Dramatic Play in the Kindergarten Programschools.tdsb.on.ca/asit/standards/btstart/KDrama.pdf ·...

Dramatic Play in the

Kindergarten

Program

This edition of Dramatic Play is based on a document of the same name from the EarlyChildhood Department, Toronto Board of Education.

Project Leader: Joan LittlefordDevelopers: Sheila Spanos, Linda WidenmaierPhotos: Al Weinberg, Media Services

Appreciation is expressed to the staff of the former Public School Boards of MetropolitanToronto who participated in the development of the original resource document.

© 2002 Toronto District School Board

Reproduction of this document for use by schools within the Toronto DistrictSchool Board is encouraged.

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Table of ContentsEarly Learning Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Why Dramatic Play? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The Role of the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Organizing the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Literacy through Dramatic Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Assessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Appendices

Stages of Play/Appendix 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Planning Model 1/Appendix 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28



Additional Materials/Appendix 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Dramatic Play Centres/Appendix 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Extending Children’s Experiences/Appendix 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

How Children Use Language/Appendix 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Ways to Support Literacy/Appendix 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Ways to Support Mathematical Learning/Appendix 10. . . . . . 36

Reflecting and Celebrating Suggestions/Appendix 11 . . . . . . . 37

Focused Observations/Appendix 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Kindergarten Program Expectations/Appendix 13 . . . . . . . . . 40

Bibliography/Appendix 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

iv© Toronto District School Board, 2002

1© Toronto District School Board, 2002

1 Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. The Kindergarten Program, 1998, p. 3.2 Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. The Kindergarten Program, 1998, p. 6.3 Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. The Kindergarten Program, 1998, p. 8.

Early Learning Experiences

Children’s early learning experiences have a profound effect on their development. InKindergarten, children’s receptivity to new influences and capacity to learn are attheir peak. During this period, they acquire a variety of important skills, knowledge,and attitudes that will affect their ability to learn, their personal development, theirrelationship with others, and their future participation in society.1

It has long been acknowledged that there is a link between play and learning foryoung children, especially in the areas of problem solving, literacy, and social skills.Play, therefore, has a legitimate and important role to play in Kindergarten andcan be used to further children’s learning in all areas of the Kindergarten program.2

Since young children learn best by doing, it is especially important to providehands-on activities. Teachers should plan learning experiences that promoteintegrated learning and that allow children to handle, explore, and experimentwith materials that are familiar to them from their environment or that they canrelate to everyday life. Learning experiences should include class, small group,and individual activities. Teachers should also ensure a balance between teacher-initiated and child-initiated activities – times when the teacher guides thechildren’s learning and times when children select activities based on theirinterests and abilities. It is also the teacher’s responsibility to provide guidance toindividual children who show an interest in developing fundamental skills at theKindergarten level. 3

Children enjoy using propsto retell a story.

Children role-play differentjobs using a variety of ‘real’tools.


To maximize intellectual, social, and personal development, children need opportunities to:

• learn in a safe, organized, and stimulating environment

• participate in appropriate, planned experiences thatencourage risk taking, build confidence, and ensuresuccess

• interact with interested adults

• explore, investigate, discover, and repeat experiences

• engage in an activity for an extended period of time

• develop responsibility and independence

• use quality materials that promote inquiry, discovery, andproblem solving

• work with others in a variety of learning situations

• participate in decisions related to the learning environment

• initiate activities and make their own decisions


Children enjoy creating thescene for the drama (a picnicat the beach) using familiarprops.


The Kindergarten Program outlines key features of an appropriate learning environment,and the use of time, space, and resources to meet the needs of all children.

The following document describes these key features in relation to dramatic play. Itexplains the rationale for incorporating dramatic play into the program; describespotential learning experiences; and provides teachers with guidelines for the design anddevelopment of dynamic Dramatic Play Centres.

The document serves to clarify the link between developmentally appropriate practice andthe intent of The Kindergarten Program.

Note: For the purposes of this document, the term, dramatic play refers toall classroom activities that invite children to engage in imaginative play. Aswell as in child-initiated situations in self-selected activity periods, children willhave opportunities to engage in dramatic play during large- and small-groupteacher-directed situations. A Dramatic Play Centre refers to any area inthe classroom that may be set up specifically for imaginative play, for example,a home, restaurant, or doctor’s office.

The props may determine the direction of the play, e.g., going on a trip.


In a developmentally appropriate program, young children will engage in dramatic play

at many times during the day, in many areas of the classroom.

- at the Puppet Theatreas they retell the story ofBilly Goats Gruff.

- in the Water Centreas, using plastic props,they role-play fishing forsharks or whales.

- at the Dress-UpCentre as, in hatsand sunglasses, theyrole-play a scene atthe beach.

- in the Home Centre as theytake on family roles and playout personal experiences (I am going to make invitationsfor the party and then we candecide what we’ll cook).

- in the classroom Vet Clinic,reading a magazine in thewaiting room; examining a“patient;” writing aprescription for their sick cat.

- in the Book Corner,role-playing the teacherreading a big book tothe group.

- with ConstructionMaterials as they buildhouses and use modelsof people to re-enactfamiliar experiences.

- at the Sand Tableas they use plasticanimal models torecount their recenttrip to the zoo.

- at the Work Bench asthey repair the Toy Shop’sbroken toys with screw-driver and hammer.

Outdoors as they ridetheir bicycles, pretendingto be police officers,stopping another vehicleto write a ticket.

- in the Block Centreas they race off to animaginary fire in thefire engine they haveconstructed.

- in the Gymnasium asthey crawl like a snake,stomp like a marchingband, fly like a butterfly.

Where mightchildren engage in

dramatic play?


With carefulplanning, teacherscan create a richliteracy environmentwhich engageschildren in authenticlearning experiences.


Why Dramatic Play?

Dramatic play consists of children taking on a role in which they pretend tobe someone else. They imitate the person’s actions and speech patterns usingreal or imagined “props” and drawing on their own first-hand or second-hand experience of the imitated individual in various familiar situations.

When such activity involves the co-operation of at least two children and theplay proceeds on the basis of interaction between the players acting out theirroles, both verbally and in terms of acts performed, the dramatic play isconsidered “sociodramatic play.” 4

Through play, children make sense of their world. They explore many ideas andperspectives as they move in and out of play. In role-playing storekeepers, firefighters,mommies, or daddies, children explore and make sense of reality. When they role-playmonsters or super-heroes, they make sense of the imaginary.

Through play, children are able to manipulate:

• TimeChildren establish their own time, and may move forward or backward in time.

• SpaceChildren transform the space to represent the setting of the drama.

• PeopleChildren adopt roles and identities, exploring the thoughts, feelings, and actions ofa variety of characters.

• ObjectsChildren assign symbolic meaning to objects, using materials to create or representspecific props used in the dramatic play.

• Subject MatterChildren retell, adapt, and invent stories that they play out in drama. They makepersonal connections to the subject matter, exploring a variety of perspectives, andlearn to develop empathetic responses.

Dramatic play allows young children to create and adopt new roles and new rules. Itallows them to practise persuasion, negotiation, co-operation, and, sometimes, to practisedefense and assertion. It is, therefore, seen as a means by which children learn tocommunicate, negotiate, create, problem-solve, and understand social roles, rules, andperspectives. (Bergan 1987)

4 Simlansky, Sara. Sociodramatic Play: Its Relevance to Behavior and Achievement in School. 1990, p. 19.


Dramatic play is characterized by the mental transformation of objects,actions, and situations.” 5

Children mentally transform the carpeted area into the sandy beach, and the tiledfloor into the lake. The shoebox becomes a portable radio as children pretend to danceand sing along to the tunes. This ability to transform helps children to develop theunderstanding of a range of abstract ideas that will eventually include alphabetic andnumeric symbols. Children need opportunities to interpret concrete objects (a shoebox)in abstract ways (to represent a portable radio). This knowledge will help them to extendtheir thinking. It will eventually help them to develop the concept that the letters of thealphabet, the concrete symbols of our language, carry meaning. They begin to understandthat the letters are to be interpreted in a set way; that they can both read the ideas of othersand use these symbols to write their own ideas for others to read.

Vygotsky theorized that play has a direct role in cognitive development. His workrevealed that very young children are not capable of abstract thought because, for them,meaning and objects are fused together as one. Toddlers, then, cannot think about atelephone without seeing a real phone or orally use language that is taken out of context.In a Kindergarten classroom, five-year-old children can be seen engaged in symbolic play,where an object may be substituted for another or a child may act like another person orobject. As children progress in their ability to engage in more complex symbolic play, areplication of reality is performed in a social context. For example, children might be seenin role, using blocks to build a new house (following a walk past a construction site nearthe school) or cooking dinner in the Home Centre. When they engage in play, and usean object to represent another object (a block for a brick; a can for a telephone), meaningsbecome separated from the objects they represent. When children engage in dramaticplay, they use their imagination to work in a concrete way. They are living the “then andthere” in the “here and now.”

“Symbolic play therefore has a crucial role in the development of abstractthought.” 6

Because the process of learning to read and write requires children to understandabstract thought, it is critical that children experience activities involving symbolic play.Since some children, prior to school attendance, may have had little opportunity toengage in such play, it is important to provide many opportunities in the Kindergartenprogram. For example, after the reading or retelling of a story, children might beencouraged to use props to retell the story independently. The process of using propsprovides a bridge between listening to someone else’s version of the story and independentoral retelling. The props help children to picture the story and to recreate the situationsand the sequence of events. When they participate in a dramatic retelling, they are able totake their understanding and interpretation of one system (oral language) and transform

5 Owocki, Gretchen. Literacy Through Play. 1999, p. 11.6 Johnson, James E. et al. Play and Early Childhood. 1999, p. 10.

it into another system (drama). They must organize, rethink, and reproduce the story ina different way.

Dramatic play allows children to use their own knowledge and experience to developtheir own version of a story – it teaches them how to build a narrative.

Drama is the act of crossing into the world of story. In sharing drama, weagree to live as if the story we are enacting is true. We imagine the story, engagewith it, struggle with its unfamiliar concepts, associate our own experiencewith it and fill in its shape with our particular interpretation. We processthe key events, images and themes of a story by living them out in drama.7

As children engage in dramatic play, they have opportunities to:

• learn through a natural mode

• move from concrete to abstract thought

• make sense of reality

• express imaginative thoughts and ideas

• adopt the attitudes, gestures, and language of different characters, both real andimaginary

• develop their own sense of story

• explore a range of emotions

• develop and extend vocabulary andoral language structures throughcommunications with others

• develop and use language for manypurposes (to question, to direct, toorganize, etc.)

• assume different group positions(leader, group member, recorder, etc.)

• learn co-operative skills (share props,adapt or develop ideas in relation toideas of others, etc.)

• develop personal spatial awareness and appreciation of other’s spatial needs

• play with oral language (through experiences with chants, rhymes, story refrains,songs, etc.)

• develop an understanding of the functions of print (writing a list in the HomeCentre) and the features of print (using what they know abut print to write a“prescription” in the Doctor’s Office)


7 Booth, David. Story Drama. 1994, p. 40.

Adding literacy props to all centresensures that children have opportunitiesto role-play literacy experiences.


When the teacher purposefully organizes the environment,selects appropriate materials, and interacts with children

in dramatic play activities, children may also have opportunities to develop the following skills and concepts.

Science and Technology- observing- predicting- planning- drawing conclusions- hypothesizing- rehearsing/repetition- using technology in familiarsettings

Physical Development- fine motor skills- eye–hand coordination- gross motor skills- visual discrimination- auditory discrimination

Mathematics- patterning- measuring - linear, volume, mass, area- sorting - classifying- ordering- estimating- counting- symmetry- balance- comparison- number- spatial- problem solving- using mathematical language

Personal and SocialDevelopment

- risk taking- negotiating and sharing- problem solving- confidence- independence- responsibility- understanding of roles

LanguageOral Communication- listening and speaking with others- retelling- questioning- describing - explaining - creating stories- rehearsing perceptions and reactionsto the world around

Reading- character names/labels- related texts- environmental print- retelling - connecting texts to own experiencesWriting- communicating ideas/information- writing simple messages

The Arts- creative expression- aesthetic appreciation- interpretation of songs,music, poems

- role-playing- recognizing and namingperformance elements

DramaticPlay


The Role of the Teacher

The teacher’s responsibilities in program planning and delivery includeproviding appropriate learning experiences; organizing a stimulatinglearning environment; and assessing, evaluating and reporting on children’sprogress towards achievement of the learning expectations.8

The teacher’s role is one of supporting, guiding, and facilitating developmentand learning, as opposed to the traditional view of teaching andtransmission of knowledge.9

PlanningProviding a stimulating environment is key to successful dramatic play. Children’s naturalinclinations to “play at” must be encouraged through perceptive program planning andthe physical set-up of the classroom.

Providing multiple opportunities for children to learn through dramatic play, creatingan organized space, providing materials to facilitate imaginative interaction and discovery,scheduling sufficient time, establishing clear routines around the use and maintenance ofmaterials, and recognizing appropriate times to interact with children as they play, willimpact on the scope and quality of the learning experiences.

Opportunities for children to engage in dramatic play will be based first on identifiedneeds and interests, and as children develop and progress, the level and scope will change.It is important to begin with setting up situations and providing materials with whichchildren are very familiar, such as those they have experienced in their homes. (For sampleplans, see Appendices 2–4.) The teacher needs to consider research, theory, and practiceabout how children develop and learn (including the developmental stages of play,described in Appendix 1). Planning by the teacher does not negate children’s spontaneity.Rather, it encourages the children to incorporate new ideas and learning into their play.

Children should be encouraged to use the dramatic arts as a way of expressing theirunique understandings of a situation or a story. For example, some new props introducedinto a Home Centre may encourage the focus to change to a café, a store, or a doctor’soffice (see Appendix 5). A variety of dress-up materials will allow children to develop theirown dramas, but by adding, for example, masks, some wood, straw, and bricks, childrenmay be encouraged to dramatize the story of The Three Pigs.

8 Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. The Kindergarten Program, 1998, p. 8.9 Bredekamp, Sue, and Teresa Rosegrant. Reaching Potentials: Appropriate Curriculum and Assessment

for Young Children. Vol. 1, 1998, p. 15.


Some learning opportunities may need to be more directly planned, perhaps based ona tale recently read, for example, The Gingerbread Man. The teacher might, in a largegroup situation, demonstrate parts of the drama, inviting input and participation fromthe children. Materials would then be made available for children to use the ideas andtheir own interpretation to play out the drama independently. Other opportunities fordramatic play might be initiated as a result of an experience (a trip to the store; a movieviewed together; a visit to the fire station or airport.). The current centre might thenbecome, for example, the classroom store or the airport, where children can take on somedifferent roles.

Appendix 6 provides suggestions for “beyond the classroom” experiences that willextend children’s views and understandings of drama in a variety of forms.

Considerations

• Is the centre invitational to all children?

• Does the organization promote dialogue and interaction with others?

• How can children who need to, be encouraged to converse in their first language?

• What kinds of dress-up clothes will be acceptable to both boys and girls?

• How can children be encouraged to explore a variety of roles, and to transcendstereotypical gender boundaries?

• How can the focus of the centre be changed to meet a wide range of children’s needsand create new interests?

• Do materials reflect the variety of cultures in the class (pictures displayed, eatingand cooking utensils, clothing, etc.)?

Organizing the Environment

Materials should be accessible to promote independence and a sense ofresponsibility as children select, use, and return resources.10

The organization of a specific Dramatic Play Centre, for example, a Home Centre, iscritical, as the potential for learning at the centre is determined by the physical set-up.Organizing the centre will include decisions about the amount of material to makeavailable at one time; how to store material logically and graphically so that all childrenknow where it belongs; how and where to store material that is not being used, but canbe accessed if children want to use it. The ways in which materials are stored can providelearning experiences for the children—opportunities to sort, match, and classify, as thecentre is reorganized at the end of an activity period for future use by others.

10 Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. Kindergarten Years: Learning through Play. 2000, p. 39.

Placement of Dramatic Play CentreThe most appropriate area for a Dramatic Play Centre is in a carpeted area, at areasonable distance from those classroom areas where quiet play may occur. Placing thecentre in close proximity to the Block Centre will facilitate play from one centre to theother; allow materials to be shared; enhance the possibilities for co-operative play; andfacilitate children working co-operatively. It can enrich the play because it increases therange and type of materials available. Such modification of the space may also help changechildren’s gender-type play behaviours. When the block area and the Home Centre arelinked, the areas can be used together. This leads to more social interaction with opposite-gender peers.

If space can accommodate, other centres that encourage dramatic play could bepermanently included, for example, a Puppet Centre, a Dress-Up Centre, a Dollhouse.Props and materials could change with interest and the current classroom focus.

Note: Use of shelving units or low dividers will help to define these areas.

The size of the designated area will determine how many children can effectively playat the centre. There needs to be sufficient space for children to move easily around thecentre and access the materials comfortably. The centre needs to be positioned so that allchildren working there are easily observed by the teacher.

MaterialsThe variety and scope of materials provided will determine how creative children can be,and will extend learning possibilities. It may be necessary, initially, to place a limitednumber of materials at the centre, until children are able to use the material appropriatelyand replace easily. If materials are introduced gradually, children have a chance to becomefamiliar with the possibilities, and will not be overwhelmed by too many choices. Aschildren demonstrate independence at the centre, additional materials may be added.

Considerations

Do the materials:

• meet a range of children’s needs and interests?

• encourage children to experiment, discover, and reflect?

• promote social interaction?

• promote cognitive and language development?

• reflect the diversity of the classroom population?

Materials need to be changed regularly to reflect increased ability and changinginterests. Some pieces of equipment are permanent items, flexible in their usage, andappealing to children at any time. These may be made available throughout the year.Through observation and interaction with children at play, the teacher will be aware ofthe learning needs, and make choices about materials that can best extend the play.


At times the teacher may choose to place specific materials at the centre to encourageexperimentation related to a particular classroom focus, for example:

-As part of, or following, a cooking experience, a Kindergarten café may be set up.

Suggested Materials: table, chairs, placemats, dishes, cutlery, menus, cash register,money, chef ’s hats, aprons, writing materials, materials forcooking

-After visiting a store, a Food Store may emerge.

Suggested Materials: table, chairs, shelves, cash register, money, empty foodcontainers, plastic fruits and vegetables, balance scales, grocerybags (with store logos), price tags

-Following read-aloud sessions of several versions of The Three Bears, the Home Centremight become a bears’ house.

Suggested Materials: chairs, bowls and spoons, beds (or material for beds) in threedifferent sizes, empty packages of oatmeal, cooking utensils

-Following reading experiences with The Three Little Pigs, materials to encouragedramatic retellings could be placed at the Sand Centre or at the Block Centre.

Suggested Materials for Sand: plastic models of three pigs and a wolf; buildingmaterials for various kinds of houses

Suggested Materials for Blocks: plastic models of animals (or stuffed animals);appropriate materials for house building (straw,cardboard, wooden planks, wooden blocks, andcardboard bricks). Children might also use largeboxes and paint to give the appearance of the threedifferent kinds of houses.

The provision of open-ended materials will encourage children to create spontaneousdramas and self-direct the play. Large pieces of cloth of different textures and designs,shoes, and props such as telephones, crowns, jewellery, and recycled materials, can leadchildren to develop their own stories and characters.

Note: These materials might be stored in a suitcase, trunk, or large box.

(Appendix 5 includes suggestions for additional materials for some specifically focusedcentres.)

Note: Children need time to manipulate and explore materials before specificactivities are initiated by the teacher.



The provision of materials alone does not ensure learning through dramatic play.The teacher needs to:

• support learning through use of appropriate affirming comments

• extend learning by introducing new vocabulary and ideas

• encourage spontaneous actions by having children share their dramas

Note: In choosing props or visuals to use in dramatic-play areas, ensure thatgenders and cultures are represented in a variety of roles, and not limited byage, socio-economic status, family structures, and abilities. When using puppetsor dolls from a range of racial, ethnic, or cultural identities, ensure that examplesare not stereotypical, such as, a Japanese doll wearing a kimono, a plasticmodel of an Inuit in a fur snowsuit.

TimeChildren need extended periods of time to engage in play in dramatic play.

Considerations

• Has time been scheduled daily for children to engage in dramatic activities in bothchild- and teacher-directed situations?

• Has sufficient time been allocated for children to engage in large projects orcomplex role-play interactions (building a large castle to use in the dramatization ofJack and the Beanstalk)?

• Has sufficient time been allocated for children to replace materials?

• Has time been planned for reflecting, sharing, and celebrating?(See Appendix 11 for suggestions on ways to reflect, share, and celebrate.)

• Will all children have the opportunity to play in the Home Centre, and/or otherinteractive drama centres, over the course of a week?

Note: It is effective management to include a five-minute reminder that tidy-uptime is approaching (through use of chimes, musical phrase, guitar riff). Thisprepares the children for closure and avoids frustration.

ExpectationsTo promote independence, and ensure safety at the Dramatic Play Centre, clearexpectations need to be established.

Considerations:

• What are the expectations regarding safety, noise, use of materials, and tidy-up?

• How will the expectations be communicated to the children?

• How will the children know where the materials belong and how they should besorted for storage?

• How will routines be introduced to the children?

• How will routines be monitored and reinforced in a variety of ways?


Children can use propsto retell familiar songs orstories—individually or ina group.


Literacy through Dramatic Play

Oral LanguageSince most dramatic-play experiences in the classroom will occur in social situations, thereare many opportunities for children to use and expand oral language. Although the playwill essentially be child-directed, the teacher has an important role to play—to listen in,to observe, interact, and even participate in the play at appropriate moments.

With sensitivity and imagination, teachers may enter the children’s play.11

The teacher’s questions and comments to children need to promote thinking, helpthem construct knowledge, encourage new language, and expand their language use,rather than elicit minimal responses.

With comments, such as those in the following examples, the teacher can interactwith children at play to:

• acknowledge what the child is doing to help sustain interest (especially supportivefor active young children)I can tell you are a waiter/waitress. You have written down what these customers haveordered.

• support students as they work through the processI noticed you are working well together to tell the story with the puppets—everyone isgetting a turn.

• reaffirm vocabulary the child has usedDo you plan to use another cone for the top of your tower?

• introduce new vocabulary informallyWe have a new chef in the restaurant today. What a good cook! Look at all the differentingredients he is using in his batter.

• ask for clarification, elaboration, or justificationWhy do you think Goldilocks said that?You have set the table for dinner. Tell me how you did it.

• challenge children’s thinkingHow will the customers know how much their bill is?What was the trickiest part of building that tall tower? If I wanted to build one, whatwould you tell me to remember?

• prompt ways to retell (identify, label, describe, summarize)Tell me what happened first in the story.Where were the billy goats at the beginning of the story? Where were they going?

11 Hill, Dorothy, M. Mud, Sand, and Water. 1990, p. 12.

• guide children to connect (compare, contrast, apply)I see you’ve changed the story. What makes yours different from the one we read?Why did you decide to change the ending?

• lead children to reflect on an experience, helping them to question, wonder, andinferI remember… , I wonder… , I wish…What helped you to remember all the events in this story?You don’t have any customers at your store. I wonder why. What could you do to getthem to come to shop?

See Appendix 8 for information on how children use language.

Additional Language Support By age three to five years, children understand the purpose of language. The foundationsof linguistic skills are usually established in a child’s first language.

Observation of second-language learners has identified the following developmentalsequence.

1. Learners may continue to use first language in second-language situations. In theHome Centre, for example, the teacher will frequently hear children use their firstlanguage as they explore roles and develop an oral narrative.

2. In a listening or non-verbal situation, second-language learners are spectators, but arelistening and learning to “crack the code.” During this time, children will depend onadults to meet their needs. (Peers may ignore the second-language learner.) Learnersmay be rehearsing vocabulary, but not for communication purposes. They may echophrases to practise. Although, at this phase, they will be involved in dramaticactivities and will hear models of language, they may (and should be encouraged to)engage in non-verbal communication and participation until they are comfortable.

3. Learners begin using telegraphic communication—they will utter a few words torepresent a complete thought, but these may be out of context. Understanding ofEnglish syntax will gradually become evident. (It should be noted that the desire tocommunicate with peers is crucial for acquiring the new language.)

4. Learners begin to develop a productive use of English.

An effective second-language learning environment for Kindergarten children includes:

• a supportive and encouraging environment that promotes the use of first languageas part of the transition to second-language acquisition

• a routine and consistent organizational structure in which activities happen atregular intervals and in predictable ways



• a language-rich environment in which the teacher uses language that encouragesboth comprehension and production skills

• discussions with, or perhaps training of, English-speaking children in the classroom,to help provide socially appropriate language partners

• groupings that encourage second-language learners to interact naturally with thosewhose first language is English

By providing an environment that includes these opportunities and byencouraging children to take advantage of them, preschool teachers can helpindividual second language learning children progress through thedevelopmental learning sequence at the rate and in the way that best fitstheir social capabilities and cognitive strengths.12

Reading and WritingThrough dramatic play, children can expand their knowledge of the world. The childrenof today live in an environment rich in print. It will therefore be a natural extension forthem to incorporate reading and writing into their play. Classroom dramatic-playsituations should include opportunities to expand knowledge about written language.

Play is a gold mine in its potential for facilitating literacy.13

Dramatic play:

• provides many opportunities for children to sort out the various functions ofwritten language, for example, the child may figure out how a list works, or thepurpose of road signs. Typically, play provides a meaningful context for children toconstruct new knowledge and for teachers to scaffold and facilitate this.

• provides a safe environment for risk taking. Children can try out new ideas withoutconcern about the consequences. They are free to experiment with sound/symbolrelationships as they write menus, price lists, etc., to use in their play. Similarly, theyhave freedom to become familiar with a range of genres as they engage in role-playactivities.

Through planned and spontaneous classroom activities, children should have manyopportunities to retell or dramatize stories they have had read to them, or enjoyed readingby themselves.

Dramatizing literature in the classroom provides students with an effectiveand pleasurable way of exploring both the world and themselves. Throughdrama, children are required to examine a story more closely, improving

12 Genese, Fred, Editor. Educating Second Language Children. 1994, p. 123.13 Owocki, Gretchen. Literacy Through Play. 1999, p. 3.

their comprehension and understanding. They are encouraged to thinkcreatively and pretend to be their favourite characters, examining life fromvarious viewpoints. When literature from other cultures and times isintroduced, children gain global and historical perspectives. And, becausedrama is a group art, children learn to engage in productive socialinteraction, cooperative learning, and group problem solving. 14

For other ideas on ways to support literacy through dramatic play, see Appendix 9.


14 Heinig, Ruth Beall. Improvisation with Favourite Tales. 1992, p. vii.

When writing materials are accessible,children will incorporate them into their

play.


The teacher needs to recognize possibilities where children might spontaneouslyinclude reading and writing in their play, and provide the necessary materials toencourage this “playing at literacy.” Open-ended materials need to be available (paper,markers, etc.), as well as those with a particular focus (eye chart in Doctor’s Office,printed menus from restaurants, commercially made road signs, etc.)

Post Office- notepads- envelopes- stamp pads (possibly withschool or classroom name)

- labelled mailboxes (madefrom liquor store boxes)

- paper for making signs(Open/Closed)

- labelled mail bag and/or hat- money- posters (of stamps, etc.)- cash register receipts- used stamps

Restaurant- menu- cardboard (for signs) - order pads - paper for bills- money

Store- paper (for making signs) - signs (for labelling shelves)- grocery items in labelledcans or boxes (full or empty)

- money- cash register- paper for bills and receipts- cash register tapes- posters of food and foodproducts

- shopping bags with foodstore logos

Veterinarian’s Office- magazines, books (forwaiting room)

- receptionist’s writingmaterials

- writing pad (for doctor)- checklist for doctor

Pizza Parlour- menus - pizza boxes- bills- food ads- money

Home Centre- message pad- fridge notes,magnetic letters

- books, magazines,catalogues

- telephone book- recipes- clock- calendar- telephones- photo album- cookbook

Airport- paper for signs- maps- money- used tickets- luggage tags

Doctor’s Office- magazines, books(for waiting room)

- receptionist’s writingmaterials

- prescription pad - eye chart- checklist for doctor

Literacy materials toencourage languageexperimentation and

development


Interacting with Children

If adults interact with children in a sensitive, responsive, and supportivemanner, play can be enhanced. On the other hand, if adults take over thecontrol of play, provide too much structure, or interrupt play for academicpurposes, play will usually suffer.15

Advocates of teacher involvement in children’s play cite the following reasons:

• ApprovalWhen the teacher participates in the play, children are given the message that play isa valuable and worthwhile activity.

• AttachmentChildren show stronger attachment to adults who participate with them in playactivities.

• Cognitive ComplexityChildren engage in more cognitively complex forms of play.

• Attention SpanChildren’s attention span increases when the teacher is present.

• Peer InteractionThe teacher can suggest positive strategies for getting along with others and canencourage peer interaction.

• Enrichment The teacher can provide materials, introduce ideas, and teach skills to raise the levelof the play and increase learning possibilities.

• Scaffolding The teacher’s presence can encourage children to engage in activities that they couldnot/would not attempt independently.

The teacher can act outside the play to encourage play behaviours, for example:

Teacher: Firefighter, I see you have a big fire truck ready to take to the fire.How are you going to let the fire dispatcher at the station knowwhere you are?

Firefighter: I don’t have a phone.

Teacher: What could you use for a phone? I wonder who would like to be thefire dispatcher?

15 Johnson, James E., James F. Christie, and Thomas D. Yawkey. Play and Early Childhood Development.1999, p. 190.

The teacher can take on a role and join in the play to model desired play behaviour, forexample:

Teacher: (Picking up a small block to serve as a telephone)Firefighter, are you at the fire yet? You need to tell me what happensso I know you are safe.

Firefighter: I am at the house now. It’s on fire!

Teacher: If you go in the house, remember to crawl on the floor to stay awayfrom some of the smoke! Tell me just what you are doing so I canhelp you get back to the station safely.

In order to maximize the positive impact of play on the children’s learningand development, adults need to take an active role in enriching children’shome and classroom play experiences. 16

By moving into role, for example, as a customer in a café or store, the teacher wouldhave opportunities to introduce new vocabulary, incorporate opportunities for literacy(May I see the menu please?) or mathematics (I would like to order half a cup of coffee please.).Out of role, at the Sand Centre, the teacher might suggest that the children could makelabels to add to their story map.

Studies have shown that teachers generally spend more time with children who engagein female gender-type activity, such as arts and crafts, and doll and kitchen play. Typicalmale gender-type behaviour, such as truck play, tends not to attract much teacherattention or reinforcement. Since teacher involvement benefits all children, the teacherneeds to ensure equity in teacher time and intervention for both kinds of activities.


16 Johnson, James E., et al. Play and Early Childhood Development. 1999, p. 204.

Dramatic Play Centres need to change to accommodate children’sinterests and needs.


Assessing

Assessment relies primarily on procedures that reflect the ongoing life of theclassroom and typical activities of the children. Assessment avoids approachesthat place children in artificial situations, impede the usual learning and thedevelopment experiences in the classroom, or divert children from theirnatural learning experiences.17

While children are involved in dramatic play, the teacher has the opportunity to observetheir social interaction, development of self-awareness, independence, language levels, andproblem-solving strategies. Observation will be the teacher’s chief tool for gatheringassessment data on oral language development and social skills.

Dramatic play provides a forum for practising current skills. It also providesmotivation for stretching development in each of these areas, i.e., physical,social, cognitive, and language development. 18

Observation involves:

• watching what children do

• listening to what children say

• recording what is seen or heard

• observing how children use the available materials

• analyzing information

• reflecting on information to plan future programming

Observation allows the teacher to:

• see growth over time

• identify patterns of behavior

• determine the scaffolding required to extend each child’s learning

• make necessary changes to materials and equipment

• plan developmentally appropriate activities based on curriculum expectations

• provide opportunities for students to explore diverse activities

17 Bredekamp, Sue, and Teresa Rosegrant. Reaching Potentials: Appropriate Curriculum and Assessmentfor Young Children. Vol. 1. 1998, p. 15.

18 Davidson, Jane. Emergent Literacy and Dramatic Play in Early Education. 1996, p. 39.


Because children in their first year of school are going through the process ofadjusting to the school setting, they should be given ample time todemonstrate their abilities. It should be remembered that the period ofadjustment is longer for some children than for others.

Young children will demonstrate their abilities in many different ways.Their abilities to demonstrate what they know or are able to do will vary,depending on factors such as the time of day, the situation, the type ofquestions asked, familiarity with the content, and facility with the languageof instruction. 19

Observations need to focus on:

• interest and engagement in selected experiences

• interaction with peers

• use of materials

• development of responsibility and independence

• development of oral language and vocabulary

• ability to problem solve

• development of knowledge and skills

Observations need to be planned

While daily informal observations are ongoing, at the point of occurrence, specificobservations need to be planned. Teacher time needs to be set aside to observe selectedchildren for a previously identified purpose, and, over a specific time period, observe allchildren. These purposes will vary according to the time of year, the number ofopportunities in the dramatic play area, and children’s identified needs.

The teacher needs to plan:

• when to observe (short frequent observations may be more effective)

• which children and how many

• how often

• how to record (using sticky notes; on a page divided into learning areas, with onepage for each child; on file cards, etc.)

• what should be recorded (date and time, materials used, observation of specificbehaviours, language used)

• what to include in assessment portfolios (photographs, videos of children engaged inactivities, audio tapes of children’s conversations, retelling, etc.)

(For further details on focused observation, see Appendices 12 and 13.)

19 Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. The Kindergarten Program. 1998, p. 10.

Using Observation Information

The interpretation of data collected through observation helps the teacher plan a programthat meets children’s identified needs and interests in relation to curriculum expectations.

When we assess, observe, and get to know the strengths, interest, needs, andpassions of the children we teach, then we can design and negotiate usefuland challenging learning experiences that both help the child move along thelearning continuum related to the objectives of the curriculum and identifyand carry out activities that are important to the child. 20


20 Bredekamp, Sue, and Teresa Rosegrant. Reaching Potentials: Appropriate Curriculum and Assessmentfor Young Children. Vol. 1. 1998, p. 157.

Through dramatic play, children use newand familiar vocabulary as they revisitan experience, create a new story or

retell a known one.

Stages of Play 21 Appendix 1

When children are engaged in play, the teacher will observe levels of social development.It is important to recognize that children in the same age group will be at different stagesof play. Development may depend on the children’s experiences, languages, backgroundand temperament. These stages are not necessarily sequential.


Solitary Play

• Children play alone, generally to satisfy own immediate needs.

• There is little or no interaction with others.

Exploratory Play

• Children play alone or watch others.

• They may begin to play alongside others without interaction.

Associative Play

• The children may imitate others and attempt to exchange ideas ormaterials.

• Children are not working toward a common goal.

Co-operative Play

• Children become members of a group and have a role in the group.They assume the roles of leaders and followers, with leadershipqualities beginning to emerge.

• Children work toward common goals.

21 Adapted from Weininger, Otto. Play and Education. 1979.

Planning Model 1 Appendix 2


Plan for Dramatic Play in Home Centre Fall Term

Overall Expectations

• communicate effectively by listening and speaking

• show willingness to persevere in solving problems

• seek further information, assistance, or materials when necessary

• demonstrate an awareness of the characteristic and functions of some common materials

• demonstrate understanding of strategies for planning and organizing

• demonstrate a positive attitude towards themselves and others

• identify and use social skills

• communicate their responses to music, art, drama, and dance

Materials

• child-sized furniture and appliances

• two dolls, doll bed, bedding

• dress-up clothes, including large-sized fabric pieces, men’s and women’s shoes, hats, purses

• dishes, cutlery, cookware, plastic food, placemats

• two telephones

Observation Points

• stage of play/interaction with others

• use of English language

• use of first language (if ESL)

• understanding of routines

• ability to solve problems

• engagement in dramatic play



Home Centre Winter Term

Overall Expectations• communicate effectively by listening and speaking• show willingness to persevere in solving problems• seek further information, assistance, or materials when necessary • demonstrate an awareness of the characteristics and functions of

some common materials• demonstrate understanding of strategies for planning and organizing• demonstrate a positive attitude towards themselves and others• demonstrate awareness of patterns in their daily lives• identify and use social skills

Materials and Resources• child-sized furniture and appliances• television (cardboard box)• dolls, doll bed, bedding• stroller, stuffed animals• dress-up clothes, including fabric pieces, men’s and women’s winter

boots, hats, mittens, scarves, briefcase, purses• dishes, cookware, plastic food, shopping bags• placemats, tablecloth, towels• two or more telephones, phone directory, catalogue, notepads,

pencils, cards, envelopes• keyboard or typewriter• small chalkboard or white board

Observation Points• stages of play• social interactions—oral communication, co-operative skills, group role• use of English language• use of first language (if ESL)• use of materials and engagement with them• attempts to read and write in play situations (read magazine while

waiting, make a shopping list, etc.)



Home Centre Spring Term(Set-up for dramatization of The Three Bears)

Overall Expectations• communicate their responses to music, art, drama, and dance (The Arts)

Expectations in Specific Areas• ask questions, express feelings, and share ideas (Oral communication)• identify favourite books and retell stories in their own words (Reading)• make connections between their own experiences and those of

storybook characters (Reading)• match objects by one-to-one correspondence (one bowl, one chair to

one bear) (Math) • use familiar technology appropriately (cassette recorder to listen to

When Goldilocks Went to the House of the Bears) (Technology)• play the parts of characters from folk tales and legends of various

countries (The Arts)• enact stories from their own or other cultures (The Arts)

AssessmentDoes the child:• take part in recreating the story? • use language from the text? • use mathematical terms such as big, middle-sized, little, one, two,

three, first, second, third?• use materials and props in imaginative ways?• speak expressively, changing voice tone and pitch to match character?• add gestures? • demonstrate understanding of story?

Specific Materials• text for Goldilocks and the Three Bears• audio version of When Goldilocks Went to the House of the Bears• collection of different-sized bowls, chairs, and material for beds• empty cereal boxes• cooking utensils

Additional Materials Appendix 5

The following are suggestions for materials to be added to someidentified centres to increase the potential for cross-curricular learning.


StoreRoles: shopper, cashier, stock takerProps may include:• empty food containers• scales• shopping cart, basket, plastic

bags• cash register• money• plastic food• signs (specials of the day)• newspaper food ads; coupons• pens, pencils, markers

RestaurantRoles: chef, server, customer,

cashierProps may include:• aprons, chef’s hat, oven mitts• tables and chairs• dress-up clothes (hats, jackets,

ties, etc.)• paper plates, tray• play food• empty food boxes (of different

three-dimensional shapes—toencourage sorting)

• calculator• money • menus• pens, pencils, markers

Toy Store/WorkshopRoles: toy maker, salesperson,

wrapper, customerProps may include:• empty boxes (various sizes)• used wrapping paper• tape, ribbon, bows• used cards, tags• class list• mailbox• blank paper, envelopes, stamps• pens, pencils, markers• scissors • variety of toys• toy hammers

Doctors Office/ClinicRoles: doctor, nurse, patient, family

memberProps may include:• stethoscope, lab coat (old

white shirt), doctor’s masks,rubber gloves

• furniture (desk, examining table,chairs, etc.)

• eye chart• appointment book• telephone• first-aid kit • white cotton strips for bandages• scales• dolls• extra chairs (for waiting room)• health posters• magazines, books• empty pill containers• pens, pencils, markers• blank paper


Dramatic Play Centres Appendix 6

Extending Children’s Experiences Appendix 7

To expand children’s drama horizons and provide them with a variety of models, theteacher might consider arranging for them to:

• view dramatic performances in other classrooms

• join with another class (perhaps upper grade) to practise and present (Reader’sTheatre, a choral reading, or to “produce” a simple play of a familiar story)

• view a variety of dramas on video (puppetry, cartoons, dance, etc.)

• experience performances by travelling players and theatre groups, and hear theactors talk about their work

• go out to local productions (puppet shows, live theatre, ballet, etc.)

• hear from invited community visitors about their roles and workplaces in thecommunity

• visit places in the community to experience a variety of workplaces, and to viewcommunity members carrying out their roles (local police station, library, bakery,clinic, construction site, etc.)

Note: Visitors to the classroom should reflect the diversity of gender, class,work, cultural, racial, and family composition of the children’s community.


Children enjoy dramatizing familiar stories such as Jump Frog Jump.

How Children Use Language22 Appendix 8

Children can be observed using language to:

• self-maintain - includes children communicating needs and wants, being protectiveof self, criticizing or threatening others

I want to set the table. Move over.

• direct - children direct the actions of self and others

I am going to put bandages on all the dolls. Give me yours.

• report on past and present experiences - includes labelling, relating andcomparing, analyzing the process, reflecting on an experience

I put all the food in the white bag.

The food fell out.

I’ll put some in this bigger bag.

• reason - includes explaining the process, for example, in building, identifyingproblems and solutions, justifying, judgments, and drawing conclusions

First I tried little pieces of tape to make the paper join, but it didn’t work. Then I tried longer pieces. They stayed together. The long tape made it stick.

• predict - children anticipate what might happen, identify potential problems andpossible solutions, predict the consequences of actions

If I put the dishes on a tray, I can carry lots more.

• project - children project into feeling and reactions of others—into past experiencesor those new to them

Tuan’s mad because Christina didn’t help him tidy up the blocks. She never helps.

• imagine - children create imaginary situations that may have a basis in real life ormay be purely fantasy

I’m the police officer on my bike. You can be in the car—and you’re speeding. I’ll giveyou a ticket.


22 Toronto Observation Project. Observing Children Through Their Formative Years. 1980, p. 1.


Ways to Support Literacy Appendix 9

• Introduce literacy materials and demonstrate their use to children, before adding themto centres. This will help children to see ways they can incorporate them into their play.

• With some materials, enter into the play itself, to demonstrate use, and informallyintroduce specific related vocabulary.

• Communicate routines to the children through visual clues and symbols, forexample, provide “maps” that guide the children to return materials to their assignedplace, by matching shape, size, outlines, pictures and/or words.

• Add equipment to encourage social interaction, for example, have two telephones indramatic play areas; several chairs in the “clinic’s waiting room.”

• Provide materials that encourage talk and drama, for example, a puppet theatre anda number of puppets, a collection of dress-up clothes and various props.

• Introduce fiction and non-fiction books related to the dramatic play focus, forexample,– Three Billy Goats - add books on bridges– The Three Pigs - add books on houses, building– a class zoo trip - add books on animals, zoos

• Provide materials that encourage functional reading, such as– print with supportive visuals (to help with replacement of materials)– visuals related to the focus of a centre (Canada Food Guide in Doctor’s Office;

Today’s Special in Restaurant, etc.)– displays of children’s recordings (story map of a familiar tale, picture lists of

characters, stores visited on neighbourhood walk, etc.)– display of signs made by children (Don’t Touch, Danger, Stop, etc.)– related charts that children have generated and used (recipes, surveys, etc.)

• Add photographs to centres (people in various community roles at the BlockCentre, food and advertisements to the Home Centre or Store, etc.).

• Provide materials that will encourage writing (for making signs, labels, directions,recording information).

Note: Ensure that visuals represent a variety of genders, ages, familystructures, abilities, cultural and racial groups in different roles.

• Provide props and materials that encourage children to retell a story (models of goatsfor the story Three Billy Goats Gruff, set of clothing items for Jacob’s Little Overcoat).

• Add props that support children recounting experiences (baking utensils and recipeused in a class cooking activity; plastic animal models and other props as aids inrecalling the sequence of a visit to a farm, etc.).

Ways to Support Mathematical Learning Appendix 10

• Add illustrated placemats for children to match, one to one, with the indicatedcutlery and dishes.

• Use organizational systems that require children to sort and classify when theyreplace materials after use.

• Provide dolls and clothes of different sizes—children can learn about size as theydress the dolls.

• Include money and a cash register in the cafe or store—to give children experiencewith handling and noticing differences in coins and notes.

• Post recipes used in a class experience; display utensils used (measuring cups,spoons, bowls, aprons)—children can replay the experience.

• Provide props to help children retell familiar number rhymes and poems (Five LittleDucks). In addition, provide opportunities for children to dramatize or add actionsto number songs and rhymes (Five Little Pumpkins, One, Two Buckle my Shoe, etc.).

• Add clocks and timers to the Home Centre.

• Include a calendar in the Home Centre.

• Add larger grocery boxes to the Store materials and ensure that there are manydifferent sizes of smaller boxes on the shelves (for children to pack the “customer’s”purchased smaller boxes into). This kind of activity helps the development of spatialawareness.

• Include scales in the Doctor’s Office or balance scales in the Store—to encourageweighing experiences.

• Add measuring tapes to the Block Centre—children can explore linear measurement.

• Add writing materials for children to incorporate into their play, e.g., rewritingfindings, writing bills, etc.


The addition of props can also support mathematical learning, e.g., using standard measuring devices.

Reflecting and Celebrating Suggestions Appendix 11

• Invite small groups or the whole class to gather around, for example, the PuppetTheatre/Home Centre, to have children describe, demonstrate, or re-enact whatthey did, and explain what they learned.

• Take photographs of children at dramatic play in the various centres. Compile intoa book with accompanying captions. Place in the Reading Corner for children torevisit. Include in the collections of books to be borrowed for home reading.

• In the classroom or halls, display photographs of children at work—for others toview.

• During sharing time, invite children to talk about dramatic-play activities, describeproblems they may have encountered, and recount how they were solved. Plan timefor peers to ask questions.

• Videotape children engaged in dramatic play at the centres. Show it to the childrenand have them talk about what they were doing. On information evenings, showthe video to family members—as a vehicle for explaining the value of play.

• Tape-record children as they retell stories or recount experiences—for inclusion inportfolio collections, and to share with family members.


The addition of puppets promotes social interaction and thedevelopment of language skills.

Focused Observations Appendix 12


Interaction Does the child share?

Does the child negotiate?Does the child work alone? with a partner? in a group?What group role does the child take—leader? follower?How does the child cope with group problems?How does the child react to conflict?What strategies does the child use to resolve conflicts?Does the child relate easily to adults?

Use of Materials Does the child use the materials appropriately?Does the child use the materials in original ways?Does the child engage in symbolic play?Can the child sort/organize materials at end of work period?Can the child identify materials needed? successfully find resources —to find a magic wand, a steering wheel for the fire engine, etc.?

Interest and Does the child enjoy participating in dramatic activities?Engagement Does the child choose these centres often?

Does the child sustain interest for short/long periods of time?Does the child have a plan for using the materials?

Knowledge/Skills Does the child communicate in dramatic play, in a variety of waysDevelopment —verbally? in picture form? in writing?

Does the child use literacy materials at Dramatic Play Centres? How?Does the child use own background knowledge and experiences in

dramatic play?Does the child indicate a sense of story? sense of audience?Does the child suggest ideas for props and, where needed, create own?Does the child understand and identify a sequence of events in a story?Is the child developing mathematical concepts/using skills in dramatic

play—matching? sorting? classifying? ordering? counting?What science and technology knowledge/understandings does the child

demonstrate—name tools and actions? use tools effectively?

Focused Observation …continued Appendix 12


Oral Language Can the child sustain a conversation with other children/with adults?Development Can the child be easily understood?

How does the child use language—to: self-maintain? direct? report? reason? predict? project? imagine?

Does the child ask questions? express feelings? share ideas?What kind of questions does the child ask—permission? curiosity?

negotiation?Can the child respond to experiences through drama?Can the child use a range of vocabulary to describe materials,

actions, learning?Does the child use book language?Does the child use time-related vocabulary in retelling?How does the child present ideas—vary pace, tone of voice?

use gestures? use facial expression? speak in character?

Problem-Solving Does the child have strategies for problem solving?Skills - seek help?

- independently suggest alternatives?- listen to and accept others’ ideas or solutions?

Development of Does the child take responsibility for tidy-up by participating in Independence & the storage and organization of materials?Responsibility Does the child initiate dramatic-play ideas?

Does the child invite and include others in the play?Does the child understand and follow the routines?

Children engage in oral discussions or conversations when involved in dramatic play, taking on different roles.

Kindergarten Program Expectations Appendix 13

The following are some examples of what the teacher may see a child doing, or hear achild saying, in relation to the curriculum expectations.


LANGUAGE

Expectations in Specific Areas The child may

Oral Communication

Reading

- use language to connect newexperiences with what they already know

- ask questions, express feelings, andshare ideas

- follow simple directions and respondappropriately to familiar questions

- say to the doll, Time to sleep, little baby. - say, I’ll huff and I’ll puff, as plastic

models of three pigs characters aremanipulated.

- say, Who’ll be storekeeper today?Who wants to drive the boat?

- say, I’m mad—you didn’t let me be Jack.

- replace dishes onto the labelled mat on aHome Centre shelf.

- reply, My favourite part is when the trollcomes out from under the bridge.

- identify favourite books and retell thestories in their own words

- make connections between their ownexperiences and those of storybookcharacters

- demonstrate awareness of someconventions of written materials

- identify most of the letters of the alphabet,and demonstrate understanding thatletters represent sounds and that writtenwords convey meaning

- use models and props to initiate ownretelling of a chosen story, for example,Rosie’s Walk.

- say, My grandma makes porridgesometimes—just like the three bears did.

- say, Once I got lost in the store—likeCorduroy.

- point to a sign in store and run fingerunder words from left to right.

- check list of story characters in book to seewhich characters are needed for the play.

- read letters on the eye chart in theDoctor’s Office.

- print the letters S P for a Stop sign in theBlock Centre.

Kindergarten Program Expectations …continued Appendix 13


LANGUAGE


Writing

Understanding of Media Materials

- write using a variety of tools and media

- write simple messages using acombination of pictures, symbols, letters,phonetic spellings, and familiar words

- print most of the letters of the alphabet,their own name and names of familymembers, and some short words

- paint the PIZZA sign for the classroomrestaurant.

- use Paint, Write & Play on the computerto writePuppet Show at 2 o’clock.

- incorporate writing into dramatic play—to write a list of children’s names, bills, a sign, a shopping list.

- write names of friends on envelopes—tosend through the class Post Office.

- use a variety of materials to communicateinformation

- begin to distinguish between theimaginary and the real

- paint a Don’t Touch sign for building inBlock Centre.

- use crayons/markers to make labels,write directions for the play, create amenu.

- say, The troll in Three Billy Goats wasjust pretend.

- say, Real bears don’t live in a house.

MATHEMATICS


Number Sense and Numeration

Measurement

Spatial Sense and Geometry

Data Management and Probability



- sort and classify objects into setsaccording to specific characteristics, anddescribe those characteristics

- match objects by one-to-onecorrespondence

- demonstrate awareness of addition andsubtraction in everyday activities

- in the Home Centre, sort the clothes andplace in labelled drawers.

- sort cans and boxes in the classroom store.

- match one cup to one saucer when setting the table.

- match dishes and utensils to children atcentre.

- attempt to give change in the classroomstore.

- say, I need one more.

- use simple measurement terms correctly

- order two or more objects according tosize or mass

- use some standard measuring devicesappropriately

- identify the values of some coins

- say, This doll is too big for the bed.- say, I want to make a taller tower.

- in the Sand Centre, line up models ofzoo animals according to size.

- use a tape measure in Block Centre tomeasure the blocks or planks.

- using scales in classroom Doctor’s Office;say, Just the right weight!

- count out a dime and five pennies to payfor stamps in the post office; say, That’sten and a five.

- use language accurately to describebasic spatial relationships

- identify and sort three-dimensionalshapes

- say, Put the dirty dishes in the sink.- say, We need a big block on the bottom.

- sort food containers on store shelvesaccording to shape; say, I put all theround ones here.

- compare information on objects, usingtwo attributes

- say, Put the small orange plates on thetable and the big green ones on the shelf.



SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


Exploration and Experimentation

Use of Technology

- describe the functions of common objectsfound at home and at school

- experiment with simple machines

- make a specific plan, describe the steps,and carry out the plan

- say, Where are the coat hangers to hangup these shirts?

- say, You have to keep all the money inthe cash register.

- use wheel toys (constructed with Mobilo,Lego, etc.) to deliver imaginary goods.

- build ramps with construction materials as part of building.

- say, Let’s make a boat. First,we need tomake the bottom. Let’s get the big blocks.This one can be the ramp to get in theboat.

- identify familiar technological items anddescribe their use in daily life

- make things using a variety of tools andtechniques

- work with others in using technology

- use the keyboard in the class Doctor’sOffice; say, I’ll type the prescription withthis.

- use scissors and a stapler to make a maskto be the troll in Three Billy Goats Gruff.

- help a friend to use the water wheel inthe Water Centre.

Children can revisit a previous classroom experience when the materials are added to the centre.



THE ARTS


Creative Activity

Knowledge of Elements and Forms

- use familiar materials in new ways

- solve problems creatively

- make preparations for performances

- decide who will take each role inclassroom drama activities

- enact stories from their own and othercultures

- play the part of characters from folk talesand legends of various countries

- use juice cans as telephones.

- in absence of costumes, make masks orhats.

- use a box and paint to use as a puppettheatre.

- use blocks to make the animal pens seenon the zoo trip, and describe whichanimals were seen.

- “sign up” on the class chart, for a role inthe Reader’s Theatre presentation of FiveLittle Pumpkins.

- negotiate roles with others: say, You wereJack yesterday, I want to be Jack today.

- participate in dramatizations of differentversions of The Little Red Hen.

- initiate the dramatization, using propsfound in the classroom.

- mime the actions of the various animalcharacters in The Mitten, as the teacherreads the text.

- name different elements in performances - say, I‘ll start first. You can be in theaudience and don’t talk.

- say, I want to be the narrator.



PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT


Self-Awareness and Self-Reliance

Health and Physical Activity

Social Relationships

Awareness of Surroundings

- identify and talk about their own interestsand preferences

- express their own thoughts and shareexperiences

- demonstrate self-reliance

- cook a “stir fry” in a wok in the HomeCentre.

- say, I like this dinner. My mom makes it.

- say, I would be afraid of that troll.- say, Once we had a dog. He looked a

bit like Spot.

- dress the doll, using clothes in right order.- say, I can put the clothes on the baby.

- identify nutritious foods

- identify safe and unsafe situations,materials, and equipment

- take pretend food from fridge, say to peer(acting as the child), I will give you someapple for snack. It’s good for your teeth.

- say, The tower is getting too tall. It’sgoing to fall over.

- share responsibility for planningclassroom events and activities

- identify feelings and emotions andexpress them in acceptable ways

- recognize, in situations involving others,advances or suggestions that threatentheir safety or well-being

- help to find chairs, bowls, and spoons ofdifferent sizes to prepare a house for thethree bears.

- talk about a conflict situation in theclassroom, and participate in a role playto solve it appropriately.

- participate in discussion around safetyissues in fairy tales (Goldilocks entering astrange house; Red Riding Hood stoppingto speak to a stranger).

- talk about time in relation to certainevents or activities

- identify people who help others in thecommunity, and describe what they do

- in retelling, say, First, the Little Billy Goatwent over the bridge…, Then… Last ofall….

- say (playing with trucks in the sand),Quick—get out of the way—I am theambulance—there’s a big crash downthe road. I have to help.

Booth, David. Story Drama. Markham, ON: Pembroke Publishing, 1994.

Booth, David, and Jonathan Neelands, editors. Writing in Role. Hamilton, ON:Caliburn Enterprises Inc., 1998.

Bredekamp, Sue, and Teresa Rosegrant. Reaching Potentials: Appropriate Curriculum forYoung Children. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education ofYoung Children, 1993.

Christie, James F., editor. Play and Early Literacy Development. Albany, NY: StateUniversity of New York Press, 1991.

Davidson, Jane. Emergent Literacy and Dramatic Play in Early Education. Scarborough,ON: Nelson Publishing, 1996.

Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario. Kindergarten Years: Learning Through Play.Toronto: 2000.

Genese, Fred, Editor. Educating Second Language Children. Cambridge: University Press,1994.

Heinig, Ruth Beall. Improvisation with Favourite Tales. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann,1992.

Dorothy M. Hill. Mud, Sand, and Water. Washington DC: National Association for theEducation of Young Children, 1990.

Johnson, James E., James F. Christie, Thomas D. Yawkey. Play and Early ChildhoodDevelopment. Toronto: Longman, 1999.

Ministry of Education and Training. The Kindergarten Program. Toronto, ON: Queen’sPrinter, 1998.

Norris, Doreen, and Boucher, Joyce. Observing Children. Toronto Observation Project.Toronto Board of Education, 1981.

Owocki, Gretchen. Literacy Through Play. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1999.

Simlansky, Sara. “Sociodramatic Play: Its Relevance to Behavior and Achievement inSchool.” Children’s Play and Learning Perspectives and Policy Implications. EdgarKlugman & Sara Smilansky, editors. New York: Teachers College, ColumbiaUniversity, 1990.

Toronto Observation Project. Observing Children Through Their Formative Years, 1980.

Van Hoorn, J.P. Nourot, B. Scales, and K. Alward. Play at the Centre of the Curriculum,New York: Merrill, 1993.

Weininger, Otto. Play and Education: The Basic Tool for Early Childhood Learning.Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1992.

Winston, Joe, and Miles Tandy. Beginning Drama 4–11. London: David FultonPublishers, 1998.


Bibliography Appendix 14

Dramatic Play in the Kindergarten Programschools.tdsb.on.ca/asit/standards/btstart/KDrama.pdf ·...

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