There is a strong link between play and early language and literacy. Imaginative play activities, drawing and games, often provide the opportunity to explore and experiment with both spoken and written language (Browne, 1996).
A picture book, story or poem can be particularly powerful in encouraging role play and discussion. In her chapter on ‘Books and the World of Literature’ Marian Whitehead explores children’s playful exploration of pictures and written narratives (Whitehead, 2004). Let me give one example from my own experience of how a book can be the starting point for imaginative language and play. When asked to share with the seminar group the high points of her recent teaching practice a student who had been working with five year olds told us about her work round the Ahlbergs’ picture book Burglar Bill. The home corner had been transformed into a room in the burglar couple’s house and the children created their own role play round the story. Near the end of the practice, and with the class teacher’s help, the student dressed as Burglar Betty and the children were invited to ask her about her behaviour, why she gave up being a burglar and what might happen in the future. It was a kind of ‘hot seating’ with the student teacher in the hot seat! The children were absorbed and their questions were interesting and profound. How, for example, would Burglar Betty stop Burglar Bill from slipping back to his old ways if money got short?
Abbie experimented with words and rhymes on the computer at home and produced this poem when she was eight and a half. When it was read out at school, the other children liked the witty word play of ‘lion’ and ‘rely on’ in the last line.
Children enjoy language play round nursery rhymes and other verses. A playful approach to sounds can also encourage phonological awareness which helps children learn to read.
Because role play encourages involvement often over a period of time and throws up motivating contexts, it can be an excellent way of extending the range and the purposes for children’s writing. Mallett evaluates a case study where nursery age children have made a pretend train in the home corner and feel the need to write out tickets and notices for the station. They are becoming aware through play of the social purposes of writing (Mallett, 1999). Browne lists the varied kinds of writing that might result from setting up a post office: letters, postcards, invitations, notices, signs, posters, advertisements, stamp design, passports and writing addresses (Browne 2001).
There is now available a lot of software for the under sevens to encourage a playful, explorative approach to learning. For example the ‘Max’ series from Gauntlet Entertainment (01908 575 600) takes up a problem-solving approach. In Max and the Secret Formula children are invited to help Max find a hidden formula to save Auntie Lisa’s leaning house. Of course we would not want these programs to dominate – children can devise their own play situations – but the computer is part of our culture and we should exploit available software where it is helpful.
Older children also benefit from a playful approach to language. They still enjoy role play and improvisation – often round the themes in storybooks – and enjoy tongue twisters, limericks and comic verse. Some of the poems from Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense – ‘The Jumblies’ for example – can encourage both oral and written responses. For helpful advice about how to include play opportunities in planning for English see ‘Play and language’ in Wyse and Jones (2007).
Browne, Ann (2001) Developing Language and Literacy 3–8 London: Paul Chapman.
Mallett, Margaret (1999) Young Researchers: Informational Reading and Writing in the Early and Primary Years London: Routledge.
Whitehead, Marian (2004, third edition) Language and Literacy in the Early Years London: Paul Chapman (See Chapter 7).
Wyse, Dominic and Jones, Russell (2007) English, Language and Literacy London: Routledge.
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