Iakshina A.N., Smirnova V.N. The relationship between pretend play and storytelling in preschool age
This work is licensed under a Сreative Commons Atribiution - NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Abstract
Background. Storytelling and play with an imaginary situation are important components of a high-quality preschool education, but in the scientific field there are very few studies that analyze the nature of their relationship in preschool age.
Objective: to analyze the interrelation between pretend play of preschoolers and the key features of individual storytelling.
Methods. The study involved 56 children aged 6-7 years. To study the features of the development of play in preschoolers, we used the play diagnostic tool of E.O. Smirnova and the “challenge-response” parameter of L.I. Elkoninova. To study the characteristics of children’s narratives (stories invented based on their own drawings) – the method by O.A. Shiyan «Three Stories».
Results. The sample included children with both high and low levels of development of pretend play (mean= 19.55, sd= 5.34, min=6, max=30), 26.7% of children were found to have “challenge-response” play. Most often, when creating narratives, children used normative (mean=3.86, sd=2.21) and symbolic means (mean=1.48, sd=1.9). A significant interrelation was found between the level of development of play and symbolic and normative means in children’s narratives (p<0.01).
Conclusion. Overall score according to the method of E.O. Smirnova, as well as such parameters of play as play substitution and play idea, turned out to be associated with both symbolic and normative means in children’s narratives. The ability to create a symbolic character in storytelling and action from a role in play, spatial and subject substitution have a similar mechanism and imply the ability not only to create, but to deploy and maintain one’s image. The interrelation indicates a similarity in the use of normative means when constructing play plots and creating individual stories. The results can be used in developing a strategy for complex play support in preschool organizations, as well as in professional development programs for preschool teachers.
References
Ajhinger, A., Holl, V. (2014). Detskaja psihodrama v individual’noj i semejnoj psihoterapii, v detskom sadu i shkole [Child psychodrama in family psychotherapy, in preschool and school]. Moscow: Genezis Publishing, 336 p. (In Russ.).
Berezhkovskaja, E.L. (2023). Kul’turno-istoricheskaja psihologija razvitija: uchebnik dlja vuzov [Cultural-historical developmental psychology: textbook for universities]. Moscow: Jurajt Publishing, 616p. (In Russ.).
Bredikyte, M. (2010). Psihologicheskie sredstva i razvitie igry [Psychological tools and play development]. Kul’turno-istoricheskaja psihologija [Cultural-historical psychology], 4, 11-18. (In Russ.).
Bredikyte, M. (2022). Adult participation in the creation of narrative playworlds: challenges and contradictions. International Journal of Early Years Education, 30, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2022.2107895
Deti, prostranstva, otnoshenija [Children, spaces, relationships]. (2023). Pod. red. Cheppi Dzh., Dzini M. i dr. Moscow: Nacional’noe obrazovanie Publishing, 160p. (In Russ.).
El’konin, D.B. (1990). Psihologija igry [Psychology of play]. Moscow: Vlados Publishing, 360p. (In Russ.).
El’koninova, L.I. (2016). Edinstvo affekta i intellekta v sjuzhetno-rolevoj igre [Intellect affect unity in role play]. Kul’turno-istoricheskaja psihologija [Cultural-historical psychology], 12, 3, 247–254. https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2016120314 (In Russ.).
Fleer, M. (2021). An educational experiment into how to bring discipline concepts into play: How a theoretical problem acts as a source of teacher development. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seriya 14. Psikhologiya [Moscow University Psychology Bulletin], 4, 72–103. https://doi.org/10.11621/vsp.2021.04.03
Freeman, J., Epston, D., Lobovits, D. (1997). Playful approaches to serious problems. Norton. 321 p.
Hoffman, J., & Russ, S. (2012). Pretend play, creativity, and emotion regulation in children. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 6(2), 175–184.
Holmes, R.M., Gardner, B., Kohm, K., Bant, C., Ciminello, A., Moedt, K., Romeo, L. (2019). The relationship between young children’s language abilities, creativity, play, and storytelling. Early Child Development and Care, 189:2, 244-254. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2017.1314274
Iakshina, A.N. (2020). Uslovija razvitija igry v doshkol’nom vozraste: obzor sovremennyh otechestvennyh i zarubezhnyh issledovanij [Conditions for play development in preschool age: review of Russian and foreign studies]. Sovremennoe doshkol’noe obrazovanie [Preschool Education Today], 4(100), 50–61. https://doi.org/10.24411/1997-9657-2020-10079 (In Russ.).
Iakshina, A.N. (2021). Obzor sovremennyh instrumentov diagnostiki detskoj igry: vozmozhnosti, ogranichenija i vyzovy dlja issledovatelej [Review of modern tools for play assessment: possibilities, limitations and challenges for researchers]. Sovremennoe doshkol’noe obrazovanie [Preschool Education Today], 6(108), 56–69. https://doi.org/10.24412/1997-9657-2021-6108-56–69 (In Russ.).
Iakshina, A.N., Le-van, T.N. (2023). Strategii soprovozhdenija igry u doshkol’nyh pedagogov s raznym ponimaniem igry i ee razvivajushhej cennosti [Play support strategies of teachers with different perspectives on play and its role in child development]. Kul’turno-istoricheskaja psihologija [Cultural-historical psychology], 2, 99–106. https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2023190213 (In Russ.).
Kervin, L., Mantei, J. (2022). Pretend Play: Children in Control of a Shifting Narrative. Educ. Sci., 12, 925. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci12120925
Korotkova, N.A. (2016). Sjuzhetnaja igra doshkol’nikov [Plot play of preschoolers]. Moscoe: Linka-Press, Publishing, 256 p. (In Russ.).
Kravcov, G.G., Kravcova, E.E. (2017). Psihologija igry (kul’turno-istoricheskij podhod) [Psychology of play. Cultural-historical approach]. Moscow: Lev Publishing, 331p. (In Russ.).
Kravcov, G.G., Kravcova, E.E., Berezhkovskaja, E.L. (2007). Programma vospitanija i obuchenija detej doshkol’nogo i mladshego shkol’nogo vozrasta «Zolotoj kljuchik» [Golden key programm]. Moscow: Izdatel’stvo Fonda L.S. Vygotskogo Publishing, 172 p. (In Russ.).
Lindqvist, G. (2003). The dramatic and narrative patterns of play. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 11:1, 69-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/13502930385209071
Nicolopoulou, A. (2015). Young children’s pretend play and storytelling as modes of narrative activity: From complementarity to cross-fertilization? In S. Douglas & L. Stirling (Eds.), Children’s Play, Pretense, and Story: Studies in Culture, Context, and Autism Spectrum Disorder, New York: Routledge, 7-28.
Oklender, V. (2017). Skrytye sokrovishha. Putevoditel’ po vnutrennemu miru rebenka [Hidden treasures: guide on child’s inner world]. Moscow: Kogito-centr Publishing, 271 p. (In Russ.).
Paley, V.G. (1990). The boy who would be the helicopter: The uses of storytelling in classrooms. Cambridge., MA: Harvard University Press.
Pramling, N., Wallerstedt, C., Lagerlöf, P., Björklund, C., Kultti, A., Palmér, H., Magnusson, M., Thulin, S., Jonsson, A., Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2019). Play-responsive teaching in early childhood education. Springer, 183 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15958-0
Shiyan, O.A., Baranova, A.A. (2022). Detskie narrativy kak prostranstvo projavlenija i sposob diagnostiki tvorcheskih sposobnostej starshih doshkol’nikov [Child narratives as the way to assess preschooler’s creative abilities]. Kul’turno-istoricheskaja psihologija (Cultural-historical psychology), 18, 1, 50–59. https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2022180105 (In Russ.).
Singer, E., DeHaan, D. (2019). Igrat’, udivljat’sja, uznavat’. Teorija razvitija, vospitanija i obuchenija detej [Play, surprise, learn. Theory of child’s education and development]. Moscow: MOZAIKA-SINTEZ Publishing, 312 p. (In Russ.).
Smirnova, E.O., Veraksa, A.N., Buhalenkova, D.A., Rjabkova, I.A. (2018). Svjaz’ igrovoj dejatel’nosti doshkol’nikov s pokazateljami poznavatel’nogo razvitija. Kul’turno-istoricheskaja psihologija [Cultural-historical psychology], 14 (1), pp. 4–14. https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2018140101 (In Russ.).
Vygotsky, L.S. (2011). Lekcii po pedologii [Lecrures on pedology]. Izhevsk: Izdatel’skij dom «Udmurtskij universitet» Publishing, 304 p. (In Russ.).
Zhuravleva, L.V., Bykova, E.V., Kopylova, I.P., Shijan, O.A. (2023). «Skazka skazok» v detskom sadu shkoly A.N.Tubel’skogo [Tale of tales in Tubelsky kindergarten]. Sovremennoe doshkol’noe obrazovanie: teorija i praktika [Preschool education today. Theory and practice],17, 2–19. (In Russ.).