Helps teachers and soon-to-be teachers learn how play as a form of communication can be adapted to the classroom. Play, Development, and Early Education, challenges the reader to discover what play is and how to incorporate it into a curriculum for children from toddlerhood through the primary grades. Utilizing three major ideas--the quality of play in early childhood, play as a means of self-expression, and play as a channel of communication to achieving social sense--the authors examine the beliefs, perspectives, and theories relating to play and what effects culture,...

This volume presents studies and research syntheses on the significance of play in the literacy development of young children and pushes the study of play and literacy into new areas. Children's play is under serious attack that puts it in a precarious position in today's brave new world dominated by early learning standards and achievement outcomes. Reflecting this paradigm shift that has taken place since the publication of the first edition, this edition is organized around a different set of focal perspectives on the play-literacy interface:

• The Playful Mind
• The...

This volume presents studies and research syntheses on the significance of play in the literacy development of young children and pushes the study of play and literacy into new areas. Children's play is under serious attack that puts it in a precarious position in today's brave new world dominated by early learning standards and achievement outcomes. Reflecting this paradigm shift that has taken place since the publication of the first edition, this edition is organized around a different set of focal perspectives on the play-literacy interface:

• The Playful Mind
• The...