Playing activity includes making up new words, rhymes play, funny sounds and
stories. The educators express how during a specific activity where the children had to speak any
other language or gibberish, the non native English speakers chose words that are close to their
native language while the native English speakers used only gibberish.
6. How important is the verbal sound making for language development?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Very 04 05 80
Not important 00 05 00
Neutral 01 05 20

EARLY EDUCATION
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Very
Not important
Neutral
Source: Created by Author
7. Did non native English speakers participate differently than their native peers?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Very differently 04 05 80
Similarly 01 05 20

EARLY EDUCATION
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Very differently
Similarly
Source: Created by Author
8. How the teachers are including English language learning program in the activity?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Embedded with
the activity
02 05 40
Separate from the
activity
02 05 40
Not included 01 05 20

EARLY EDUCATION
No of
respondents Total
respondents Response %
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Embedded with the activity
Separate from the activity
Not included
Source: Created by Author
Musical play
The children at the kindergarten were also engaged in musical play where students took
part in singing dancing through their bodies. Early communication skill is created through the
rhythm and sound surround the child. Musical play is highly effective in developing abilities,
social interaction, self regulation, creativity and communication (Campbell and Scott-Kassner
2013). The subject group was engaged participated in a joint music making activity where after
regular participation for 5 day the subject group has shown enhanced linguistic and social
interaction. For non native English speaking children (total number 4), songs from other
languages were also used along with the English version. The teachers stated that it was not
accepted easily by native English speakers but even the non native English speakers did not
respond well. However during the English song, most of the control and subject group responded
spontaneously.

EARLY EDUCATION
9. How important is musical activities for linguistic development of the children?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Very Important 03 05 60
Important 01 05 20
Not Important 01 05 20
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Very Important
Important
Not Important
Source: Created by Author
10. How did the non English speakers respond to the activity in their native languages?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Spontaneously 00 05 00
Reluctantly 03 05 60
Did not respond 02 05 40

EARLY EDUCATION
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Spontaneously
Reluctantly
Did not respond
Source: Created by Author
11. How did the non English speakers respond to the activity in English languages?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Spontaneously 04 05 80
Reluctantly 01 05 20
Did not respond 00 05 00

EARLY EDUCATION
No of respondents Total respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Spontaneously
Reluctantly
Did not respond
Source: Created by Author
Socio dramatic play
The created play world in association with narrative inputs makes the academic,
cognitive and social development fast (Gregory 2017). In the play the children interacted with
their peers and with the teachers most. A fictional situation was given where the subjects had to
participate the play was about few animals and the children were asked to build their own
language but they had to make it understandable for others. The teachers expressed that the non
native English students also used mostly English words combining with some verbal sounds that
have also some connection with English words. They highlighted that they are repeating few
English words that their native English speaking peers had used. They draw the researcher’s
attention towards the fact that this game is highly effective to achieve our desired experiment.
The non native English speaking children built their vocabulary through transferring what he or
she has been hearing in the environment surrounded the child.

EARLY EDUCATION
12. How did the Non native English speakers respond to the verbal activity during the
drama?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %
Used native words
mostly
00 05 00
Used English
words mostly
02 05 40
Mixed both 03 05 60
No of
respondents Total
respondents Response %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Used native words mostly
Used English words mostly
Mixed both
Source: Created by Author
13. How the language development can be improved for the non native English speaking
children?
Options No of respondents Total respondents Response %

EARLY EDUCATION
By adding more
verbal activities
02 05 40
Involving their
parents
01 05 20
Engaging them
more in
interaction with
the English
speaking peers
02 05 40
No of
respondents Total
respondents Response %
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
By adding more verbal
activities
Involving their parents
Engaging them more in
interaction with the English
speaking peers
Source: Created by Author

EARLY EDUCATION
Possible impact
As a researcher on early childhood literacy education the author some pre conceived
notion and ideas. During the research, especially during the survey and interaction with the
teachers the researcher found that the result was quite contradictory at times. Not much research
have been done on language learning and game so the researcher was doubtful about play’s
impact on language learning but with the different game experiments, like musical game or socio
dramatic game the children responded highly to the language challenges and results were mostly
positive. The teachers’ participation and significance are often ignored which researcher stressed
quite a bit. Future researchers can work upon this underexposed area in order to build an
effective language program for children focusing on the non native English speaker children.

EARLY EDUCATION
Reference
Banerjee, R., Alsalman I, A., & Shehana, A. S. (2015). Supporting Sociodramatic Play in
Preschools to Promote Language and Literacy Skills of English Language Learners. Early
Childhood Educ J.
Benozio, A. and Diesendruck, G., 2015. From effort to value: Preschool children’s alternative to
effort justification. Psychological science, 26(9), pp.1423-1429.
Bergh, D. and Ketchen, D. J. (2009) Research methodology in Strategy and Management, 1st ed.
Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd
Campbell, P. and Scott-Kassner, C., 2013. Music in childhood: From preschool through the
elementary grades. Nelson Education.
Chow, B., McKenzie, T.L. and Louie, L., 2015. Children’s physical activity and associated
variables during preschool physical education. Advances in Physical Education, 5(1), p.39.
Christie, J. and Roskos, K., 2015. How does play contribute to literacy. The handbook of the
study of play, 2, pp.417-424.
Cooper, D. and Schindler, P. S. (2010) Business Research Methods, 11th ed. London: McGra-
Hill.
Diaz, R.M. and Berk, L.E., 2014. Private speech: From social interaction to self-regulation.
Psychology Press.
Gregory, E. ed., 2017. One child, many worlds: Early learning in multicultural communities.
Routledge.

EARLY EDUCATION
Kultti, A. and Pramling, N., 2015. Bring Your Own Toy: Socialisation of Two-Year-Olds
Through Tool-Mediated Activities in an Australian Early Childhood Education Context. Early
Childhood Education Journal, 43(5), pp.367-376.
Kyratzis, A., 2017. 22 Children’s Co-Construction of Sentence and Discourse Structures in Early
Childhood: Implications for Development. New Perspectives on Human Development, p.425.
Mielonen, M. A., & Paterson, W. (2009). Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education. Developing
Literacy through Play, 3 (1).
Onwuegbuzie, A. J. and Leech, N. J. (2009) “On becoming a pragmatic researcher: The
importance of combining quantitative and qualitative research methodologies” International
Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8, 375-387.
Research-methodology.net (2014) Research Approach Available from: http://research-
methodology.net/research-methodology/research-approach/ [Accessed 26.09.2017].
Riege, A. M. (2008). “Validity and reliability tests in case study research: a literature review
with “hands-on” applications for each research phase”, Qualitative Market Research: An
International Journal, 6(2), pp.75-86.
Rocco, T.S., Bliss, L.A., Gallagher, S. and Pérez-Prado, A. (2003). Taking the next step: Mixed
methods research in organizational systems. Information Technology, Learning, and
Performance Journal, 21(1), pp.19.
Roskos, K.A. ed., 2017. Play and literacy in early childhood: Research from multiple
perspectives. Routledge.
Saracho, O. (2002). Teachers' roles in supporting children's literacy development through play '. .