Oral Language and Writing through Play: An Australian regional case study
Submitted by:
Anne T Keary
Abstract:
The Northern Oral Language and Writing through Play: A Partnership Supporting Indigenous Children’s Language, Cultural Knowledge, and Writing (NOW Play) is a Canadian SS&HRC funded project that aims to contribute experience and knowledge in early childhood education, Indigenous education, and language and literacy teaching. As Australian collaborators on the NOW Play project our aim was to develop partnerships with teachers, early childhood educators and Indigenous communities in a regional area of Victoria, to support young children’s Indigenous language and cultural learning and their overall language and literacy. This study draws on sociocultural theory that considers the culturally guided nature of child-environment relationships and the importance of mediated interactions (Vygotsky, 1978). Learning is also supported through sociocultural views of dramatic play as contexts for children to engage in the symbolic thinking needed to write and read (Stagg Peterson, 2023). Methodologies and methods were co-designed with the participants and include video-recordings of children in collaboratively developed, play(ful) learning the affirmation of children’s language repertoires and cultural identities and enhanced when family and community language resources and practices are recognised (Scull et al., 2023). Similarly, and aligned with the Now Play program of research, the research connects play and writing and draws on activities and the texts created during these interactions. Interpretation of the data involved the extended research team discussing the videos and planning teaching practices. The findings showed that the gathering of resources for supporting children’s Indigenous language, cultural knowledge, writing, and experience-based learning achieved through collaborative action research advanced meaningful teaching practices.
Scull, J., Page, J., Lee, W.Y., et al. (2022). Mothers as first teachers: exploring the features of mother-child interactions that support young Aboriginal children’s multilingual learning at playgroup. TESOL in Context. 30, (1,) ,33-60
Stagg Peterson, S. (2023) The five R’s of Indigenous research as a framework for early childhood research. In A. Keary, J. Scull, J. S. Garvis & L. Walsh, L. (Eds.). (2023). Decisions and Dilemmas of Research Methods in Early Childhood Education. (pp. 63-77). Taylor & Francis.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.