The Influence of Symbolic Play on Early Literacy Development

APERA Conference 200628 – 30 November 2006 Hong Kongto children, those which were halal, for she was a Muslim, and most importantly, food thatshe loves to eat. Subsequently, when asked to write a composition about a visit to thesupermarket related to what they had chosen in their grocery list, Naila once again performedwell. This is one example <strong>of</strong> how convergent and divergent literacy practices can becombined to benefit all the children in class.Educators should therefore provide opportunities for both situated and formal schoollearning, i.e., creating a dynamic and active classroom context for participation in literacydevelopment where real-world opportunities to engage in literacy practices results incontinuity between the rich contexts <strong>of</strong> home and school literacy practices.Author NoteWe owe much to the families who worked with us to create a collaboration based onmutual respect. We are also thankful to the kindergarten supervisors and teachers whose helpled us to the families. This work was supported by grants from the Centre for Research inPedagogy and Practice <strong>of</strong> the National Institute <strong>of</strong> Education, NTU (CRP 26/03 MAB andCRP 19/04 MAB).Endnotes1. Pseudonyms are used for all participants.2. Transcription conventions: “quotation marks” = re-produced dialogue; //double slashes//= overlapping speech; ((double parentheses)) = authors’ comments; [square brackets] =English translation.ReferencesBarton, D. & Hamilton, M. (2000). Literacy practices. In D. Barton, M. Hamilton & R. Ivanic(Eds.), Situated Literacies. London: Routledge.Bissex, G. (1980). GNYS at work. A child learns to write and read. Cambridge, MA: HarvardUniversity Press.Bussis, A. M., Chittenden, E. A., Amarel, M. & Klausner, E. (1985). Inquiry into meaning:an investigation <strong>of</strong> learning to read (pp. 146-149). New Jersey: Lawrence ErlbaumAssociates, Inc.Christie, J. F. (1983). <strong>The</strong> effect <strong>of</strong> play-tutoring on young children’s cognitive performance.Journal <strong>of</strong> Educational Research, 76, 326-330.Curry, N., & Arnaud, S. (1974). Cognitive implications in children’s spontaneous role play.<strong>The</strong>ory into Practice, 13, 173-177.Fantuzzo, J., Sutton-Smith, B., Coolahan, K. C., Manz, P. H., Canning, S., & Debnam, D.(1995). Assessment <strong>of</strong> preschool play interaction behaviors in young low-income children:Penn interactive peer play scale. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 10, 105-120.Hall, N. (1987). <strong>The</strong> emergence <strong>of</strong> literacy: Young children’s developing understanding <strong>of</strong>reading and writing. Portsmouth: Heineman.Neuman, S. B. & Roskos, K. (1991). <strong>The</strong> influence <strong>of</strong> literacy-enriched play centers on preschoolers’conceptions <strong>of</strong> the functions <strong>of</strong> print. In J. Christie (Ed.) <strong>Play</strong> and earlyliteracy development (pp. 167-187). New York: State University <strong>of</strong> New York Press.Neuman, S. B. & Roskos, K. (1997). Literacy knowledge in practice: contexts <strong>of</strong>participation for young writers and readers. Reading Research Quarterly, 32, 10-32.Pelligrini, A. D. & Galda, L. (1990). Children’s play, language and early literacy. Topics inLanguage Disorders, 10, 76-88.Pelligrini, A. D. & Galda, L. (1993). Ten years after: A reexamination <strong>of</strong> symbolic play andliteracy research. Reading Research Quaterly, 28, 162-175.14