Abstract
Empirical studies have developed on children’s play theory and have discussed how play supports children’s development. However, much of the research has focused on play-based programmes in preschool settings, such as interactions between teachers and children and peer play (Andresen, Cult Psychol 11(4):387–414, 2005; Bodrova, Eur Early Child Educ Res J 16(3):357–369, 2008; Duncan and Tarulli, Early Educ Dev 14(3):271–292, 2003; Fleer, Early learning and development: Cultural-historical concepts in play. Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, 2010; Fleer, Contemp Issues Early Child 12(3):224–240, 2011; Lindqvist, Early Years 21(1):7–14, 2001). Very little empirical work has been directed towards the interactions between parents and children in play. This study offers a new direction for researching children’s play. Drawing upon Vygotsky’s concept of play and imagination and Fleer’s (Early learning and development: Cultural-historical concepts in play. Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, 2010) model of imagination and creativity, this chapter focuses on researching how Chinese-Australian parents interact with their children using imagination development in play and contribute to home language communication. This chapter analyses a video data episode of a 4-year-old girl’s play with her father in a park to examine the development of imagination and heritage language in joint play. The chapter argues that immigrant parents can use play as a pedagogical tool to support their children’s heritage language development in their everyday lives.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Marilyn Fleer, for the guidance, support and contributions towards the writing of this chapter. Also, I would like to say thanks to Dr. Ditte Winther-Lindqvist, Gloria Quiñones Goytortua and Pui Ling Wong for their discussions, comments and feedbacks when the chapter was being composed. I also acknowledge Lin and her family as enthusiastic participants and generous hospitality in the study. Karen Anne West provided the academic writing support for this chapter.
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Li, L. (2013). Children’s Collective Imagination in Play: A Preschooler’s Bilingual Heritage Language Development. In: Schousboe, I., Winther-Lindqvist, D. (eds) Children's Play and Development. International perspectives on early childhood education and development, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6579-5_7
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