Tools leaders highlight dramatization in recent NAEYC article

The power of dramatization

If you’re wondering how early childhood educators can effectively help children develop self-regulation and master content knowledge in developmentally appropriate ways, look no further. Tools leaders recently published an article answering this very question in the Summer issue of NAEYC’s quarterly magazine,Young Children. 

Their answer lies in one of the primary tools of Tools kindergarten classrooms: literature-based make-believe play (dramatization), which supports literacy skills like oral language, text comprehension, vocabulary, and story structure, alongside self-regulation development. The magazine is only available to NAEYC members, but here’s a glimpse inside their article, “Intentionally Building Self-Regulation and Literacy Skills: The Power of Dramatization in Kindergarten.” 

Self-regulation paves the way for learning

The authors share with readers that kindergarten children are often expected to exhibit levels of cognitive and social-emotional self-regulation that they haven’t yet developed, which may impact their ability to focus attention on the task at hand or inhibit impulsive behaviors. 

“Behaviors that sometimes look like social or learning difficulties can have their roots in a lack of self-regulation: children may know the right thing to do but act inappropriately because they are still developing the skills that enable them to inhibit immediate desires or ignore distractions. In order to integrate and apply new skills and strategies they have learned, children need to exercise cognitive self-regulation.”
- Tools Executive Director Barb Wilder-Smith and co-founders Deborah Leong and Elena Bodrova in Young Children, Summer 2024

By engaging kindergarten children in playful learning activities like make-believe play, teachers can provide opportunities for children to practice both self-regulation and academic skills.

Planning for playful learning

If teachers are intentional in their planning and implementation of playful learning, they will encourage skill development in both of these important areas at once.

To maximize results, the authors recommend:

• Setting aside an adequate amount of time for dramatization each day (at least 30 minutes)
• Ensuring sufficient space and materials
• Selecting quality texts that children can use as the foundation for their dramatization (fairy tales are a great place to start!) 
• Creating opportunities to practice dramatization components as a group, during and after read alouds 
• Scaffolding independent dramatization by helping children prepare props and settings
• Observing play and providing support as needed
• Setting up opportunities for children to monitor each other (other-regulation) 

Using these tips as a guide, teachers can facilitate high-level make-believe play in their classrooms, encouraging self-regulation and supporting literacy skill development. 

Wondering what specific literacy skills can be addressed through dramatization? Check out the table below for a description of the kinds of skills that can be developed in just one important area of literacy learning: text comprehension. Similar tables could underline the powerful learning that dramatization supports in areas of oral language and vocabulary development, understanding of story structure, and more!

Learn more

If you are a NAEYC member or subscriber, be sure to read the article in its entirety. To become a NAEYC subscriber, click here.