Exploring the Impact of Role-Playing on Children's Literacy

This assignment delves into the significant role of role-playing in fostering literacy skills in children. It begins by highlighting the importance of oral language and how it evolves through playful interactions. The paper emphasizes that role-playing nurtures essential social and communication skills, using examples such as a market and restaurant setting to illustrate how children can learn new vocabularies, engage in decision-making, and adopt different perspectives. Furthermore, the assignment references the work of Fellowes and Oakley (2014) to underscore the connection between role-playing, oral language, and the physical world, as well as the importance of collaboration between parents and educators. It concludes by emphasizing how role-playing can help educators identify and address individual learning challenges. The assignment is contributed by a student to be published on Desklib, a platform providing AI-based study tools.

Running head: CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FOR LITERACY 1
Children’s Literature for Literacy
Name
Institution

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FOR LITERACY 2
Benefits of Role Playing in Child Learning
Essentially, literacy in children begins with exposure to oral language at birth. The skills
advance as they grow through language play and familiarize themselves with the environment
(Community Childcare, 2011). As development becomes more rapid, learning becomes more
playful and thus the need for more cheerful learning models such as role-playing. Firstly, experts
share the sentiment that role-playing is fundamental to children given that it nurtures social and
communication skills in the learners.
For instance, in the set-up of role-playing in a market and restaurant setting I will be
considering, learners will be familiar with the place, enabling them to have the comfort of
learning within homely conditions. Among many other benefits of playing roles in the
environment, the learners will learn new vocabularies, items and ability to take different
perspectives during interactions. I believe this is essential in expounding their reasoning
capabilities, as well as finding new friends and challenges and learning to handle them.
Equally, children learn to make decisions as they put themselves in one's shoes and try to
make conversations. Nonetheless, learning becomes more fun as they can wear costumes and
purport to be attendants, shopkeepers, cateresses, etc., alongside learning etiquette. Fellowes and
Oakley (2014) additionally suggest that role-playing bridges the gap between conventional
schooling and the comfort of company. Similarly, they suggest that role-playing ties oral
language and the physical world.
Lastly, children flourish in learning when parents and practitioners work together (Bruce,
T. & Spratt, J. (2011). Similarly, in my restaurant setting for the role play, I can be able to learn
much about the learners. I can identify those with social challenges in communication and
interaction and give them special attention, which is vital in ensuring I cater for the needs of all
the class.

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FOR LITERACY 3
References
Bruce, T. & Spratt, J. (2011). Essentials of literacy from 0-7 years: A whole-child approach to
communication, language, and literacy (2nd Ed.). London: Sage.
Community Child Care Victoria. (2011). Early Literacy and Numeracy.
Fellowes, J. & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, literacy and early childhood education (2nd Ed.).
Melbourne: Oxford University Press