By Dung Nguyen
Many research studies highlight the essential role of play in children’s comprehensive development, including language acquisition. Mourão (2018) reported that unstructured play within a language learning environment, supplemented with resources from teacher-led activities, establishes an optimal setting for practicing acquired formulaic language expressions. Additionally, play establishes a favorable context for language learning by promoting the utilization of a second language (L2), peer-mediated language interactions, imaginative repetition, self-dialogue, attention to language structure, and constructive correction of linguistic errors by peers (Schwartz et al., 2021). The interactive dynamics of peer engagement notably expose children to their peers’ language in reciprocal ways, facilitating mediation, modeling, imitation, and refinement of language skills (Erdemir et al., 2022). Building upon the advantageous role of play in fostering children’s language development, my recent research involves a systematic review of existing literature to explore the mechanisms by which young children acquire a second language through playful interactions within Early Childhood Education environments.
It’s worth emphasizing that play offers children excellent opportunities to practice their second language skills. Children have an immersive environment to listen, use, practice and improve their language skills during play situations. Through play, children are provided with the opportunity to engage in a new language communication with their peers, utilizing cognitive processes to structure their thoughts, integrate their new knowledge with their existing knowledge (Griva & Sivropoulou, 2009). The study reported that this context can lead to remarkable progress in the oral skills of kindergarten children. In play, children practice speaking a second language for various pragmatic purposes, such as seeking attention, conveying emotional stances, and facilitating social organization (Larsson et al., 2023). Children also use a second language to convey affiliation and fellowship, and to signify friendship. In this way, children acquire an extensive vocabulary, grasp various phrases, and engage in everyday conversational skills (Elvin et al., 2007).
Moreover, play not only brings joy but also serves as a source of motivation for children, encouraging their active participation and fostering improvement in their second language skills. Children derive immense enjoyment from playing and interacting with a second language, making their learning experience both enriching and enjoyable (Elvin et al., 2007). According to Griva & Sivropoulou (2009), children show their eagerness and enthusiasm to learn a new language through play-based activities, improving oral skills and experiencing satisfaction in a joyful environment with a strong focus on communication and movement. Also, the study emphasizes that young children experienced no uncertainty or anxiety during participation in creative games, thanks to the positive and playful classroom atmosphere. Their involvement in interactive and movement activities increased, leading to the development of their language skills.
Additionally, children get support from their teacher’s and peers’ language scaffolding and encouragement during play to acquire a second language. Teachers can utilize toys and formulaic language to establish a language-learning environment and offer scaffolded support to children during guided play, thereby enriching their acquisition of a second language (Ledin & Samuelsson, 2017). Children can offer feedback to correct others’ language mistakes (Schwartz et al., 2021). Children frequently made mistakes while speaking English, and when playing together in small groups or pairs, they were often observed correcting each other (Waddington et al., 2018). In play, a mimetic and bodily pattern enables the more linguistically and culturally skillful participants to employ language in a manner that the less proficient partners can imitate and enhance their second language acquisition (Ledin & Samuelsson, 2017).
It also came to my attention that children use translanguaging & multimodal communication forms to make meaning and expand their communication with others during play. Given the opportunity to navigate language barriers, emergent children instinctively utilized their bilingual abilities in diverse and dynamic manners to enhance their sociodramatic play (Bengochea & Gort, 2022). According to the study, the children responded to their playmates’ language preferences, utilized translanguaging to extend, justify, and elicit play narratives, and employed translanguaging to facilitate communication. Emergent bilingual children, through accessing and utilizing diverse modes of communication within child-directed activities like play, engage in literate discussions in intricate and diverse manners, leveraging their evolving transmodal abilities to articulate, convince, and collaborate meaningfully with peers and educators (Bengochea et al., 2018).
It is imperative for teachers to integrate play into their language teaching strategies, especially when working with immigrant children. Play provides a dynamic and engaging platform for language learning, allowing children to explore, experiment, and interact in a supportive environment. For immigrant children, who may be navigating a new language and cultural landscape, play offers a natural and non-threatening way to develop language skills. Through play activities, such as games, role-playing, and storytelling, teachers can create opportunities for meaningful language practice, vocabulary acquisition, and cultural exchange. Moreover, play fosters social interaction and collaboration, enabling immigrant children to build connections with their peers and develop a sense of belonging in their new community. By incorporating play into language teaching, teachers can cater to the diverse needs of immigrant children, promote linguistic and cultural diversity, and empower them to thrive academically and socially.
References
Bengochea, A., & Gort, M. (2022). Translanguaging for varying discourse functions in sociodramatic play: an exploratory multiple case study of young emergent bilinguals. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(5), 1697–1712. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2020.1799319
Bengochea, A., Sembiante, S. F., & Gort, M. (2018). An emergent bilingual child’s multimodal choices in sociodramatic play. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 18(1), 38–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798417739081
Erdemir, E., & Brutt-Griffler, J. (2022). Vocabulary Development through Peer Interactions in Early Childhood: A Case Study of an Emergent Bilingual Child in Preschool. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(3), 834-865. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2020.1722058
Elvin, P., Maagerø, E., & Simonsen, B. (2007). How do the dinosaurs speak in England? English in Kindergarten. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 15(1), 71–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/13502930601103199
Griva, E., & Sivropoulou, R. (2009). Implementation and evaluation of an early foreign language learning project in kindergarten. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37(1), 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-009-0314-3
Larsson, K., Björk-Willén, P., Haraldsson, K., & Hansson, K. (2023). Children’s use of English as lingua franca in Swedish preschools. Multilingua, 42(4), 527–557. https://doi.org/10.1515/multi-2022-0062
Ledin, P., & Samuelsson, R. (2017). Play and Imitation: Multimodal Interaction and Second-Language Development in Preschool. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 24(1), 18–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10749039.2016.1247868
Mourão, S. (2018). Playing in English: The Emerging Voices of pre-Primary Children in a Foreign Language Context. In Voices from the TESOL Classroom: Participant Inquiries in Young Learner Classes, 67–76. Alexandria, Vir: TESOL.
Schwartz, M., Hijazy, S., & Deeb, I. (2021). The role of play in creating a language-conducive context in a bilingual preschool. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29(3), 381–396. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.1928723
Waddington, J., Coto B., S., & Siqués J., C. (2018). Creating and evaluating a foreign language area in an early childhood setting. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 26(3), 334–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2018.1462998
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