Language for thinking (LTH)

Example of literacy planning and resourcing 8

What we want children to learn (Development matters)

Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences

Related Early Learning Goals

Respond to significant experiences, showing a range of feelings when appropriate (PSED)
Have a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and be sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others (PSED)

Possible contexts

Engage in imaginative and role-play.
Use books, story boards and puppetry.
Use music, songs and rhymes.
Exploit areas of children's experience within the setting, for example 'small world' play, construction, malleable materials and creative area.
Find out about people from the local environment, for example a shopkeeper or policewoman.

Example of adult-led activities

Context: Fairy tales

Read and share Once upon a time by John Prater with the children over a period of time. In retellings, notice together all the stories taking place: What are the pigs up to? What are the bears doing? I wonder what's happening in their house while they are in the woods?

Follow the book through from the point of view of each of the fairy tales. Encourage the children to tell the stories from the pictures.

Make 'Once upon a day' role-play boxes that support the different fairy tales, for example a role-play box for three little pigs and one for the three bears. Collect and make the materials for the role-play boxes together with the children. Discuss what they are going to need for their different boxes, for example bowls, clothes, masks and tools. Discuss what doesn't need to be put in the box because it can be found in the classroom, for example blocks for building and what they may need to use as substitutions, for example cloth for straw.

Use the boxes for role-play in different areas inside and outside. Play alongside the children, introducing the storybook language and supporting the children in choosing and being characters.

Adult role

Share stories, rhymes and songs and refer to them across children's experiences. Bring favourite and well-known characters into play.
Provide story and rhyme sacks with books, objects, tapes, CD-ROMs, etc. Model uses and make available for play. Extend into puppetry, 'small world' or role-play.
Encourage shared contexts, through the use of stories, songs and rhymes, to imagine and recreate roles and experiences in 'small world' play, role-play, puppetry, construction, etc.
Extend dramatic play by planning with the children and helping them to record and reflect on experiences through photographs and video.
Encourage story play by making story trails of objects from books.

Opportunities for children to explore and apply

Provide for, initiate and join in imaginative and role-play, encouraging children to talk about what is happening and to act out the scenarios in character.

Extend stories into role-play and puppetry. Make theatres and stages to extend their play. Record the process with photographs and/or video.

Use 'small world' play of familiar settings for children to recreate roles and experiences. Join in with the play and model taking roles.

Encourage children to find out more about people they meet in the local environment; if possible invite people in for visits, for example police, firefighters, lollipop person, etc. Provide props inside and outside so that children can role-play their ideas and experiences.

Use story boards and/or clip art on the interactive whiteboard to retell stories and to rearrange characters and events to imagine and recreate roles and experiences.

Adult role

Make a language and literacy rich environment. For an audit see Early Reading Audit.
Provide opportunities for children to communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings and build up relationships with adults and with each other.
Give opportunities to share and enjoy a wide range of rhymes, music, songs, poetry, stories and non-fiction books.
Provide time and opportunities to develop spoken language through conversations between children and adults, both one to one and in small groups, with particular awareness of, and sensitivity to, the needs of children learning English as an additional language, using their home language when appropriate.
Share stories, rhymes and songs and refer to them across children's experiences. Bring favourite and well-known characters into play.
Provide story and rhyme sacks with books, objects, tapes, CD-ROMs, etc. Model uses and make available for play. Extend into puppetry, 'small world' or role-play.
Encourage shared contexts, through the use of stories, songs and rhymes, to imagine and recreate roles and experiences in 'small world' play, role-play, puppetry, construction, etc.
Extend dramatic play by planning with the children and helping them to record and reflect on experiences through photographs and video.
Encourage story play by making story trails of objects from books.

Look, listen and note

How do children use talk to reflect upon, clarify, sequence and think about present and past experiences, ideas and feelings?
How do children use language in their pretend and imaginary play?

Assessment opportunities

Observe children recreating familiar roles in play.
Do children use imagination to create other worlds in role-play, 'small world' play, drawing, paintings, playing with collections, etc.?
Are children able to share imaginative play with a friend?