Drama: narrative pedagogy and socially challenged children

Melanie Peter, Senior Lecturer in Education and Early Childhood at Anglia Ruskin University, argues that the ability to engage in narrative stems from early interactive play formats and is essential for perceiving patterns and sequences in life – the fabric of social understanding. Developing themes set out in her earlier work, this article presents a rationale and developmental model for drama as narrative pedagogy. Whether narrative impairment is a cause or consequence of their difficulties, hard-to-reach or socially challenged children – exemplified by those with autism – characteristically show a limited spontaneous play repertoire, which necessarily hampers their development. However, through a play-tutoring approach in drama, especially by the teacher-in-role, significant gains may be noted. Melanie Peter uses case studies to illustrate an emerging triad of competencies that contribute to enhancing social understanding: more effective communication, greater sensitivity in interaction and creative problem-solving. The generative pedagogical dimensions support a developmental framework for using drama to explore cultural values and issues embedded in stories, towards greater narrative identity and more effective participation in a social world.     

Narratives: A window on the oral substrate of written language disabilities

Oral precursors underlying competence with literacy activities are approached through a review of studies on narrative comprehension and production in children identified as language learning disabled (LLD). Areas addressed include a general overview of narrative types, the kinds of narrative knowledge that are acquired, the nature of story organization, and developmental acquisitions in story recall and generation. Nine studies on the oral comprehension and production of language learning disabled children are then compared with respect to methodological issues and patterns of performance. Implications from these studies are discussed in terms of their potential insight for subtypes of a LLD including the value of oral narratives in identifying precursors for competence with written language.     

Monsters,magic and Mr Psycho: a biocultural approach to rough and tumble play in the early years of primary school

This paper focuses upon the developmental role of rough and tumble (R&T) play with particular attention to the narratives that children use to underpin such activities. A review of the literature suggests that current early years research and practice pays scant attention to children's outdoor free play activities. A piece of original research is described in which playtime activities were ethnographically observed over an 18‐month period. A biocultural approach was used in the analysis of data, in an attempt to encompass the roles of biology, evolution and culture in human development. Findings indicate that the narratives underpinning R&T play were socially complex and highly gendered, and it is suggested that much developmental learning may occur within such free play activities.     

Atom Surprise: Using Theatre in Primary Science Education

Early exposure to science may have a lifelong effect on children’s attitudes towards science and their motivation to learn science in later life. Out-of-class environments can play a significant role in creating favourable attitudes, while contributing to conceptual learning. Educational science theatre is one form of an out-of-class environment, which has received little research attention. This study aims to describe affective and cognitive learning outcomes of watching such a play and to point to connections between theatrical elements and specific outcomes. “Atom Surprise” is a play portraying several concepts on the topic of matter. A mixed methods approach was adopted to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of children (grades 1–6) from two different school settings who watched the play. Data were gathered using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Analysis suggested that in both schools children’s knowledge on the topic of matter increased after the play with younger children gaining more conceptual knowledge than their older peers. In the public school girls showed greater gains in conceptual knowledge than boys. No significant changes in students’ general attitudes towards science were found, however, students demonstrated positive changes towards science learning. Theatrical elements that seemed to be important in children’s recollection of the play were the narrative, props and stage effects, and characters. In the children’s memory, science was intertwined with the theatrical elements. Nonetheless, children could distinguish well between scientific facts and the fictive narrative.     

The Play-Literacy Interface in Full-day Kindergarten Classrooms

The increasing accountability framework in Kindergarten education has put pressure on teachers to ensure that students reach certain literacy milestones before proceeding to the subsequent grade. One result of this shift is a tension between an emphasis on academic learning and the use of developmentally appropriate practices, such as play. However, there is evidence that play can be an effective context for literacy development. This study investigated the enacted integration of literacy learning and play-based pedagogies. Semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers who taught using a play-based Kindergarten program revealed differences in their beliefs about the role of play for literacy learning. Two groups of teachers emerged from the data analysis. The play and development group. Consisted of five teachers who dichotomized play and learning while the integrated play and learning group consisted of seven teachers who combined play and learning. Teachers in the play and development group expressed the concept that play may not be the best approach for literacy learning and were less likely to integrate the two. Teachers in the integrated play and learning group believed play was important for children’s literacy learning and articulated a range of strategies for integration. Classroom observations of children’s play showed evidence of more literacy-play integration by students in the integrated play and learning group. Teachers in this group were also more likely to become involved in children’s play, which supported children’s literacy engagement during play. Although there were differences in play-literacy integration between the groups, all teachers expressed challenges associated with implementing a play-based learning program.     

Guided Play: Where Curricular Goals Meet a Playful Pedagogy

Decades of research demonstrate that a strong curricular approach to preschool education is important for later developmental outcomes. Although these findings have often been used to support the implementation of educational programs based on direct instruction, we argue that guided play approaches can be equally effective at delivering content and are more developmentally appropriate in their focus on child‐centered exploration. Guided play lies midway between direct instruction and free play, presenting a learning goal, and scaffolding the environment while allowing children to maintain a large degree of control over their learning. The evidence suggests that such approaches often outperform direct‐instruction approaches in encouraging a variety of positive academic outcomes. We argue that guided play approaches are effective because they create learning situations that encourage children to become active and engaged partners in the learning process.     

Reggio Emilia Inspired Learning Groups: Relationships,Communication, Cognition,and Play

A key aspect of the Reggio Emilia inspired curriculum is a learning group approach that fosters social and cognitive development. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a Reggio Emilia inspired learning group approach works for children with and without disabilities. This study gives insight into how to form an appropriate learning group including the effective ratio between children with and without disabilities, the teacher expertise required and other supporting strategies for children with special needs to function more positively in a learning group approach. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative data analysis to code selected videotaped learning group sessions. Findings indicated that across the five children, four children developed in the areas of relationship, communication, and play skills. Children within the learning group exhibited increased interest, inclusion, friendship, and empathy toward both children with special needs. In addition, facilitating high quality learning groups requires intentional planning, reflection, and engagement from children and teachers.     

Emergent mathematical thinking in the context of play

In the attempt to improve mathematical thinking for safeguarding our future societal needs, there is a worldwide tendency in schools to start training mathematical and arithmetical operations at an earlier age in children’s development. Recent theoretical developments and empirical research have pointed to alternative ways of approaching early mathematical thinking. In these latter approaches, mathematical development in the early developmental stages is seen as an emerging process in the context of children’s own activities that contributes to meaningful learning and stimulation of children’s cultural identity (Bildung approach). The discussion between the training approach versus the ‘Bildung’ approach is still intemperately going on. In this article, some outcomes of a research programme (based at the Free University Amsterdam) are discussed that present empirical studies and their theoretical background (cultural–historical theory, elaborated in an educational concept called ‘Developmental Education’) that demonstrates the promising potentials of promoting mathematical thinking through supporting young children’s appropriation of schematic representations and notations in the context of play.     

The Playing Learning Child: Towards a pedagogy of early childhood

From children's own perspective, play and learning are not always separate in practices during early years. The purpose of this article is, first, to scrutinise the background and character of early years education in terms of play and learning. Second, to elaborate the findings of several years of research about children's learning in preschool related to the curriculum of early years education and, finally, to propose a sustainable pedagogy for the future, which does not separate play from learning but draws upon the similarities in character in order to promote creativity in future generations. Introducing the notions of act and object of learning and play (by act we mean how children play and learn and with the object we mean what children play and learn) we will chisel out an alternative early childhood education approach, here called developmental pedagogy, based on recent research in the field of play and learning, but also related to earlier approaches to early education.     

Play in the Preschool Classroom: Its Socioemotional Significance and the Teacher’s Role in Play

The goals of this paper were two-fold. The first goal was to examine the emotional and social developmental value of play in the early childhood classroom. This issue is important because of the recent impetus for a more academic focus in early childhood classrooms, and questions about the developmental benefits of play. The second goal was to examine and discuss the role teachers could play in making play a developmental and educational experience. This is because understanding the significance of play could make teachers less apprehensive about using play to promote learning and development, and enable them answer questions regarding the value of play. Using these goals as a backdrop, this paper discussed views of children’s play; the defining characteristics of emotional and social development; play and the socioemotional development of children; and the role of early childhood teachers in children’s play.     

Language play in the narrative writing of 9–11-year-olds

There has been little research into ‘language play’, the manipulation of language for enjoyment, in children’s narrative writing. The unprompted language play of 36 children was investigated in their writing of an imaginative story. The sample comprised three attainment sub-groups from a larger repeat-design quantitative study of writing development in the 9–11 age range. A total of 71 stories were further analysed, using qualitative methods derived from the relevant literature. Extensive use of language play was evident, as well as some stylistic differences between the sub-groups. The findings suggest that children’s propensity for manipulating the forms, meanings and uses of language might be channelled more explicitly into the teaching and learning of writing.     

Civic Science for Public Use: Mind in the Making and Vroom

Mind in the Making and Vroom are partner initiatives that exemplify a unique “civic science” approach to “bringing developmental science into the world.” Mind in the Making offers families and professionals working with children 0–8 access to developmental research, by engaging them in an active process of professional development and community outreach. Vroom is an outreach and communication initiative that brings “brain building basics” to communities, inviting parents to participate in the science of early learning through partnerships with trusted entities. These initiatives use collaborative, iterative processes in disseminating findings and implications of child development research. Preliminary evidence shows early promise of these initiatives to help promote engaged learning and life skills based on executive function in adults and children.     

Analyzing teacher narratives in early childhood garden-based education

Learning gardens can provide dynamic learning and developmental experiences for young children. This case study of 12 early childhood teachers explores how teachers describe (1) learning across numerous school readiness domains and (2) how to support this learning by promoting opportunities for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Participants worked at a university-affiliated early education program with a learning garden in the midwestern United States. Data included 19 narrative, photo-elicitation interviews during two growing seasons. Iterative qualitative analyses informed the creation of a Gourd Tee-Pee Model that describes learning across multiple domains and integrates self-determination theory into early childhood garden education. This framework can inform the design and evaluation of early childhood garden education programs.     

从“听”故事到“说”故事——道德叙事的心理解构和建构

在传统故事法的基础上,道德教育叙事取向主张使学生拥有更多更复杂的道德原型和隐喻,促进其叙事意识和道德感悟;主张道德叙事与儿童心理发展的契合,并围绕叙事素材的道德特征进行主题提炼和主题理解的教学;道德叙事教学应使儿童从道德故事的听(读)者转变为叙事者,着眼于儿童道德自我的解构与建构,开展合作与对话。     

Learning disabilities: A piagetian perspective

Research findings in learning disabilities based on Piaget's theory were reviewed. Superimposing the findings of research on Piagetian stages of cognitive development, it appears that during the sensorimotor stage the diagnosis of learning disabilities is difficult. The research findings suggest that there is a delay in cognitive development of learning-disabled children during elementary school years, which corresponds to preoperational, concrete operational, and transition to formal operational stages. From a genetic epistemological perspective, research evidence supports a “developmental lag” approach to learning disabilities. Implications for assessment, curriculum planning, and education are discussed.     

Mothers' Perspectives of the Peer-Related Social Development of Young Children with Developmental Delays and Communication Disorders

Mothers' perspectives of children's peer-related social development were obtained from matched groups of young children with developmental delays, communicative disorders, and typically developing children. Structured interviews elicited information on numerous issues including mothers' views of the importance of children's social skills development, rationales with respect to why children succeed or had difficulties on specific social tasks, and the socialization strategies mothers employ to promote children's peer-related social development. Mothers also reported on their efforts to arrange play with peers for their child and the degree to which they monitored that play. Results indicated that mothers rated children's social development as highly important, offered primarily internal rationales (e.g., traits, dispositions) for success or difficulties in achieving social tasks, and endorsed moderate and low power socialization strategies. Differences across the three groups were minimal. Mothers arranged play with peers least often for children with developmental delays and communication disorders, but monitored play more extensively for children with delays. These finding were discussed in terms of mothers adopting a developmental orientation to understand children's social development and their implications for maternal participation in peer competence intervention programs.     

Enhancing Peer Interactions Within the Context of Play

This paper provides a review of concepts and practices in the enhancement of peer relationships amongst young children in the context of play experiences, with particular emphasis upon the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. We examine definitions and typical development patterns of social competence and a range of factors which influence it, including family issues. A set of best practice guidelines are then discussed in terms of the extant research literature, along with potential areas for future research in this field.     

Neurodevelopmental Variation as a Framework for Thinking About the Twice Exceptional

Developmental exceptionalities span the range of learning abilities and encompass children with both learning disorders and learning gifts. The purpose of this article is to stimulate thinking about these exceptionalities, particularly the complexities and variations within and across people. Investigators tend to view learning disabilities or abilities, and gifts or high-end exceptionalities, as if they were necessarily and completely independent. This approach has led many in the field to look upon only limited aspects of the exceptional child, culminating in an inability to resolve the great variation and covariation that exists within and across children. Although there are a number of cognitive differences models that correctly advocate for an appreciation of profiles of strengths and weaknesses in the exceptional child, there remains a need for a neuroscientific approach that can help us better understand and accommodate the twice-exceptional individual—one with developmental disorders but also with high skills in the talent, creativity, or intellectual domains. We propose a model that will help us to fully appreciate that the brain that produces developmental learning abilities across the spectrum must be viewed as an integrated and multifaceted organ that is more than a simple reflection of its separate parts or domain-specific symptoms. We use developmental reading disability or dyslexia and the twice-exceptional individual as a means to illustrate how this model can aid in our thinking about these conditions.     

以文学作品为框架设计幼儿语言教育课程

发展幼儿的语言能力是幼儿教育的一项重要任务。在游戏活动的基础上，以文学作品为框架设计幼儿语言教育课程，能够有效地促进幼儿语言能力的发展。其设计步骤为：选择文学作品——例行的互动阅读——通过游戏活动探究作品——通过活动再现书中的思想和概念。     

OWL (On‐line Webstories for Learning): a unique web‐based literacy resource for primary/elementary children

Technology resources created for use by children have often been drill and practise or game‐like in approach. For a literacy resource, the use of narrative provides an opportunity for children to become more immersed in an environment rich in print and illustrations that supports the development of reading skills while encouraging the enjoyment of reading. This paper will examine the rationale for the incorporation of narrative in the OWL (On‐line Webstories for Learning) resource, and how the narrative line is supported by on‐line and off‐line activities.