Chapter 12: Using Technology for Documentation of Dramatic Play
Fact: Reflection:
12-1 (Using Technology for Documentation) Up until 5th grade, we used regular
❖ Using technical or electronic media is whiteboards and in fifth grade we switched to
not an innovation in classrooms smart boards. It made learning more
❖ 92% of almost 1500 early childhood interactive and exciting personally. We also
educators reported having access to know live in an age where there is no escaping
digital cameras using technology, and some career fields will
❖ Technology: t ool used to perform a be purely based on that. It would be a
task disservice to take it out completely.
➢ Not just for learning but also
for documentation and
communicating with families is
responsibility of early childhood
educators
➢ Tools can be used to document,
archive, and share
developmental information with
families, electronically, or face
to face
12-1a (Types of Technological Media for A parent from my mom’s class last year is a
Observing and Recording) professional photographer and scrapbooked
❖ Each device has its usefulness, along photos of the school year. It was a very sweet
with disadvantages gift not only for my mom but for the whole
❖ Photography class as well.
➢ Become easier and less
expensive
➢ Capture children’s expressions
to show responses
➢ Moments in time are captured
to reflect on later
➢ Can be used during the year as
vehicles to help the child
remember and talk about
specific incidents
■ Used as mementos at
the end of the year
❖ Audio Recording
➢ Especially useful to gather
speech and language samples
➢ Can be used as dramatic play
props or on project work
➢ Some regard recording without
the subject’s approval or
knowledge as an invasion of
privacy
❖ Video
➢ Affordable, easy to use,
efficient in almost any kind of
light and setting
➢ Recorded images and sounds
are downloaded and stored on a
computer
➢ Useful for teacher to analyze
children’s own or one’s own
actions for further study
12-1b (Ethical Use of Technology So long as all ethical and legalistic factors are
Documentation) properly taken into consideration, technology
❖ At school, children and adults alike of any kind can and should be conducive to the
should feel comfortable learning environment
❖ Legal and ethical considerations
➢ Do we have a right to unlimited
access to a human being?
➢ What damage might it cause in
relationships between children
and “trusted” adults in their
lives
➢ Obtain informed consent,
maintain confidentiality, and
obtain prior permission
12-1c (Media as Documentation for Other Technology is a now inevitable part of society,
Areas of Development) not using it would allow kids to lose out on
❖ Technology has changed the way we valuable knowledge.
work and live
❖ Social interactions can be preserved
with photos or recorded conversations
❖ Creative moments, whether art media
manipulation or dramatic play, are
meaningfully captured on video or
audio
12-1d (How to Find the Time) Teaching kids how to use technology at a
❖ Can take a while to learn to use new young age will only make it easier for them to
equipment use newer models or tools that come out.
➢ More you use it, easier it will Essentially setting them up for success.
become
❖ What to Do With It
➢ Audio recordings kept in
portfolio
➢ Photos can be added to child’s
portfolio to illustrate comments
about areas of development
■ They add visual info to
A.R.
12-2 (Looking at Dramatic Play) I feel that kinship play is one that should be
❖ In early childhood classrooms, there is monitored a little more closely only because
more emphasis on accountability and there are times when children can easily be
academic prep over research on the bullied. I know that I experienced being
importance and role of play isolated from hanging out during recess and it
❖ Even with less time for pretend play, left me dreading that time everyday. In
children were still participating in it elementary, not so much, but as the children
❖ 4 major types: get older, being aware of who is sitting out and
➢ Mastery Play: repetitive why is important.
actions, child explores physical
properties of an object using all
senses
■ Repeated, refining
physical skills while the
brain stores info from
exploring
➢ Innovative Play: child takes
what they learned through
exploring and then experiments
■ walking followed by
running, climbing,
skipping
➢ Kinship Play: sharing an
experience, with or without
verbal communication, that
creates a bond
■ No need for intro or
awareness of cultural
status, they just play
➢ Therapeutic Play: using play as
a way of dealing with stress
■ Peek-a-boo
❖ Easy to see how dramatic play
enhances learning
12-2a (Dramatic Play at Various Ages) Children are soaking up all this information
❖ Children play in different ways at from the youngest of ages and simply crave an
different ages and stages outlet to try and copy what they’ve seen. It’s
❖ Vygotsky innate, natural, and complex. As teachers and
➢ Infancy: infant and adult are observers, we are able to give the children the
gazing at each other intently best chance at fulfilling this desire.
■ Repetition of adult-child
interactions is building
the foundation for later
plots of sociodramatic
play with peers
➢ Young Toddlers (6-18
months): child is exploring
physical world by playing with
objects
■ Repetition with and
without objects
■ Substitution: other
objects become
stand-ins
➢ Older Toddlers: Dramatic play
occurs just at the time when
social rules are being enforced
by adults
■ Child substitutes
imaginary situations to
control the rules and
work them through to
delay immediate
gratification
■ Child is making the
rules
➢ Preschoolers: each player has a
role related to the theme, but
acts independently
➢ 4 types
■ Functional
● Feeding baby,
driving car
■ Relational
● Representing
family member,
friend, or pet
■ Stereotypic
● Based on
occupation such
as cop or
construction
worker
■ Fictional
● Taken from a
story or media
superheros
➢ Young School Agers: Dramatic
play declines in the early school
years
■ Games with rules are
outlets for these skills
and attitudes
■ They are
concrete-operational
thinkers, ready for
group play
❖ Taking roles helps children understand
and feel powerful
➢ Only able to do this because of
expanded vocab, experiences
with models, and objects that
they can mentally transform
into props
12-2b (Types of Dramatic Play) Play can be fostered at home, school,
❖ Dramatic Play can occur anywhere anywhere really. The children are already
that children are hopefully getting some exposure to language
➢ Spontaneous, child-initiated, before they walk through the school doors and
part of normal development from there, the teacher is able to take what
➢ Most common area is they know and help them achieve
housekeeping area developmental levels beyond their belief.
➢ Children take on role of
parents, child, and pets using
props, voices, and dialogues
❖ Play areas can be infused with literacy
materials for writing notes and books
associated with the theme
➢ Sociodramatic play: interaction
of two or more children in a
play theme with each holding
separate roles
❖ Bringing dramatic arts into the
classroom is a opportunity to express a
story, music, or cultural event
creatively
12-2c (Play Stages in Dramatic Play) Knowing which types of play to look at when
❖ Onlooker Stage observing, their unique characteristics and
➢ Child watches dramatic play of what we as observers can do is key. That’s
others why our prep work is so important.
➢ Adult can give assistance in
pay entry techniques if it is
warranted
❖ Solitary Dramatic Play
➢ Child selects the props for play
and may internally or audibly
carry on a dialogue.
➢ The adult can assess and
scaffold (support and expand)
the plan, the roles, the props,
the time frame, the language,
and the scenario, taking the
play to new heights.
❖ Parallel Dramatic Play
➢ The observer assesses the
child’s social level and choice of
parallel play partners
❖ Associative Dramatic Play
➢ Children are talking, smiling,
and offering objects-all
corresponding to associative
play
➢ Stage in which children are
playing near each other, in the
same theme, but not together
❖ Cooperative Dramatic Play
➢ Children are working together
towards a common goal,
contributing parts to the whole
➢ Plan and act out make believe
stories
12-3 (Dramatic Play and Development) Until I began being able to observe, I never
❖ When children play grown-up, they are really understood all the processes that are
involving every domain of development happening within and around the child. It is
and offering us a glimpse of the child amazing to be able to get a glimpse into their
within world and make them better through proper
❖ During dramatic play, observers see assessment and supportive tools.
scenarios unfold
❖ Child’s actions may merely be cute to
an untrained observer, but meaningful
to those who know what each incident
reveals about the child’s development
12-3a (Developmental Domains Observed in
Dramatic Play)
❖ Sociodramatic play: fantasy play
episode with others involved
➢ Important for teachers of young
children in defending the time,
space, and intentional planning
for this kind of play
❖ Creative
➢ As children interact in dramatic
play, they learn to be more
flexible in their thinking
❖ Intellectual
➢ Make-believe play involves and
promotes development in every
domain, integrating them to
become more complex and
refined
➢ Progressive step toward
abstract thinking
➢ They are making connections
between the real world they
have experienced and a fantasy
world that they recreate
➢ Children between 2.5-5 yrs
who participate in this play are
more advanced in general
intellectual ability, have better
memory, and display higher
reasoning ability
❖ Emotional
➢ Beyond the enjoyment factor
they are practicing emotional
skills that are important for
school success, such as the
ability to delay gratification,
consider the perspectives and
needs of others, regulate their
behavior, and act in a deliberate
and intentional way
➢ Beginning of self-identity
■ Children engaged in
creative play express a
wider range of emotions
than in the other areas
of play
➢ Emotional disturbances can
also be observed
❖ Social
➢ Group play allows children to
solve problems, and interact
socially
■ Children seek out
familiar same-sex, same
age playmates
➢ Some children do not
participate
■ This emphasizes
importance of
facilitating dramatic
play in the early
childhood classroom
➢ Strong relationship between
high television and video
viewing and aggressive
behavior
■ Effects can be reduced
if adults are mediators
of child’s television and
video viewing
12-3b (The Role of the Teacher in Dramatic Understanding the correct ways and
Play) techniques in which we can scaffold will help
❖ Teachers role beings with setting the us leaps and bounds.
environment
❖ By adding reading and writing We need to know what to do in order to
materials, the area take on a literacy properly facilitate, observe, and assess. And
component another important factor is being ethical.
➢ Cultures of children should be
considered as well, ensuring
materials are representative of
all
❖ Teacher acts as mediator and may
facilitate the play by introducing the
theme, and modifying it accordingly
❖ Whatever type of dramatic play is
occurring, the teacher’s role of
observation, support, and thoughtful
involvement can enhance children’s
ability to reflect, take roles, practice
empathy, altruism, emotional
understanding, and self-regulation
12-3c (Other Methods for Observing Dramatic I love the way the book makes it easier for the
Play) reader to understand and also tie all the
❖ Dramatic play can be captured through concepts together.
the use of A.R
❖ Class list log can be used for a quick
check on who does and does not
participate in fantasy play
❖ Time samples will indicate if play is
occuring in the dramatic play area
❖ When teachers reflect on the intentions
underlying children’s behavior, it
contributes to their own responses to
children
12-4 (Helping All Children with Dramatic I completely agree. NO ONE deserves to be
Play) left behind and teaching everyone to respect all
❖ Children approach dramatic play when people regardless of your situation is vital.
they come from diverse backgrounds,
cultures, and experiences
12-4a (Cultural Differences in Dramatic Play) Be intentional with each play center/area.
❖ Widely held that play is universal
❖ Certain cultures do not value fantasy
❖ Dramatic play areas should include
items from the children’s culture and
everyday life
12-4b (Socioeconomic Differences in Dramatic This is incredibly heartbreaking but I am glad
Play) that this knowledge is available so that
❖ Smilansky and Shefatya discovered intervention can take place. The fact that a
trhough their observation that play child’s natural inclination to play can be
was: tainted so early on only makes my desire to do
➢ More object-centered all that I can for a child as a future observer
➢ Used in a more rigid way and therapist all that much stronger.
➢ Possessed with determination
➢ Verbal interactions were more
functional
➢ Less humor, more criticism
12-4c (Differing Abilities and Dramatic Play) Acceptance of others is a lifelong skill. We are
❖ The teacher supports a higher level of all so different and can learn new perspectives
activity through modifications to the with each interaction. I am firm believer that
environment hate is taught and everyone comes into this
❖ Teacher looks for ways that the child world with the natural desire to love. As
can participate AND for ways to make teachers, we can foster acceptance and love in
such accommodations familiar and the way we treat ourselves and others.
accepted by the other children in the Ensuring that every child’s strength and
group personality is shown in the best light is of the
❖ Dramatic play invites social interaction utmost importance.
and communication, does not need to
be limited by physical disabilities when
there are environmental
accommodations and provides a vehicle
for success
Tool
