Symbolisch spel en taalontwikkeling, bij kinderen van 2 en 3 jaar van kinderdagcentra

Abstract

The central question of this study is whether there is a relationship between symbolic play and language development in children, aged 2 and 3 years going to a nursery school. It was assumed that both the language development and complexity of symbolic play with children aged 3 years old were more advanced than children of 2 years old. Also has been examined whether symbolic play was different to children with Dutch as home language from children without Dutch as home language or a combination of Dutch with a different language. The 60 children in this study, 29 girls (M (age in months) = 35.7, SD = 5.7) and 31 boys (M(age in months)=35.1, SD=5.9) from various Children’s Centers, have been recorded with a camera while they were playing for 2x 30 minutes. The fragments with symbolic play have been analyzed. Through the medium of the CHILDES program their non- verbal and verbal actions have been judged. These results are showing a positive correlation between language development (Mean Length Utterance, p < .01 and Types p < .05) and symbolic play. These results were also showing that children from 3 years old were significantly more developed in language and play complexity than children from 2 years old. Children with Dutch as home language were significantly more developed in their language than children without Dutch as home language or a combination of Dutch with a different language. For this latter group, no significant main effects were found for play complexity. It can be concluded that symbolic play and language development in children are related to each other. This is important for the further language development of a child. Symbolic play in the classroom would be seen as an important part of learning and the teachers would have to encourage this more.