Play and literacy pedagogies for preschool and early years settings

This chapter highlights the inextricable links between play, learning and literacy in the preschool and early school years. It focuses on the social construction of learning and the role of play in developing cognition and language. This chapter also examines the educator's role in capitalising on children's strengths and cultures to promote early learning across the curriculum (and particularly to promote early literacy skills). The increasing range of texts and technologies that are central to communication means that literacy learning is more important than ever and must be at the centre of early learning programs. This chapter presents a practical, play-based framework for implementation in preschool and early years learning programs. It highlights strategies for building the multi-literacy competencies that are needed by children to negotiate the transition to school, to school learning and learning at home and in the wider community. Multi-literacy competencies require clear understandings about the interconnectedness and importance of the various modes and dimensions of literacy and digital media in communicating. This chapter addresses ways of promoting meaningful and purposeful engagement with literacy across the curriculum. It highlights educators' roles in valuing and building on the communication, cultural and learning experiences that children bring to preschool and school.