Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Using Play to Build the Social Competence of Young Children with Language Delays: Practical Guidelines for Teachers

  • Published:
Early Childhood Education Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Social competence and social communication development can be concurrently supported through intentional thought and planning on the part of the early childhood special educator. In this article, we present suggestions for how teachers can effectively plan for and implement interventions to support these two areas, all within the context of play. The levels of play, awareness, exploration, and problem solving can be utilized by teachers to provide experiences for children, specifically those with language delays, to enhance and refine their social competence skills, while also furthering their language development. It is important for teachers to provide, to the extent possible, an environment that is arranged to allow for multiple opportunities to practice these skills, while also keeping in mind the child’s preferences and interests. Implementation of the suggested strategies can support children with language delays, as well as their peers, in becoming more successful with using their social communication skills to appropriately navigate social situations within the context of play.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al Otaiba, S. (2007). Weaving moral elements and research-based reading practices in inclusive classrooms using shared book reading techniques. Early Child Development and Care, 174(6), 575–589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, P. (2002). Assessment and development of executive function (EF) during childhood. Child Neuropsychology, 8, 71–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, V., Jacobs, R., & Anderson, P. (2008). Executive functions and the frontal lobe: A lifespan perspective. New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashiabi, G. (2007). Play in the preschool classroom: Its socioemotional significance and the teacher’s role in play. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35, 199–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Athanasiou, M. S. (2007). In B. A. Bracken & R. J. Nagle (Eds.), Psychoeducational assessment of preschool children (4th ed., pp. 219–238). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagnato, S., Neisworth, J., & Pretti-Frontczak, K. (2010). Linking authentic assessment and early childhood intervention: Best measures for best practices (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbarin, O., Bryant, D., McCandies, T., Early, D., Pianta, R., & Howes, C. (2006). Children enrolled in public pre-K: The relation of family life, neighborhood quality, and socioeconomic resources to early competence. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(2), 265–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass, J. D., & Mulick, J. A. (2007). Social play skill enhancement of children with autism using peers and siblings as therapists. Psychology in the Schools, 44(7), 727–735.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernier, A., Carlson, S. M., & Whipple, N. (2010). From external regulation to self-regulation: Early parenting precursors of young children’s executive functioning. Child Development, 81, 326–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brady, N., Marquis, J., Fleming, K., & McLean, L. (2004). Pre-linguistic predicators of language growth in children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 47(3), 663–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B., & Von Stauffenberg, C. (2008). Child characteristics and family processes that predict behavioral readiness for school. In A. Crouter & A. Booth (Eds.), Early Disparities in school readiness: How families contribute to transitions into school (pp. 225–258). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, S. M., Mandell, D. J., & Williams, L. (2004). Executive function and theory of mind: Stability and prediction from age 2 to 3. Developmental Psychology, 40(6), 1105–1122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, K. B., Marshall, T. R., Dandy, K., & Isaac, M. C. (2010). The development of graphophonological-semantic cognitive flexibility and its contribution to reading comprehension in beginning readers. Journal of Cognition and Development, 11, 61–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cirrin, F. M., & Gillam, R. B. (2008). Language intervention practices for school-age children with spoken language disorders: A systematic review. Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 39, 110–137. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2008/012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig-Unkefer, L. A., & Kaiser, A. P. (2002). Improving the social communication skills of at-risk preschool children in a play context. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 22(1), 3–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denham, S. A., & Weissberg, R. P. (2004). Social–emotional learning in early childhood: What we know and where to go from here. In E. Chesebrough, P. King, T. P. Gullota, & M. Bloom (Eds.), A blueprint for the promotion of prosocial behavior in early childhood (pp. 13–51). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • DiCarlo, C. F., Schepis, M. M., & Flynn, L. (2009). Embedding sensory preference into toys to enhance toy play in toddlers with disabilities. Infants and Young Children, 22(3), 188–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson, D. K., & Smith, M. W. (1994). Long-term effects of preschool teachers’ book readings on low-income children’s vocabulary and story comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 29, 104–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dowsett, S., & Livesey, D. J. (2000). The development of inhibitory control in pre-school children: Effects of ‘executive skills’ training. Developmental Psychobiology, 36(2), 161–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • English, K., Goldstein, H., Shafer, K., & Kaczmarek, L. (1997). Promoting interactions among preschoolers with and without disabilities: Effects of a buddy skills-training program. Exceptional Children, 63(2), 229–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fantuzzo, J., Bulotsky-Shearer, R., McDermott, P. A., McWayne, C., Frye, D., & Perlman, S. (2007). Investigation of dimensions of social–emotional classroom behavior and school readiness for low-income urban preschool children. School Psychology Review, 36, 44–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garon, N., Bryson, S. E., & Smith, I. M. (2008). Executive function in preschoolers: A review using an integrative framework. Psychological Bulletin, 134(1), 31–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gertner, B. L. (1994). Influence of communicative competence on peer preferences in a preschool classroom. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 37(4), 913–923.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H., English, K., Shafer, K., & Kaczmarek, L. (1997). Interaction among preschoolers with and without disabilities: Effects of across-the-day peer intervention. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 40, 33–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H., Kaczmarek, L. A., & English, K. M. (2002). Promoting social communication: Children with developmental disabilities from birth through adolescence. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gros-Louis, J., West, M. J., Goldstein, M. H., & King, A. P. (2006). Mothers provide differential feedback to infants’ prelinguistic sounds. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 30(6), 509–516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasari, C., Paparella, T., Freeman, S., & Jahromi, L. B. (2008). Language outcome in autism: Randomized comparison of joint attention and play interventions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 125–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • La Paro, K. M., & Pianta, R. C. (2000). Predicting children’s competence in the early school years: A meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 70, 443–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lifter, K. (1996). Assessing play skills. In M. McLean, D. Bailey, & M. Wolery (Eds.), Assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs (2nd ed., pp. 435–458). Columbus, OH: Merrill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathieson, K., & Banerjee, R. (2010). Preschool peer play: The beginnings of social competence. Educational and Child Psychology, 27(1), 9–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCauley, R. J., & Fey, M. E. (2006). Treatment of language disorders in children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • McClelland, M. M., Morrison, F. J., & Holmes, D. L. (2000). Children at risk for early academic problems: The role of learning related social skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15, 307–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGowan, M., Smith, L., Noria, C., Culpepper, C., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., Borkowski, J., et al. (2008). Intervening with at-risk mothers: Supporting infant language development. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 25(4), 245–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merrell, K. W., & Gueldner, B. A. (2010). Social and emotional learning in the classroom: Promoting mental health and academic success. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pianta, R. C. (1992). Beyond the parent: The role of other adults in children’s lives. New direction in child development. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pianta, R. C., & Walsh, D. J. (1996). High-risk children in schools: Constructing sustaining relationships. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pianta, R. C., Nimetz, S. L., & Bennett, E. (1997). Mother–child relationships, teacher–child relationships, and school outcomes in preschool and kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12, 263–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raver, C., & Knitzer, J. (2002). What research tells policymakers about strategies to promote social and emotional school readiness among three- and four-year-old children. New York, NY: National Center for Children in Poverty. (nccp@columbia.edu).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rushton, S. (2011). Neuroscience, early childhood education, and play: We are doing it right! Early Childhood Education Journal, 39(2), 89–94. doi:10.1007/s10643-011-0447-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rushton, S., Juola-Rushton, A., & Larkin, E. (2010). Neuroscience, play and early childhood education: Connections, implications and assessment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37(5), 351–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saracho, O. N. (2003). Young children’s play and cognitive style. In O. N. Saracho & B. Spodek (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives on play in early childhood (Vol. 3, pp. 75–96). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, E. J., Goldstein, H., & Kaminski, R. (2012). Teaching vocabulary in storybooks: Embedding explicit vocabulary instruction for young children. Young Exceptional Children, 15(1), 18–32. doi:10.1177/1096250611435367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webster-Stratton, C., & Reid, M. J. (2003). Treating conduct problems and strengthening social and emotional competence in young children: The Dina Dinosaur treatment program. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11(3), 130–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zigler, E., & Bishop-Josef, S. (2004). Play under siege: A historical overview. In E. F. Zigler, D. G. Singer, & S. J. Bishop-Josef (Eds.), Children’s play: The roots of reading (pp. 1–13). Washington, DC: Zero to Three/National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zucker, G. H. (2010). Intervention strategies for preschool students with special needs. Forum on Public Policy Online, 2010(5), 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Teacher Education, Florida State University, 1114 W. Call Street, 2208D, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA

    Lindsay R. Dennis

  2. Language, Literacy, and Special Populations, Sam Houston State University, PO Box 2119, Huntsville, TX, 77341, USA

    Nancy Stockall

Authors
  1. Lindsay R. Dennis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nancy Stockall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lindsay R. Dennis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dennis, L.R., Stockall, N. Using Play to Build the Social Competence of Young Children with Language Delays: Practical Guidelines for Teachers. Early Childhood Educ J 43, 1–7 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-014-0638-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-014-0638-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation