Purpose of dramatic play in early learning environments:
Dramatic play permits children to fit the reality of the world into their own interests and knowledge. It is a process in which children can engage with and explore their actual world by creating an imaginary one- where there are stories to tell or scenarios to act out which reflect their family or day to day life, interests or life challenges (Putting Children First, 2010).
Additionally, dramatic play is one of the purest forms of symbolic thought that is available to children and strongly contributes to the intellectual development of children (Cecchini, 2008). Play based learning in the dramatic centre encourages children’s social and emotional development. Dramatic play includes role-playing, puppetry and fantasy play.
Additionally, dramatic play is one of the purest forms of symbolic thought that is available to children and strongly contributes to the intellectual development of children (Cecchini, 2008). Play based learning in the dramatic centre encourages children’s social and emotional development. Dramatic play includes role-playing, puppetry and fantasy play.
Developmental domains associated with the dramatic centre /areas of learning:
- Physical Health and Well-Being: children are developing the hand-eye coordination and visual acuity required for close attention to detail
for example when holding utensils during play or handling finger puppets.
- Social Knowledge and Competence : children are beginning to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour , for example when sharing materials in dramatic centre. They also need and enjoy social contact to develop a sense of themselves , ex. social interactions, development of social skills in dramatic centre.
- Emotional Maturity: children need to feel valued
, have their own interests
and ideas , express feelings with actions and words , for example when expressing their own points of view
and making independent choices
- Cognitive Knowledge: children learn through interacting with the environment, so learning experiences in the dramatic centre are concrete, active, interactive, and connected to the children’s world, for example: doctor’s office, pet store, restaurant, grocery store.
- Communication Skills and General Knowledge: children use language for self- regulation and for expressing needs, imagining, reasoning, and predicting, for example when using and developing language in a variety of dramatic centre contexts and for a variety of purposes (taking on roles of a doctor, patient, receptionist). Children speak in simple sentences and make themselves understood by peers and adults.They learn through exploration, play, discovery, investigation, inquiry, and modelling, for example a teacher may model the language associated with a visit to a doctor or a restaurant .
Curriculum Expectations
The Arts:
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
D1. demonstrate an awareness of themselves as dramatic artists through engaging in activities in drama;
D2. demonstrate basic knowledge and skills gained through exposure to drama and dance and drama-related activities;
D3. use problem-solving strategies when experimenting with the skills, materials, processes, and techniques used in drama both individually and with others;
D4. express responses to a variety of forms of drama, including those from other cultures.
D1.1 demonstrate an awareness of personal interests and a sense of accomplishment in drama
D2.1 explore different elements of drama
D3.1 use problem-solving skills and their imagination to create drama
D3.2 dramatize rhymes, stories, legends, and folk tales from various cultures, including their own
D4.1 express their responses to drama
Personal and Social Development:
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
1. identify and use social skills in play and other contexts;
2. demonstrate an ability to use problem-solving skills in a variety of social contexts;
1.2 demonstrate the ability to take turns in activities and discussions
1.3 demonstrate an awareness of ways of making and keeping friends
2.1 use a variety of simple strategies to solve social problems
Emotional Development:
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
1: demonstrate a sense of identity and a positive self-image
2: demonstrate independence, self-regulation, and a willingness to take responsibility in learning and other activities
1.1 recognize personal interests, strengths, and accomplishments
1.2 identify and talk about their own interests and preferences
2.2 demonstrate a willingness to try new activities
2.4 begin to demonstrate self-control
2.5 interact cooperatively with others in classroom events and activities
Language:
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
1: communicate by talking and by listening and speaking to others for a variety of purposes and in a variety of contexts
4: communicate in writing, using strategies that are appropriate for beginners
1.2 listen and respond to others for a variety of purposes and in a variety of contexts
1.5 use language in various contexts to connect new experiences with what they already know
1.6 use language to talk about their thinking, to reflect, and to solve problems
1.7 use specialized vocabulary for a variety of purposes
4.1 demonstrate an interest in writing and choose to write in a variety of contexts
4.2 demonstrate an awareness that writing can convey ideas or messages
4.3 write simple messages using a combination of pictures, symbols, knowledge of the correspondence between letters and sounds (phonics), and familiar words
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
D1. demonstrate an awareness of themselves as dramatic artists through engaging in activities in drama;
D2. demonstrate basic knowledge and skills gained through exposure to drama and dance and drama-related activities;
D3. use problem-solving strategies when experimenting with the skills, materials, processes, and techniques used in drama both individually and with others;
D4. express responses to a variety of forms of drama, including those from other cultures.
D1.1 demonstrate an awareness of personal interests and a sense of accomplishment in drama
D2.1 explore different elements of drama
D3.1 use problem-solving skills and their imagination to create drama
D3.2 dramatize rhymes, stories, legends, and folk tales from various cultures, including their own
D4.1 express their responses to drama
Personal and Social Development:
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
1. identify and use social skills in play and other contexts;
2. demonstrate an ability to use problem-solving skills in a variety of social contexts;
1.2 demonstrate the ability to take turns in activities and discussions
1.3 demonstrate an awareness of ways of making and keeping friends
2.1 use a variety of simple strategies to solve social problems
Emotional Development:
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
1: demonstrate a sense of identity and a positive self-image
2: demonstrate independence, self-regulation, and a willingness to take responsibility in learning and other activities
1.1 recognize personal interests, strengths, and accomplishments
1.2 identify and talk about their own interests and preferences
2.2 demonstrate a willingness to try new activities
2.4 begin to demonstrate self-control
2.5 interact cooperatively with others in classroom events and activities
Language:
By the end of the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, children will:
1: communicate by talking and by listening and speaking to others for a variety of purposes and in a variety of contexts
4: communicate in writing, using strategies that are appropriate for beginners
1.2 listen and respond to others for a variety of purposes and in a variety of contexts
1.5 use language in various contexts to connect new experiences with what they already know
1.6 use language to talk about their thinking, to reflect, and to solve problems
1.7 use specialized vocabulary for a variety of purposes
4.1 demonstrate an interest in writing and choose to write in a variety of contexts
4.2 demonstrate an awareness that writing can convey ideas or messages
4.3 write simple messages using a combination of pictures, symbols, knowledge of the correspondence between letters and sounds (phonics), and familiar words
Tools and Materials within the dramatic centre:
Students may co-create the dramatic centre with the early learning team. There should be a variety of dramatic centres throughout the year, depending on inquiry / interests, therefore materials may change, be added or rotated over the course of the year. The materials and props should stimulate children’s play and encourage them to try out new roles, begin to consider others in play and expand children's language skills. The writing tools will support children's emerging interest in writing, as children will begin writing simple and authentic messages during play, e.g. prescriptions, menus, receipts.
- Table and chair set
- Multicultural plastic food
- Community helpers plastic hats
- Play telephones
- Mirror
- Kitchen play set (e.g. plastic cutlery, cups, plates, pots and pans)
- Ethnic dolls and clothes
- Stove, fridge, sink furniture
- Doctor kit
- Cash register
- Puppets
- Assorted writing tools (e.g., pencil crayons, pencils, pens, markers, clip boards) as well as environmental print such as word wall, signs, children's names to further support children in creation of prescriptions, menus, etc.
Assessment methods and tools:
Retrieved November 7, 2014 from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/kindergarten_english_june3.pdf
Assessment methods and tools may include:
Young children show their understanding by doing, showing, and telling. Early Learning–Kindergarten teams need to use assessment strategies of observing, listening, and asking probing questions in order to assess and evaluate children’s achievement.
Children are demonstrating their knowledge by saying, doing and representing.
For example children may explore different elements of drama by saying “I will be a doctor”, by discussing the characters and the setting for the story or representing by using doctor’s tools to examine a patient.
Children demonstrate the ability to take turns in activities and discussions by saying “Do you want to be the waiter? I’d like to order a macaroni and cheese, please”, by negotiating roles and together deciding who will be the first to cook, or representing by making a sign up list for the dramatic centre.
Children may begin to demonstrate self-control during dramatic play by being aware and labeling their emotions and calming themselves down during play. For example, child may say “I’m really frustrated when you don’t want to give me a turn with a cash register”, or by calming down and quickly resuming playing in role, or representing by making a list of strategies, using words and pictures, that help with self-regulation, such as breathing and posting in the dramatic play area.
Children may demonstrate their ability to use specialized vocabulary for a variety of purposes in the dramatic centre by saying “We are writing prescriptions for sick children”. A child may represent his/her learning by making a thermometer our of play dough and placing it in the dramatic centre after listening to a non-fiction book about a visit to a doctor a child, saying “We don’t have a thermometer in our doctor’s office”.
- portfolios
- developmental continua
- age and stage-of-development charts
- videotapes and/or photographs
- records of reading behaviours
- conferences
- self-assessment and peer assessment
- writing samples
Young children show their understanding by doing, showing, and telling. Early Learning–Kindergarten teams need to use assessment strategies of observing, listening, and asking probing questions in order to assess and evaluate children’s achievement.
Children are demonstrating their knowledge by saying, doing and representing.
For example children may explore different elements of drama by saying “I will be a doctor”, by discussing the characters and the setting for the story or representing by using doctor’s tools to examine a patient.
Children demonstrate the ability to take turns in activities and discussions by saying “Do you want to be the waiter? I’d like to order a macaroni and cheese, please”, by negotiating roles and together deciding who will be the first to cook, or representing by making a sign up list for the dramatic centre.
Children may begin to demonstrate self-control during dramatic play by being aware and labeling their emotions and calming themselves down during play. For example, child may say “I’m really frustrated when you don’t want to give me a turn with a cash register”, or by calming down and quickly resuming playing in role, or representing by making a list of strategies, using words and pictures, that help with self-regulation, such as breathing and posting in the dramatic play area.
Children may demonstrate their ability to use specialized vocabulary for a variety of purposes in the dramatic centre by saying “We are writing prescriptions for sick children”. A child may represent his/her learning by making a thermometer our of play dough and placing it in the dramatic centre after listening to a non-fiction book about a visit to a doctor a child, saying “We don’t have a thermometer in our doctor’s office”.
Teacher’s Interactions / Responding to the Learner:
Teachers respond, challenge and extend students learning in a dramatic centre in small and large groups as well as with individual children.
Early Learning–Kindergarten (EL–K) Team’s intentional interactions to support children’s ability to take turns in activities and discussions may include:
Early Learning–Kindergarten (EL–K) Team’s intentional interactions to support children’s ability to self regulate by:
Early Learning–Kindergarten (EL–K) Team’s intentional interactions to support children’s ability to use specialized vocabulary for a variety of purposes by:
Early Learning–Kindergarten (EL–K) Team’s intentional interactions to support children’s ability to take turns in activities and discussions may include:
- responding by saying “I noticed you came back when you saw there was space for you at the dramatic centre”
- challenging by limiting an amount of materials available, provoking children to find ways to work together
- extending by asking the children to share their sign up list for the dramatic centre with the rest of the class
Early Learning–Kindergarten (EL–K) Team’s intentional interactions to support children’s ability to self regulate by:
- responding: After observing how a child was able to voice his frustration with a peer , a teacher responds by saying “I noticed how you knew you are frustrated about M. not sharing the cash register and how you talked about it with him”.
- challenging : The team members provide opportunities for the children to use language to express and regulate their emotions, and ask questions such as, “What do you notice happens to your body when you are angry or frustrated?”
- extending: The team decides to read books about feelings to support the children in developing awareness of their body and emotions.
Early Learning–Kindergarten (EL–K) Team’s intentional interactions to support children’s ability to use specialized vocabulary for a variety of purposes by:
- responding: Teacher adds a variety of cooking utensils to the restaurant. Through using the materials, the children develop
relevant vocabulary.
- challenging: A teacher points to the chef’s outfit and says “You look very professional in your toque today”
- extending: Teachers plan ways to support children’s development of vocabulary. One strategy is to model new vocabulary in the context of the children’s play at the dramatic centre.