ARTICLE REVIEW

Article Review



Article Review

Introduction

In this paper we analyse following article “Potential for play in a primary literacy curriculum” written by Linda Pickett. Play in the preschool years has the potential to provide young children with a highly engaging and meaningful context for learning essential early literacy concepts and skills. The potential exists because theoretically, dramatic play and literacy share higher order, cognitive processes such as imaging, categorizing and problem solving. This paper analysis presented of the following aritlce Potential for play in a primary literacy curriculum” (Jean, 1997) is based on Sampling, Credibility, Methodology, results and main focus of the article in which the author shows that research interest in a play-literacy connection appeared as early as 1974, but surged during the 1990s - most likely inspired by new insights into the foundations of literacy before schooling (Linda, 2005, 267-274). Play, as a developmentally-appropriate activity, meshed perfectly with emergent literacy, a new insight on literacy development, and the play-literacy connection became one of the most heavily-researched areas of early literacy learning and instruction in the late 20th century (Jean, 1997).

Sample Size

As in other areas of early childhood development, the "classic" theories of Piaget8 and Vygotsky9, provide strong theoretical frameworks for investigating play-literacy relationships (Linda, 2005, 267-274). Observations derived from a Piagetian view emphasize the value of social pretend play for practicing and consolidating broad cognitive skills, such as symbolic representation, and emerging literacy skills, such as print awareness. This perspective also focuses on interactions between individuals and the objects in the physical environment, leading to the development of literacy-enriched play centers as an intervention strategy. Vygotskian theory focuses attention on the role of adults and peers in acquiring social literacy practices during play (Jean, 1997). Arguing that literacy acquisition is a social, constructive process that begins early in life, this theory posits that children develop literacy concepts and skills through everyday experiences with others, including bedtime storybook reading and pretend play (Linda, 2005, 267-274).

Although singularly these classic theories do not explain the dynamics of the play-literacy interface, i.e. how play activity influences literacy development, they do offer behavioural categories apparently shared by play and literacy, such as pretend transformations, narrative thinking, meta-play talk, and social interaction (Jean, 1997).

Play Process. A critical cognitive connection between play and literacy is rooted in the theoretical premise that representational abilities acquired in pretend transformations ("this stands for that") transfer to other symbolic forms, such as written language. Some research evidence supports this premise. Pellegrini, for example, found that children's level of pretend skill predicted their emergent writing status (Linda, 2005, 267-274). In a related study Pellegrini and his associates found positive, significant relationships between three-year-old children's symbolic play and their use of meta-linguistic verbs (i.e. verbs that deal with oral and written language activity such as talk, write, speak, read), which suggests transfer of abstract, socially defined language uses between play and literacy (Jean, 1997).

Other researchers have pursued a narrative link between play process and literacy ...