'Then what happened?' Studying emergent literacy in the narrative play of preschool children. (2nd September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Heppner, Denise H.
• Is Part Of: Language and education. Volume 30:Number 5(2016)
• Page Start: 459
• Page End: 477
• Publication Date: 2016-09-02
• Subjects: Early childhood education -- language teaching -- language-in-education -- literacy practices -- oral language -- primary school education; Language and education -- Periodicals; Native language -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Language and languages -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Children -- Language -- Periodicals; 407.105
• DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2016.1141933
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-0782

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The focus of this research was on examining a play-based, child-centered instructional technique known as story telling/story acting (ST/SA) within a Canadian preschool setting. The goal was to examine the changes that occurred in the narrative features of preschool children's stories, and to investigate whether ST/SA fostered emerging literacy skills of the children who participated. Results indicated growth in the narrative features of language and story structure of the children's stories. Evidence that emergent literacy skills were being fostered by participation in the ST/SA process was found in the areas of oral language development, narrative form, conventions of print, concept of alphabetic code, word study, and the making of meaning. The research findings indicate that the ST/SA activity would be a useful addition to early childhood educators' repertoire of effective instructional practices which have shown to produce growth in oral language skills and further the development of emergent literacy in young children.