This experience allows children to explore conversation and social skills through sociodramatic play.
This experience should be differentiated depending on the individual child/group level.
This learning experience plan relates to:
- interacting with others
- early communicators and early language users (8 – 36 months)
- learning focus: conversation and social skills
- teaching practices: sociodramatic play, language stimulation.
Collect information
- What information has been gathered as evidence to inform this experience?
Links to VEYLDF
Outcome 5: communication
Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
- Children engage in enjoyable reciprocal interactions using verbal and non-verbal language
Children contribute their ideas and experiences in play and small and large group discussion
- Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
- Children use language and engage in symbolic play to imagine and create roles, scripts and ideas.
Victorian curriculum levels F-2: language
- Understand that language can be used to explore ways of expressing needs, likes and dislikes.
Learning intentions
- For children to develop conversational skills and interact with others.
- For children to develop sharing behaviours with peers.
Assessment of learning
Learning is demonstrated when children:
- engage in reciprocal conversations with educators and peers
- share resources with their peers.
Resources
Photo: L Stewart.
- baby baths/tubs
- waterproof baby dolls
- towels
- dolls clothes.
Group size
Small group (two-three children).
Differentiation
Differentiation should be based on prior assessment of the child/children’s communication skills. Examples of differentiation:
- educators can model play and conversation skills during the experience.
- educators can guide the experience more by using questions, e.g.:
- “what does the baby like to play with?”
- “what food does the baby like?
Experience process
- Set up the experience -an outdoor area is ideal.
- Implementing the experience:
- Draw children’s attention to the experience or allow them to explore independently.
- Observe and monitor children’s interactions.
- Support interactions between peers by narrating how the children are playing with the baby dolls.
- Encourage children to narrate their own actions. Ask questions such as, “is your baby having a hair wash?” to prompt their conversations.
- Notice opportunities for children to share resources. Encourage children to ask their peers if they need a piece of equipment currently being used.
- Suggest that two children work together to dry and dress the baby.
- Relate experience to children’s own experiences to develop conversation, e.g., ask children if they play with toys when they have a bath or shower.
Reflect/review
Reflective questions for educators may include:
- What learning has occurred? How do you know?
- What have you realised about the child’s interests, knowledge, and capabilities?
- In discussion with colleagues, what would you plan next to consolidate or extend children’s learning?
Additional/alternate resources for this learning experience
- 10 Little Fingers, 10 Little Toes by Mem Fox
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
- Time for Bed by Mem Fox.
Related learning experience plans
Links to sections