Fluent Essays

Teachers can use puppets to help children build communication and social skills by providing structured opportunities to interact with the puppets. Puppets can also be used to support children emotionally by providing opportunities for dramatic play where children talk to one another or to their teacher without having to do so directly. In this video, preschool children are learning how to handle negative emotions, such as anger or sadness. As you watch, notice the tools and techniques the teacher uses to help her students learn how to deal with feelings.Questions: Identify 2 tools and techniques the teacher in the video uses to teach the students about emotions. Why do you think these tools and techniques are effective ways to help students understand emotions? List and provide examples of ways that dramatic play and role-playing contribute to healthy development. Imagine a scenario where a teacher could use puppets for children with special needs, including English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Language Learners (ELL). Briefly describe how the puppets would be used and for what purpose in your scenario. With your peers, share additional examples and discuss other uses for puppet activities in the early childhood classroom. Sorenson Squeeze Encoded by A A Chapter Introduction © Cengage Learning Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to: · 15-1Discuss the importance of dramatic play to a young child’s development. · 15-2Discuss what children learn in dramatic play. · 15-3Discuss ways to adapt dramatic activities for children with special needs. · 15-4Discuss the difference between dramatic play and creative dramatics. · 15-5Discuss appropriate ways to use puppets in the early childhood program. NAEYC Program Standards · 1a Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs. · 1c Using developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments. DAP Criteria · 2E3 Teachers organize the daily and weekly schedule to provide children with extended blocks of time in which to engage in sustained play, investigation, exploration, and interaction (with adults and peers). · 2E4 Teachers provide experiences, materials, and interactions to enable children to engage in play that allows them to stretch their boundaries to the fullest in their imagination, language, interactions, and self-regulation. I “am being magic!” crows Miguel, dressed in a “superman” cape and a painter’s cap. “I can fly anywhere I want!” As he flaps his arms and swoops around the room, he is joined by Claudia dressed in a dancer’s tutu. “Wait for me. I can fly, too!” she says. The two children glide around the room for a minute or two, until they notice Jaime sitting by himself in the block corner. Moving in his direction, Miguel invites him to join them in flight. “Jaime, I can make magic, so you can fly, too.” Jaime joins Miguel and Claudia for a short time, until he spots an opening at the computer where he “lands” for another activity. Claudia soon decides to land as well, deciding to be a doctor and make a house call to check on a sick baby in the home center. Miguel continues to “be magic” for a few more moments before he too “lands” and becomes the concerned daddy of the sick baby. These children are happily engaged in dramatic play, a natural and essential part of a child’s development. It is spontaneous and child directed. It is fluid, changing momentarily as children’s imaginations move them to explore “being” things and “trying on” many roles. 15-1Importance of Dramatic Play LO 1   In the preceding scene, it is obvious that  dramatic play  is an excellent means for children to develop their creativity and imaginations. Dramatic play allows them to exercise their special, instinctive ways of dealing with reality. They need no written lines to memorize or structured behavior patterns to imitate in order to fantasize their world. What they do need is an interesting environment and freedom to experiment and be themselves. Dramatic play provides children one of the best ways to express themselves. They are free to express their inner feelings in a safe, creative way. Often, teachers find out how children feel about themselves and others by listening to them as they carry out dramatic play. The pretending involved in such dramatic experiences, whether planned or totally spontaneous, is a necessary part of development. In the dramatic play center, children can act out feelings that often cannot be expressed directly. For example, the child who is afraid of the doctor can express this fear by giving shots to dolls or stuffed animals in the center. In like manner, a child can act out with a friend a visit to the dentist. Thus, children can learn to deal with their anxieties as well as act out their fantasies through creative dramatic play. Through the imitation and make-believe of dramatic play, children sort out what they understand and gain a measure of mastery and control over events they have witnessed or taken part in—making breakfast, going to work, taking care of the baby, and going to the doctor (see Photo 15-1). Dramatic play helps children enter and begin to make sense of the world of adults. Photo 15-1 In the dramatic play center, children are free and safe to try on many social roles. © Cengage Learning 15-1aThe Beginnings of Dramatic Play The beginning of dramatic play is visible in the actions of children as young as , who put a comb to their hair, for example, and pull it along the side of their face, imitating the activity that has been performed on them with the same “prop.” Given the right prop, the baby will imitate the behavior associated with that prop. For example, if offered a cup, the baby drinks; a hat, the baby puts it on his head; or a pillow, the baby puts his head on it. Adults often describe this as “pretend” play, but it is more accurately prepretend play because it involves only actions that are known to the child. Actual dramatic play begins when a child uses a prop for something other than the activity for which he or she has seen it used by an adult. Thus, a hair-brush becomes a sailing boat, a wooden block becomes a hairbrush, and a stick becomes a bridge. This usually happens when the child is about  old; that is the age when children seem to be capable of making an “as if?” transformation of an object, a necessary prerequisite to pretend play involving objects, others, and themselves. 15-1bDevelopment of Dramatic Play As children grow and develop, so does their dramatic play. From simple imitative movement, children move on to more complex dramatic play. It is important for teachers of young children to be very good observers and listeners, to see what children play with, to watch what they do with the materials, and to listen to what they say about the props and materials provided to them. It is equally important that the teacher becomes part of the play of the child but—and this is essential—at the child’s present developmental level. We all remember the relative who insisted that the Fisher Price garage could only be a garage, not a part of the fortress wall, and the legendary behavior of the adult who gives the young child a gift of an electric train or racing car set and proceeds to insist that it be played with in terms of adult reality. In adult play, there is no flying of cars one over the other to win and no make-believe drivers, only Grand Prix racers. No wonder the adult ends up playing by himself, while the child returns to playing with the racing car box. This way, the child is allowed to pretend without adult guidance and limitations. Many times creative dramatics begins with one child, and others soon join in (see Photo 15-2). Playing store with a storekeeper and a number of customers is a form of creative dramatic play. Speaking on a toy telephone to a friend is another form. Puppet shows in which children use finger puppets and make up a story as they go along is still another form. Photo 15-2 Creative dramatic play often begins with one child, and others soon join. Casper Holroyd Did You Get It? · A one-year-old child picks up a hairbrush and makes brushing motions in her hair. This action is considered prepretend play because 1. the child is familiar with the action. 2. it is an action used in real life. 3. it demonstrates a lack of creativity. 4. it is an instinctive response. Take the full quiz on CourseMate. 15-2Young Children’s Learning in Dramatic Play LO 2   Dramatic play occurs daily in the lives of young children. It is one of the ways that children naturally learn. They constantly imitate the people, animals, and machines in their world. They enjoy recreating the exciting experiences of their lives. Dramatic play is their way of understanding and dealing with the world. Dramatic play is also an important medium for language development, as it encourages fluency in language. A child who is reluctant to speak in other situations is almost compelled to speak in order to be included in dramatic play. As play becomes elaborate, a child’s language becomes more complex. When children talk with each other in a nondirective setting, such as the dramatic play center, it is possible for the flow and quality of language to develop. If others are to understand his or her role, a child needs to explain what he or she is doing so that friends will respond in appropriate ways. If the child is to understand what they are doing, he or she must listen. When children become involved in complex make-believe, they need to listen and respond to each other. A child speaks convincingly to others when she wants them to change the nature of the play. If they still do not understand, she may try to find other ways to persuade them. When she needs to elaborate on her ideas, the child is likely to use a longer sequence of words and move from two words to more complex syntax. As children play together, they learn new words from each other. At their make-believe restaurant, Maria prepared tacos and Justin ordered fruitcake from the menu. Justin liked the sound of the new word, tacos. He pretended he was eating one, even though he did not know what a taco was. As children play, they repeat words and phrases they have learned and enjoy saying them. They name objects, talk about what they are doing, and plan as they go along. They begin to recognize the importance of planning and take time to formulate more detailed plans for their dramatizations. 15-2aDramatic Play in the Dramatic Play Center One of the best places for children to express themselves in creative, dramatic play is the dramatic play center (see Photo 15-3). Here, in a child-sized version of the world, children are free and safe to express how they feel about themselves and others. While they carry out dramatic play in this center, they can pretend to be many different kinds of people, “trying on,” so to speak, many social roles. Photo 15-3 One of the best ways for children to express themselves is through creative dramatic play. Casper Holroyd The dramatic play center provides endless opportunities for the teacher, as a facilitator of learning, to broaden children’s horizons. The center can be decorated and rearranged to represent an area that pertains to specific content. Possibilities include creating a home, hospital, post office, grocery store, and more. The change of seasons as well as certain holidays can be easily incorporated in this center. For example, during fall, a child’s rake, sweaters, and pumpkins might be included in the center. During the winter months, mittens or a child’s shovel may be additions to the center. For spring, the teacher may add plastic or silk flowers and a variety of hats. Supplies in the dramatic play center should reflect the activities in the classroom and extend the skills being taught elsewhere in the room as well as introduce new skills. Be sure to include clothing, dishes, and dolls that are familiar and represent each of the ethnic and cultural groups in your classroom. (See Figure 15-1 for the benefits of dramatic play and recommended materials to encourage early childhood dramatic play.) Figure 15-1 Benefits of and materials for dramatic play. Activities in the dramatic play center afford the child experiences in the following social interactions: · clarifying adult roles · trying out social skills · getting along with others · sharing responsibilities · making group decisions · controlling impulsive behavior · recognizing cause and effect · developing positive attitudes about oneself and others · enjoying the fantasy of the grownup world · using oral language spontaneously · practicing the use of symbols, which are subskills in reading · learning social ease and confidence in one’s own strengths Materials · full-length mirror · child sized stove · child sized refrigerator · sink · closet or rack of clothes · cooking/eating utensils · table and chairs · tea set · telephone · stethoscope · props for cleaning (broom, mop, dustpan, pail, sponge, rags, duster) · play dough · doll bed, doll carriage, baby highchair · rocking chair · empty cans · empty multicultural food boxes · mirror/hand mirror · carriage · multicultural dolls and doll clothes · iron/ironing board · puppets · a variety of hats, dresses, shirts, ties, belts, scarves, shoes, pocketbooks, and jewelry · an old suitcase (for "trips") · doctor’s satchel, bandages, cotton balls, play syringe, pill bottles, a play thermometer, play money · an old briefcase · dress-up gloves, rubber gloves, baseball gloves, garden gloves · open-ended materials such as large sheets, scarves, and cardboard boxes. · a "challenge box" of unusual items (tools, large beach ball, and funny glasses) to add new elements to their play. Challenge children: "What can you do with this?" · props from favorite stories to encourage retelling experiences. © Cengage Learning Teachers of young children further encourage children’s dramatic play by providing kits containing “props” for them to use. Dramatic play kits are created by assembling a variety of everyday items into groups that have a common use or theme. Children select the props and use them in groups or alone to play roles or create dramatic play experiences. Just letting the children know about the use of these kits is often enough to get them started. Materials for these dramatic kits can be kept together in shoeboxes or other containers. Some common types of dramatic play kits are found in Figure 15-2. Figure 15-2 Dramatic play kits. Dramatic Play Kits: Post Office and Mail Carrier: Index card file, stamp pads, stampers, crayons, pencils, stickers, envelopes, hats, badges, mail bag, supply of “resident” or other third-class mail Firefighter: Hats, raincoats, badge, boots, short lengths of garden hose Grocery Store: adding machine, play money, paper pads, pencils or crayons, paper bags, empty food cartons, wax fruit, cans with smooth edges Plumber: wrenches, sections of plastic pipes, toolkit, hats, and shirts Painter: paint cans full of water, brushes of different sizes, drop cloth, painter’s hat Mechanic: tire pump, tool kit, boxes to become “cars,” shirt, hat Entertainer: CD player, musical instruments, costumes © Cengage Learning Imagination can also be used to transform regular classroom items into “new materials.” Chairs can become trains, cars, boats, or houses. A table covered with a blanket or bedspread becomes a cave or special hiding place. Large cardboard cartons that children can decorate become houses, forts, and fire stations. It is important to emphasize a gender-neutral approach in teaching, especially in the dramatic play area. For example, boys’ dramatic play must be encouraged in an early childhood program as much as girls’ dramatic play. A good tactic to encourage boys’ participation is to change the themes of the dramatic play corner to topics that interest some boys. Include open-ended materials in the dramatic play areas such as blocks, flashlights, a rope, and small balls. An observant teacher, sensitive to both sexes’ dramatic play and developing sex-role concepts, even gives cues that encourage all children to play in all centers. Remember also to provide outdoor materials and equipment for pretending and role play. With more space and fewer boundaries, outdoor dramatic play is often robust and highly mobile. Children will make use of anything available—wagons, tricycles, and other wheeled toys for cars, buses, trains, and boats; large packing boxes, boards, sheets, ropes, and tires for houses, stores, forts, and caves; and sand and sand utensils for cooking, eating, and building. They may also enjoy the addition of some “indoor” materials (hats, scarves, baby dolls, dishes, chalk) to their out-door dramatic play (see Photo 15-4). Photo 15-4 An outdoor area can also have dramatic play activity opportunities. Casper Holroyd 15-2bTeacher’s Role Entering into the child’s dramatic play is an important point of consideration here. The teacher should not be the leader or the organizer of the dramatic play and must try not to form premature conclusions or make assumptions for the child. The teacher observes and asks questions about what the child says and helps to draw out information from the child, maintaining the conversation on the theme provided by the child, but at a pace that allows the child to feel comfortable and pleased with the conversation. The teacher also encourages children’s play by providing props that extend the play but do not change the theme. In doing so, teachers provide for further dramatic play and thereby create a more effective basis from which thought processes and imagination can develop. Teachers help children with their thinking by making statements about their work—not evaluative statements, such as, “I like your cake,” or assumptive ones, such as, “What a naughty cat, eating up all the meat!”—but statements of the obvious on which the child can expand, such as, “It’s a bright yellow color!” This One’s for You! Puppets and ESL Activities In addition to the information in this chapter on the ways to use puppets in the early childhood program, using puppets with children who are learning English as a second language (ESL) is yet another excellent use. Using puppets is like having two fluent English speakers in class, and two fluent English speakers are better than just one! Puppets introduce another proficient English speaker into the classroom for the teacher to speak to. This is important, as one natural language learning strategy adopted by children is that of observing and then imitating conversations conducted by the people around them. The puppet allows this dialogue modeling to take place in the classroom. For example, imagine that the teacher wants to demonstrate how to ask for a colored pencil in English. She places a red pencil and a blue pencil to the right of the puppet (out of reach of her left hand to necessitate the pencil being passed to her by the puppet), then turns to the student and has the following dialogue: Teacher “Enrico, may I have a pencil please?” Puppet “Yes, what color?” Teacher “Red, please.” Puppet (handing over pencil) “Here you are.” Teacher “Thank you.” The pencils are then placed on the far left of the teacher and the roles are reversed. Enrico asks for the pencil and the teacher passes it to him. After modeling the dialogue again, the teacher may then invite a child to come to the front and take one of the roles, while the teacher speaks for the puppet. Some children feel hesitant to speak in English because they are unsure of the pronunciation of certain words or of exactly how to express themselves. In such cases, puppets can act as a psychological support for the child. When a child speaks through the puppet, it is not the child who is perceived as making errors but the puppet, and children find this liberating. Thus, puppets can encourage students to experiment more with the language and “have a go” when they may have otherwise remained silent. Have your own puppet as a special friend. Introduce yourself to the puppet in front of the class. Next, have the children introduce themselves to their puppets from the privacy of their own seats. No one will be listening to them as everyone is talking to their own puppets at the same time. This is a good fluency activity with no need for teacher correction. Later, when the children are comfortable using puppets, ask a child to tell about himself in front of the class. The puppet speaks for the child, which should ease the discomfort level. ESL children will also enjoy singing along to a favorite song with their puppets. Choose a song that is familiar and one that the children can make their puppets dance and do the actions to as the class sings. For example, with “The Wheels on the Bus,” the puppets and children can make all of the motions mentioned in the song. When observing the dramatic play of children of various ages in the dramatic play center, the perceptive teacher can detect definite developmental and age differences. Younger children  to  old generally are involved in dramatic play for a much briefer period of time than children  of age and older. Before the child is  old, for example, he may say, “Nice baby,” when he hugs a doll and then move on. After the age of , the child’s dramatic play may begin to combine several ideas, in contrast to the single idea dramatization of the younger child. The older child may hold a doll and pretend to feed the “baby” a cookie. He may decide to put the baby to bed, covering the doll with a blanket because it is time for “baby to take a nap.” This process of imitating what has been observed is called  modeling behavior . Instances of such modeling behavior in the dramatic play center and elsewhere are even more prevalent in older children. For example, a -year-old child will feed the baby, discussing why milk is good for him or her, telling the baby it is nap time, and instructing the baby that children must “be good” and listen to their parents. This dramatization is in marked contrast to that of the -year-old. Early childhood teachers also need to be aware that children involved in dramatic play also use materials from various parts of the room to support their play. For example, a child who needs some pretend money to put in a purse may decide to make some in the art area, or even go to the manipulative area to gather beads, chips, or small Lego® blocks to use as money. Whether they are searching for materials or on their way to another related location, it is perfectly natural and appropriate for children involved in dramatic play to move about the entire space as part of their play. Confining role players to one area or part of the room frustrates rather than supports their intentions. When their use of space and materials conflicts with other children’s use of space and materials, the opportunity for group problem solving arises. 15-2cMulticultural and Multiple Intelligences and Dramatic Play Dramatic play is a natural avenue for participation by children from diverse language and multicultural backgrounds. Children who are bilingual can participate easily in dramatic activities that call for nonverbal communication. The dramatic play area can also be a place where children learn the words for their play props. For example, name tags can be made for objects in the dramatic play center in both English and children’s native languages. Dramatic play also appeals to children’s various learning styles or multiple intelligences. The body-smart learner gets obvious enjoyment from the active, physical movement involved in dramatic play. The child who is word smart enjoys the ongoing dialogue that is so naturally a part of the dramatic play experience. The child with a person-smart learning style thrives in dramatic activities involving constant interaction with other children. The child with a picture-smart learning style enjoys creating the visual scenes that provide the background for dramatic play scenarios. Did You Get It? · Two preschoolers are playing in a castle in a dramatic play center. One of the children announces, “I am a nobleman!” The other child is not familiar with that term, but nevertheless responds, “I am a nobleman, too!” From a developmental perspective, how can we interpret this interaction? 1. A child is experiencing negative peer pressure. 2. A child is unusually gifted verbally. 3. The first child is stunting the imagination of the second child. 4. The second child’s language skills are broadening. Take the full quiz on CourseMate. 15-3Adapting Dramatic Play for Children with Special Needs LO 3   The following suggestions are designed to help teachers include children with special needs in dramatic play. · Because the child should feel free to experiment and take risks, be careful not to make too many rules for his or her play. Enforce only those rules that are really needed for the child to play safely. · Let the child take the lead. This may involve some patient waiting for the child to choose something to do. · To encourage children to play together, define the space where children can play and keep it small. For example, position housekeeping toys around a small area rug and remind children that they need to stay on the rug while they are playing. · Children with attention deficits, autism, and developmental delays tend to flit from center to center. Children cannot fully benefit from the learning experiences in a center if they are there only a moment or two. Be firm and require that children initially spend at least  in a center of their choice. Then gradually build on the amount of time the child can focus on dramatic play. If  is impossible for the child, start with the amount of time the child can currently tolerate. · To help children put away dramatic play props and toys, label shelves with pictures as well as words. · Try to let the child play with other children as much as possible. The more often you interact with children, the less often children interact with their peers (Gould & Sullivan, 2004). 15-3aDevelopmental Delays Adults may be tempted to intervene too much in the play of children with developmental delays. Children need an opportunity to play at their level of ability and to independently initiate play activities. If you need to intervene when the child is playing in a group, be as unobtrusive as possible. For example, you could simply sit down as part of the children’s play and become a character or prop so that you could subtly make suggestions. Other suggestions for working with children with developmental delays follow. · Offer dramatic play materials that are familiar and part of the child’s daily life experiences. · Encourage verbalization during play by asking questions and encouraging communication with other children. · Some children with developmental delays fatigue very easily. Make sure that the child has supportive seating. · The child who is not yet proficient at dramatic play may be able to carry out some kind of support role in the play, such as being the patient at a doctor’s office. You can make this happen by having the appropriate props nearby or by verbally suggesting the role. · Bring out a few props at a time to avoid unnecessarily distracting the child. · Provide some dress-up clothes that are simple to get on and off and do not have tiny buttons or snaps. Large clothes are easier to get on and off. 15-3bAttention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Behavioral Issues Two traits—high activity levels and distractibility—may prevent children from participating in dramatic activities. These children are more able to focus on dramatic play that they have chosen and that is of personal interest. Novelty is very important. Adding a single novel toy to a play setting may be enough to refocus the child’s attention. For example, if the child is playing in the dramatic play center and seems to be losing interest, add a doctor’s kit with stethoscope and play syringe and cue the child to return to the play with a question such as, “Is the baby sick?” Additional suggestions for working with these children in dramatic activities follow. · Help children learn how to work out conflicts when playing with other children. In order to circumvent a child’s acting out aggressively, offer the child help in verbalizing what is bothering him or her (Deiner, 2009). · Make sure that there are clear behavioral consequences for inappropriate behavior. Carefully consider whether the rules you make are really necessary. · Exciting activities that are new or offer a lot of sensory input should be preceded and followed by calming activities. Involvement in dramatic play could be followed by quiet time sitting on a beanbag chair with a favorite toy. · If the child attempts to leave the center after a few moments of play, ask the child to stay and do one more thing. However, children should be allowed to leave play situations that are not productive. · Hyperactivity in and of itself does not get in the way of learning. If the child is focused on the play activity while actively moving about, there is no need to intervene. This is different from the child who cannot focus on the play or the other children and is darting aimlessly around the classroom. That child needs adult intervention to settle down to play. · Reduce distractions in the dramatic play center by hanging sheets or lengths of fabric from the ceiling to section off the center from the rest of the room. Dramatic play could also take place in a large box or under a table that has been draped with a sheet. · Set a timer to help the child stay in a play center. The timer provides an auditory cue for when the child can move to another center and gives the child a sense that his or her involvement in the center has a definite beginning and end. 15-3cVisual Impairments Children with vision impairment may have not had the opportunity to learn how to play by observing others. The child may also have had limited experience with exploring and manipulating objects. It is important that children with residual (limited vision) be encouraged to use their vision. Children who are blind should be encouraged to explore the sensory properties of objects. · Help the child explore the dramatic play area and to discuss what the objects are and what they are used for. Ask the other children in the center to explain the ongoing play to the child who is visually impaired (Deiner, 2009). · Intervene if the child is always assigned subordinate roles in play such as that of the baby or patient. Suggest another role. · Encourage the child who is blind to develop social skills that will help interaction with other children. The child should learn to turn his or her face toward people when they are talking and to keep his or her head in midline (Gould & Sullivan, 2004). Did You Get It? · A teacher insists that her students spend at least five minutes at the play center of their choosing before moving on to another play center. From a developmental perspective, her actions are 1. inappropriate, because they eliminate free choice. 2. appropriate for students with attention disorders or autism. 3. inappropriate, because they stunt the children’s imagination. 4. appropriate for all types of students. Take the full quiz on CourseMate. 15-4Creative Dramatics versus Dramatic Play in the Elementary Grades LO 4   Dramatic play is the free play of very young children in which they explore their universe, imitating the actions and traits of those around them. It is an accepted part of the preschool and kindergarten curricula. While adults rely on reason and knowledge, children use play and imagination to explore and understand their world. It makes sense, then, for teachers to use these two resources—play and imagination—as learning tools. Dramatic play is the child’s earliest expression in dramatic form, but it is not the same as  creative dramatics . Dramatic play is fragmented, existing only for the moment. It may last for a few minutes or go on for some time. It even may be played repeatedly, but it is a repetition for the pure joy of doing. It has no clear beginning, no end, and no development in the dramatic sense (see Photo 15-5). Photo 15-5 Dramatic play has no clear beginning or end, and it may last for only a brief time. Casper Holroyd The term creative drama is generally used to describe the improvised drama of children age  and older (see Photo 15-6). Creative dramatics builds on the free creative play of the preschool years. It is an extension of the natural activities of early childhood. The make-believe play of home, yard, and side-walks can have new dimensions as it is incorporated into new learning experiences in the elementary classroom. Photo 15-6 Creative drama is the term generally used to describe drama activities for older children. Casper Holroyd Creative drama goes beyond dramatic play in scope and intent and may make use of a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. It may, on the other hand, explore, develop, and express ideas and feelings through dramatic enactment. Creative drama is, however, always improvised. This makes it different from performing a play. Actors in a play read or memorize lines written by somebody else. In creative dramatics, actors create their own words to convey meaning. Dialogue is created by the players, whether the content is taken from a well-known story or is an original plot. Lines are not written down or memorized. With each playing, the story becomes more detailed and better organized, but it remains extemporaneous and is at no time designed for an audience. Participants are guided by a leader rather than a director; the leader’s goal is the optimal growth and development of the players. This One’s for You! Puppet Play and Autistic Children’s Communicative Skills In this study, preschool autistic children in Mashhad, Iran, comprised the statistical population. A pretest and posttest (The Early Social Communication Scales—ESCS) was administered to both the intervention and control groups of preschool children ( in each group). The children in the intervention group participated in a puppet program on a daily basis. This program was designed to encourage children’s eye contact, social interaction, initiating requests, pointing to objects, and giving objects. The control group participated in a traditional preschool program. After one month, children in both the intervention and control group were given the ESCS as a posttest. Findings indicated that in terms of the ESCS, there was a statistically significant difference between the control and the puppet group with the puppet group scoring statistically significantly higher. The puppet group also scored higher on eye-contact subscales, initiating requests, and responding to social interaction. On the subscales of pointing to objects and giving objects, there were no statistically significant differences in the two groups. Qualitative findings from parental reports also indicated that the puppet intervention was effective. Thus, the researchers concluded that puppet play therapy was effective for achievement of communication skills of autistic children in this study (Moshen et al., 2011). 15-4aGuidelines for Creative Dramatics with Elementary Students The following are some specific steps you may find helpful in setting up creative dramatic experiences for elementary children. Provide a structure. While pretending is very natural for children, improvising a short drama can be an abstract process. Children will need structure to guide their actions and dialogue during the initial stages. The teacher can provide this structure by modeling and demonstrating the basic story, as well as possible actions, dialogue, and characterizations. In story reenactments, be sure everyone gets a turn. But try to avoid repeating the play over and over again in the same setting, as children will probably become bored. Instead, repeat it once a day over the course of a week to maintain children’s interest. It is best to keep early dramas short and simple, using only two to four characters. Older students and those with experience in creative dramatics will need less structure. Encourage open-endedness. Creative dramatics is spontaneous and changeable. Although it works best when teachers provide a beginning structure, this structure should be flexible and open ended. As students become more comfortable with creative dramatics, they will begin to use ideas and experiences from their own lives to create unique variations on the original themes. Using a prepared script would prevent this kind of creativity and individualization. It is a good rule not to use written dialogue. Promote a safe environment. Creativity is enhanced when the teacher creates a fun, safe environment. Closing the classroom door during the initial learning stages of creative dramatics can help to develop a sense of safety and community. A teacher who is willing to take creative risks by modeling and participating in creative dramatics encourages the children’s participation. Positive, specific feedback that acknowledges actors and their efforts will put students at ease to continue acting creatively. Finally, a teacher should never force students to participate in creative dramatics; rather, he or she should always ask for volunteers. Provide feedback. Students like to receive feedback, both formal and informal. Informal feedback is best when a teacher responds in a way that is appropriate to the dramatic experience (for example, laughing at the comedic parts). After a drama is over, the teacher can give more formal feedback by processing the experience with students and recognizing those things that were done well. Think about It Dramatic Play and Cognition Control In this study, dramatic play activities were a large part of the Tools of the Mind curriculum, designed to improve preschooler’s executive functions (EFs) (Diamond et al., 2010). EFs, which are also called cognitive controls, are critical for success in school and life. EFS include such skills as self-control and maintaining attention to tasks. The Tools curriculum is based on Vygotsky’s insights into EF and its development (Vygotsky, 1978). The core of this curriculum is  EF-promoting activities, including telling oneself out loud what one should do (self-regulatory private speech –  activities), dramatic play ( activities) and activities to facilitate memory and attention (19). These activities in the Tool curriculum had been refined through  of research in preschools and kindergartens (Diamond et al., 2010). Tool teachers spent  of each day promoting EF skills. The study population consisted of  preschoolers ( in the regular preschool curriculum and  in the Tools curriculum) in their second year of preschool (average age:  in both groups). All children came from the same low-income, urban neighborhood and were randomly assigned to the regular or Tools curriculum. The regular curriculum developed by the school district (dBL) was based on literacy and included thematic units. Both dBL and Tools covered the same academic content, but dBL did not address EF development. After , educators in one school were so convinced that the Tools children were doing substantially better that they replaced the regular curriculum with the Tools curriculum for all preschool children in that school. The researchers conducted multiple regression analyses with age, gender, curriculum, and years in curriculum as independent variables. The EFs of the children in the Tools group were significantly improved in the study population of  olds in regular public schools with regular teachers. Being in the Tools curriculum resulted in superior scores on objective neurocognitive EF measures in comparison to closely matched peers in the non-Tools curriculum. In their summary, the researchers state that although dramatic play is often thought frivolous, it may be essential. Tool uses dramatic play to help improve EF as they state, “If throughout the school day, EFs are supported and progressively challenged, benefits generalize and transfer to new activities. Daily EF ‘exercise’ appears to enhance EF development as much as physical exercise builds bodies” (Diamond et al., 2010). Thus, based on this study, dramatic play provides young children yet another positive benefit in the early childhood program. Take your time. Allow students to slowly become comfortable with creative dramatics. Remember, creative dramatics is meant to be an enjoyable learning experience. Make having fun your number one priority. The following are some examples of creative dramatics experiences: · In a third-grade classroom, students using creative dramatics “become” metal containers, expanding with heat and contracting with cold. These expanding and contracting movements are put into a drama and are eventually accompanied by a dance. · In a first-grade classroom, children become clouds releasing raindrops, shimmery rays of sunshine, and seeds that grow roots, sprout, and squeeze their faces through the dirt. · A fourth-grade teacher introduces a dramatic activity having individuals or small groups of students repeat the same line while portraying different qualities or characters. She says in a very mysterious way, “Are you going to wear the red hat to the fair?” She says in a very angry way, “Are you going to wear the red hat to the fair?” She asks the students, “How might a mouse ask the same question? How might a clown ask the same question?” After five minutes, students are thinking creatively and are ready to move into a dramatic activity. · In a third-grade classroom, students are performing “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” with a twist. The teacher tells the actors before they begin that they can only use dog language. That is, they will have to act out the whole drama using only barks and pants. This forces children to convey meaning and develop characterization using only their faces and bodies while watching and reacting to other actors. In all of these examples, teachers are using creative dramatics to reinforce concepts in the curriculum. In the process, these teachers are creating an active learning experience that is fun, allowing the students to work together to achieve a common goal and allowing everyone to be successful. This is the essence of creative dramatics. Creative dramatics is a form of imaginative play that helps elementary students learn in an active, enjoyable way. Did You Get It? · A young child pushes a toy vacuum cleaner along a carpet, pretending to clean it. This activity is best described as 1. creative drama. 2. dramatic play. 3. imaginative repurposing. 4. effective modeling. Take the full quiz on CourseMate. 15-5Puppets in the Early Childhood Classroom LO 5 Puppets are very important in the lives of young children. Even the youngest of children in the early childhood program is familiar with the puppets on Sesame Street. Puppets can be used for almost any of the dramatic experiences that have been described here. They offer the child two ways to express creativity: · (1) the creative experience of making the puppet, and · (2) the imaginative experience of making the puppet come to life. Puppets fascinate and involve children in a way that few other art forms can because they allow children to enter the world of fantasy and drama so easily (see  Photo 15-7 ). In this magic world, children are free to create whatever is needed right then in their lives. Photo 15-7 Puppets fascinate and involve children in a way few other art forms can. Casper Holroyd 15-5aUsing Puppets   The use of puppets usually begins in the nursery or preschool, where they are invaluable when readily available for dramatic play. Teachers can teach finger plays with simple finger puppets; hand puppets can act out familiar nursery rhymes. Music time is enhanced by a puppet leading the singing and other puppets joining in. The shy child who is reluctant to sing often will participate through a puppet. Puppets are also excellent for concept teaching and can help clarify abstract concepts and demonstrate concrete concepts. For instance, in the preschool the concepts of “above,” “below,” “behind,” “in front of,” and so on can be clearly shown with the puppet. Puppets allow you to say “silly” things to your class. For example, in a science class about how the position of the sun appears to change in the day and makes the puppet’s shadow shorter, one teacher used the puppet to tell children someone must have washed it to make it shrink! The children told the puppet that the shadow couldn’t have shrunk, and they explained in words understandable to other children what had happened. The children talked to the puppet as if it were a person separate from the teacher. Puppets allow children freedom to talk when they are not sure about things. Also, children sometimes are aware that the teacher “knows the answer,” and thus may not respond to a question or prompt. However, a puppet probably doesn’t know an answer, so children’s responses and explanations are more readily forthcoming and fuller. Some of the larger puppets have hands like gloves so the teacher can make the puppet manipulate equipment and other resources. This is particularly helpful in sorting activities, as the puppet is able to join in just like another child. If, for example, children are sorting rocks on the basis of their characteristics, the teacher can make the puppet move rocks from one group to another to promote further discussion. The puppet’s actions can encourage children to justify their choice of groupings if the puppet disagrees with their classification. As they explain their ideas, children can consider the validity of their claims or recognize possible flaws in their reasoning. Another argument for using puppets in the classroom is that they can be used by the teacher to mirror desirable behaviors. The puppet can model the way claims can be justified and reasons given for a point of view. There is no right or wrong way to use a puppet, but teachers have found it valuable to give the puppet a distinct character. If the character is consistently maintained by the teacher, children can be allowed to “take over” animating the puppet: They already know what the puppet is like—they don’t have to invent a new character. Puppets are wonderful tools for demonstrating social skills with young children. You can use them to enact a scenario that represents a frequent troublesome behavior in the classroom or an issue that one or more children are experiencing in their lives. Puppets help the children see the situation from a new perspective. For instance, if children in your group are having trouble sharing toys, you might act out a similar situation during circle time using puppets. Puppets are used most successfully when teachers have introduced them slowly to the class and have developed a strong sense of identity for the puppet. Care needs to be taken to maintain the puppet’s character, even when it is not being used. Give the puppet a seat to sit in and watch the children at work; assign a child to look after the puppet each day. It is crucial that puppets talk to children; puppets that listen to children and “whisper” to the teacher aren’t as effective with young children. Puppets can effectively be used to introduce a lesson or to “talk” to small groups when children are discussing their ideas. Teachers have noticed that their classes become more animated when puppets join in the lesson. Children want to talk to the puppet and hear what the puppet has to say. Puppetry, as a form of dramatic play, is a sure means of stimulating creative storytelling in younger children. Some teachers record spontaneous puppet skits, and by writing them down, show children how they have created a story. In a room with a climate of flexibility and freedom, children are bound to come up with countless ideas for using their puppets (see Photo 15-8). Some suggestions are presented here: Photo 15-8 Children can come up with many different ways to use puppets. Casper Holroyd · Put together a puppet center—puppet materials, props, and theater—for children to use during the day (see Photo 15-9). Photo 15-9 Puppet centers can be used by children throughout the day. Casper Holroyd · Consider having a specific puppet for each center area. This puppet could remind the class that it is music time, for instance, and be used to give directions and explain new concepts. If the puppet has trouble in an area, the children could teach it and straighten out its confusion. Through such dramatic experiences, self-confidence and skills are strengthened. · Felt boards and puppets work well together. A puppet with hands can effectively help the adult or child put pieces on or take them off the felt board. One teacher who was teaching toddlers the parts of the face used a rather “stupid” puppet that kept making mistakes by putting the parts in the wrong place. The children had a lot of fun correcting it. · In music experiences, teachers find that puppets help young children develop a feeling for rhythm and music interpretation by moving the puppets to the beat. They also encourage reluctant children to sing because the puppet does the singing for the child. Puppets with moving mouths are most effective but not necessary. · Social studies is a natural area for puppets; it presents countless opportunities to dramatize holiday ideas, represent particular ethnic customs, or portray the roles of various community helpers. · Use puppets to help children voice feelings, such as fear; other activities can include using high- and low-pitched voices and making squeaking, growling, and chirping animal sounds. · Provide opportunities for enactments of published or original stories. · Encourage children to present original work. Young children may have difficulty manipulating puppets and saying words at the same time. Record the story in advance so that the children can then focus on the puppets’ actions. These suggestions are simply intended to be idea starters. The use of puppets in the classroom is limited only by imagination—yours and the children’s. 15-5bKinds of Puppets Some of the most common and easiest puppets to make are stick puppets, hand puppets, finger puppets, people puppets, wooden spoon puppets, mitten and sock puppets, paper plate puppets, play dough puppets, Styrofoam ball puppets, ping-pong ball puppets, and cylinder puppets. Stick puppets. The simplest of all puppets, stick puppets are controlled by a single stick (any slim, rigid support) that goes up inside the puppet or is attached to the back of it. Stick puppets are fun and easy to make. The teacher can use sticks from the lumberyard, large twigs, pencils, or wooden popsicle or craft sticks. With this type of puppet, the child puts a bag or piece of cloth over the stick and stuffs the bag or cloth with wads of newspaper or cotton. The child then ties the top of the bag to the stick, making a head. A rubber band may be used instead of string to form a head. TeachSource Video Preschool: Emotional Development © 2015 Cengage Learning 1. Evaluate this teacher’s use of a puppet with this group of pre-school children with regard to the information presented in this chapter. Is her use of a puppet in this lesson consistent with the uses for puppets as discussed in this chapter? What specific aspect of her use is most consistent? Least consistent? 2. What other type(s) of puppet(s) could this teacher use for this same lesson? Give specific examples in your answer. 3. Why do you suppose the puppet in the video has no facial features? How would having facial features on this puppet change the lesson? The child can then paint the head or make a face with crayons, markers, or colored paper and paste. Scrap yarn, wood shavings, and buttons are also good materials for the puppet’s face. Scrap pieces of fabric can be used to “dress” the puppet; wallpaper samples provide inexpensive material for puppets’ clothes. With the stick, the puppet is moved around the stage or turned from side to side. It has the advantage of being a good first puppet for preschoolers because a stick can be attached to any little doll, toy animal, or cutout figure, and the puppet is easy to operate. Bag puppets. The common paper bag in any size makes a good  bag puppet  for young preschoolers. The bags are stuffed with wads of newspaper and tied, stapled, or glued shut. A body is made with a second bag stapled to the first, leaving room for the child’s hand to slip in and work the puppet. A face can be made with paint, crayons, or colored paper and paste. Odds and ends are fun to use for the face, too. Buttons make eyes; crumpled tissue, a nose; and yarn, hair. The search for the right odds and ends to make the puppet is as much fun as using the finished puppet later. Hand puppets. Frequently called “glove” or “mitten puppets,” these are the most popular for young children. These can be made in child or adult sizes by tracing around your hand or the child’s hand in a mitten shape, or around your fingers or the child’s fingers for a glove shape. There are many types of hand puppets, but most can be classified into two general groups: · (1) those with moving mouths and · (2) those with moving hands. The first (with moving mouths) is any sort of hand covering—a handkerchief, sock, mitten, or paper bag—inside of which one’s fingers open and shut, forming the mouth of the puppet. The second kind has a head and two hands and is operated by putting one or two fingers in the head and one in each hand. This kind of puppet can freely pick up objects and make hand motions, thus putting more realism into a performance. Finger puppets. The three general types of  finger puppets  are the following (see Figure 15-3): · Finger-leg. Finger puppet in which two fingers (usually the index and middle fingers) serve as the puppet’s legs. · Finger-cap. Finger puppet that slips over an individual finger. · Finger-face. Puppet made by drawing a face on a finger with a felt pen. Usually, one can perform with quite a few puppets of this type at one time. They are great for finger plays! Figure 15-3 There are many kinds of finger puppets. Three examples are shown here. © Cengage Learning Some advantages of finger puppets include the following. · They are easy to manipulate, even by a toddler. · They encourage small muscle action. · They are inexpensive to make. · One child alone can put on a performance with an “entire cast.” · They maintain interest because they are always easy and quick to make. · They can be made in spare moments, as materials are small and mobile. Wooden spoon puppets. You will need wooden spoons, yarn, string, material scraps, glue, and construction paper. Draw a face on the wooden spoon. Glue on yarn or string for hair and scraps of material for clothing. Two-faced (paper plate) puppets. Draw a face on the back of each paper plate. Add features with various types of materials. Insert a stick between the paper plates and glue it into place. Staple edges together. Play dough puppets. Place a small amount of play dough onto a finger. Mold play dough into a face shape covering the finger. Add beads, toothpicks, and other small objects for facial features and added emphasis. Styrofoam ball puppets. Insert a stick into a Styrofoam ball. Cover the Styrofoam ball with fabric. Tie the fabric around the stick. Glue on buttons and felt scraps for facial features. Ping-pong ball puppets. Cut an X-shaped hole out of a ball. Place a piece of lightweight fabric on your finger. Cover the area of the ball with sturdy glue. Force the ball at the X onto the fabric on your finger. While the glue is drying, draw or paste a face onto the puppet. Sock puppet. Pull the sock over your hand. Glue or paint facial features onto the toe of the sock or decorate as desired. Finger puppets from gloves. Recycle stray gloves and use them for finger puppets. Recycle old rubber gloves, too, by drawing features on rubber glove fingers with marking pens. Glue pom-poms on each finger for the “head” and glue on bits of cloth or felt for facial or character details. Old mitten puppets. A child can slip his hand into an old mitten and make the puppet “talk” by moving his thumb up and down against the four fingers. Cardboard cylinder puppet. To make a  cardboard cylinder puppet , place a cardboard cylinder from paper towels or toilet tissue over the fingers. Decorate with desired features. The cylinder could be used for the body, and a Styrofoam ball or ping-pong ball could be placed on the top for the head. Decorate as desired. People puppets. Also called humanettes, these are half-person and half-puppet. The easiest  people puppet  for children is a large paper sack put over the head. Holes are cut out for the eyes, and facial features and decorations are added with paint or paper and paste. The bags can be turned up slightly above the shoulder or cut away on the sides for armholes. People puppets make a natural transition from puppetry to creative drama. Also, shy children generally feel more protected behind this kind of puppet than all the other types. Be sure not to force a child to use this type of puppet if the child does not like his or her head covered! More ideas for puppets are found at the end of this chapter. Did You Get It? · Christian, a -year-old, is shy and reluctant to speak to the teacher because he is afraid of giving the wrong answers. Which creative activity is most likely to encourage him to answer the teacher’s question? 1. puppet play 2. pretend play 3. creative drama 4. collage making Take the full quiz on CourseMate. Chapter Review Summary · 15-1Discuss the importance of dramatic play to a young child’s development. Dramatic play is an excellent means for developing creativity and imagination in young children when it is related to the child’s personal sense of reality without imposed adult standards. It provides children one of the best ways to express themselves in a safe, creative way. Through dramatic play, children sort out what they understand and gain a measure of mastery and control over events they have witnessed or taken part in. Dramatic play helps children enter and begin to make sense of the world of adults. · 15-2Discuss what children learn in dramatic play. Dramatic play is an important medium for language development and learning to listen and respond to other children, and it is a natural source for many other types of learning. · 15-3Discuss ways to adapt dramatic activities for children with special needs. Be careful not to make too many rules for the child’s play. Let the child take the lead. Encourage children to play together; define the space where children can play and keep it small. Children with attention deficits, autism, and developmental delays need to be assisted in choosing centers and spending at least  in a center of their choice. Help the child with visual impairments explore the dramatic play area to discuss what the objects are and what they are used for. Encourage the child who is blind to develop social skills that will help interaction with other children. · 15-4Discuss the difference between dramatic play and creative dramatics. Dramatic play is the free play of very young children in which they explore their universe, imitating the actions and traits of those around them. Creative drama is generally used to describe the improvised drama of children age  and older. Dramatic play can be adapted so it is appropriate for children with special needs. Dramatic play kits are easy to make and help develop opportunities for creative play. The use of puppets provides opportunities for creative movement, dramatics, and language development. Creative dramatics refers to informal drama that is created by the participants. It goes beyond dramatic play in scope and intent. The term creative dramatics is generally used to describe the improvised drama of children age  and older. · 15-5Discuss appropriate ways to use puppets in the early childhood program. Teachers can teach finger plays with puppets. Music time is enhanced by the use of puppets. Puppets are also excellent for concept teaching and can help clarify abstract concepts and demonstrate concrete concepts. Puppets allow children the freedom to talk when they are not sure about things. Puppets can help to mirror desirable behaviors. Puppets are wonderful tools for demonstrating social skills with young children. Puppets can also encourage creative storytelling in younger children. Other uses of puppets in the early childhood program include helping shy children express themselves, having children introduce themselves, and teaching new concepts in various areas.