Language Domain How to Encourage Imaginative Play
Imaginative Play: Language Developmental Play Guide A guide to promoting language growth through imaginative play in school aged children. Students learn to understand and communicate with language within this domain.
Language Domain Objectives & Examples Prompt use of target linguistic skills within play. For example, encourage student to use adjectives that are in their repertoire to request items. Which block do you want? Model more complex language. Repeat and expand students’ phrases to include target vocabulary or sentence structures. Oh, you want the big, blue fish. Encourage students to portray familiar adults (teacher, parents, cashier). This provides students with a model for more complex language. We need a cashier so that I can buy the pizza!
Suggested Props & Materials Telephone Microphone Objects that can be described using multiple descriptors Cars, figurines, dolls, animals, sets of objects, etc. Props that encourage students to impersonate others Cash register, doctor’s kit, police uniform, props that represent a specific person, etc.
How to Encourage Imaginative Play Include new and exciting toys and objects in play. Give students choice of imaginative play activities and incorporate choices within activities. Suggest imaginative play acts to students during play. (“Maybe you can be the pilot!”)
Find more resources at https://goalbookapp.com
Language Domain Objectives & Examples Prompt use of target linguistic skills within play. For example, encourage student to use adjectives that are in their repertoire to request items. Which block do you want? Model more complex language. Repeat and expand students’ phrases to include target vocabulary or sentence structures. Oh, you want the big, blue fish. Encourage students to portray familiar adults (teacher, parents, cashier). This provides students with a model for more complex language. We need a cashier so that I can buy the pizza!
Suggested Props & Materials Telephone Microphone Objects that can be described using multiple descriptors Cars, figurines, dolls, animals, sets of objects, etc. Props that encourage students to impersonate others Cash register, doctor’s kit, police uniform, props that represent a specific person, etc.
How to Encourage Imaginative Play Include new and exciting toys and objects in play. Give students choice of imaginative play activities and incorporate choices within activities. Suggest imaginative play acts to students during play. (“Maybe you can be the pilot!”)
Find more resources at https://goalbookapp.com
