The Role of Instructional Contexts for Promoting Play-Literacy Integration in Kindergarten Classrooms

• In Event: 34.059 - Young Children's Multimodal Literacies

Abstract

Researchers have described the role of free-play activities in children’s language and literacy development during the early years, including settings that encourage literacy integration, peer interactions, and opportunities for educator scaffolding. What is less well known is how instructional contexts promote literacy integration within free-play activities. This study used observational data to examine the impact of two instructional contexts on children’s free-play behaviours - direct literacy instruction and within play literacy scaffolding. Results demonstrate that both instructional contexts can have effect on children’s literacy integration, particularly the role of direct comprehension instruction. While teacher-embedded play activities did not produce significant associations with children’s free play, more literacy-involved play was observed in this context.

Authors

• Daniel Poliszczuk, Conestoga College

• Angela Pyle, University of Toronto - OISE

• Erica Paige Danniels, University of Toronto

• Miles Parkinson, University of Toronto