Used both a noncontextual mode and a natural history mode of analyzing the emotionally charged dramas that form an important part of the socialization of Inuit children. Focused on a three year old's participation in such a drama. Analyzed themes and plots of the incident. (MM)

Describes a collaborative compensatory program for at-risk kindergarten, first-, and second-grade students, in which literature, drama, music, and movement are woven together into miniperformances that develop and support literacy learning. Discusses the process of developing a miniperformance, and lists suggested books with stories for…

This study investigated the effects of prop realism on the play of 24 preschoolers. Observations of play sessions revealed that highly realistic props and low-realism props elicited equal amounts of group dramatic play. However, low- realism props generated greater diversity of play themes, more fantasy role enactments, and more nonintended use of…

Focuses on the discourse skills used by some white, middle-class, advantaged preschool girls to manage their disagreements. The article shows how their management of opposition is a jointly constructed achievement requiring the coordination of high levels of sociolinguistic skill to arrive at cooperative as well as self-serving, competitive or…

Describes the collaborative literacy activity that occurred in one teacher's sociodramatic play center in a multi-age classroom (K-2) and a kindergarten classroom. Finds the children in the multi-age group engaged in a larger amount and a broader range of collaborative literacy activities than did the kindergartners; and the collaborative…

This book contains papers presented at an "Interactive Research Conference" held in June 1996 at the University of Central England. The conference focused on the pioneering work of Professor Dorothy Heathcote in the field of drama in education. Twenty-three different countries were represented at the conference. The book has three…

Changing the dramatic play area in a child care setting promotes creativity and gives children the chance to experience a place they may never experience in real life. Whenever possible, the children should be involved in the process of changing the area, by moving furniture and exchanging props, as well as brainstorming ideas for changes. The…

A study addressed the general issue of whether or not a touring college drama production would somehow stimulate greater interest, on the part of elementary teachers and students, in the use of drama as a classroom learning medium. Specifically addressed were whether (1) educational gains would be realized; (2) data would show measurable gains in…

Improvisational gaming is a technique involving the use of theater and drama in the teaching of other subjects. The student uses intuition, sense-memory, and imagination in a holistic approach to learning which teaches social skills while it teaches subject matter. Everyone can act and improvise; getting everyone involved is seldom a problem as…

The use of logos in the early childhood classroom is one aspect of a rich written language environment in which the young child can begin to acquire literacy in a meaningful way. The early childhood classroom provides many opportunities for the use of logos in context. Sociodramatic play provides one such opportunity. Whether the play is arranged…

Black and white middle class preschool children were compared on the frequency with which they engaged in functional, constructive, and dramatic cognitive play across interactive and noninteractive social play situations. Results of analyses yielded no significant racial differences on the cognitive play types across interactive and noninteractive…

Teachers can create an interest in the founding period of U.S. history and present students with an authentic view of this time period through the presentation of this play. The dramatic pretense of the play is that the audience, by their presence, is part of the drama. The audience plays the part of travelers visiting a Philadelphia home in the…

This article aims to trouble the identity of children's dramatic play(ing). It contains two interweaving threads of discourse. In one thread lies a discussion of how children can trouble and extend their own identities through the aesthetic form-languages and conventions they employ and deploy in their dramatic playing/pretend playing. Whereas…

The interactional competence of 12 kindergarten children was studied through naturalistic research of their sociodramatic play in a classroom context. Data were collected by both videotape and trained observers. Contextual and interactional information was analyzed according to an Interactional Competency Checklist (ICC) designed by the author.…

Offered as a supplement to the House Corner Curriculum Manual (HCCM) this trainer's guide for center directors and others responsible for teacher training and parent education focuses on developing and presenting workshops. The guide is divided into five sessions, each of which corresponds to the five chapters in the HCCM. Topics include the…