Narrative construction in social pretend play
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the nature of narratives in social pretend play. Two aspects of narrative construction in social pretend play were examined: (i) the content and intertextuality of play narratives and (ii) the process of play narrative construction. The method of the present study was qualitative in nature. Observation of children's naturally occurring social pretend play was employed over time, along with informal interviews with children, parents, and teachers. Analysis included constant comparative methodology and symbolic interactionism. The findings of the present study showed the novel nature of children' s play narratives. As pre-existing schemes were woven with schemes constructed in ongoing play context, novel event sequences were constructed. Play schemes from different sources were combined in the ongoing play context. The pre-existing schemes were modified and enriched through negotiation during play. The communication modes of coordinating, acting-out, and narrating were used in joint construction of play schemes. A variety of communication strategies were used under each communication mode. These results suggest that both cognitive and communication aspects take important roles in the construction of play narratives. These results also imply that outcomes including text organization and communication skills are constructed in social pretend play.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Elster, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Preschool education|Curricula|Teaching|Language arts
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