Describes children's participating in dramatic play activities that are teacher or peer governed. Illustrates children's use of cultural symbols as material for story construction and social affiliation. Argues for a literacy curriculum in which cultural symbols are open to critical examination. (Author/SK)

Play is children's work. Alice Honig enumerates from the heart 10 ways in which children learn through play, including building dexterity; social skills; cognitive and language skills; number and time concepts; spatial understanding; reasoning of cause and effect; clarification of pretend versus real; sensory and aesthetic appreciation; extended…

Using dramatics for self actualization. (CH)

This description of the development of imagination and fantasy in children outlines how children view their fantasies, imaginings, imaginary companions, and lies at different stages of development. Main topics include (1) the purposes of fantasy; (2) fantasy in preschool children; (3) imaginative games and dramas; (4) promotion or inhibition of…

Effects of dramatic play on children's narrative competence were investigated among 36 second-graders. Children were read a familiar folktale and then "played" the story, discussed it, or drew a picture about it. They were then asked to retell the story either to an informed or to a naive listener. It was hypothesized that (1) more…

Beginning with an extensive overview of theories, this paper proposes an integrative perspective on play. Early theories, which were proposed in the last half of the 19th century, included the surplus energy theory, the recapitulation theory, the instinct-practice theory, and the relaxation theory. More recent theories of play include Freud's and…

Explores the relationship between the cognitive area of reading and selected developmental aspects of symbolic play among first-grade males. Results indicate that advanced readers have attained an equilibrium between assimilation (play) and accommodation that results in their advanced reading performance. (Author)

Discussed an idea which helped a teacher successfully handle discipline problems. (Author/RK)

A group of early childhood teachers in an effort to reinforce the child development approach and counteract pressures for early rote learning, describes some specific cognitive learning events which can be found in the spontaneous play for young children. (ST)

The purpose of this book is to provide an opportunity for investigating drama by a series of units, each of which examines an aspect of drama or theater. The 20 units discuss such topics as the definition of drama, dialogue in a poem by W. H. Auden, various aspects of the stage, improvisation, the visual impact of plays, "The Death of Grass" by…

This annotated bibliography on creative dramatics is categorized as follows: For the Uninitiated Teacher, Other Books, and Articles. A total of 47 entries comprises the bibliography. (DB)

Drama and movement bring delight, happiness, increased learning into every aspect of the English program. (JH)

Notes the effect child protagonists can have on adult viewers of a play because adult audiences can be reminded of the helplessness of childhood. (JC)

Describes four-year-olds' fantasy play, and how their language manifests their imaginations, moods, and personal fears. (HTH)

Explores the benefits and hazards of staging simulated news incidents in the classroom to teach journalism students the need to maintain a professional stance at all times. (HTH)