ABSTRACT

During imaginative play, children may learn foundational skills important for academic success. Indeed, imaginative children, high in fantasy orientation (FO), may have advantages in skills that support positive classroom and social behavior. Yet findings are mixed regarding the classroom behavior of children high in fantasy orientation. The purpose of the current study was to examine the cognitive and social skills of children who typically engage in imaginative play in comparison to their peers in classroom contexts across multiple informants: child, teacher, and classroom observers. Ninety preschoolers and their teachers completed measures of fantasy orientation (FO), self-regulation, emotion knowledge, vocabulary, and social competence. Further, observers reported on children’s classroom behaviors. Research Findings: Cluster analyses revealed children with higher scores on direct assessments of executive functioning, emotion knowledge, and vocabulary had higher FO. Additionally, children whose teachers reported them as socially competent had higher FO. Finally, children who were rated by classroom observers as high in emotive social play, peer conversation, and physical activity had higher FO. Thus, across multiple informants, children high in FO and imaginative play exhibited higher cognitive and social skills in the classroom. Practice or Policy: These findings suggest that children high in FO may have benefits in skills that are related to positive academic skills in comparison to peers. Curricula should continue to examine the utility of imaginative play as a context to support cognitive and socioemotional development.

摘要

在富有想象力的游戏中，孩子们可以学习对学业成功很重要的基本技能。事实上，富有想象力的孩子，幻想取向 (FO) 高，可能在支持积极的课堂和社会行为的技能方面具有优势。然而，关于幻想取向高的儿童的课堂行为，调查结果喜忧参半。本研究的目的是通过多个线人：儿童、教师和课堂观察员，与课堂环境中的同龄人相比，检查通常从事想象力游戏的儿童的认知和社交技能。九十名学龄前儿童和他们的老师完成了幻想取向 (FO)、自我调节、情感知识、词汇和社交能力的测量。此外，观察员报告了儿童的课堂行为。研究成果：聚类分析显示，在执行功能、情感知识和词汇的直接评估中得分较高的儿童具有较高的 FO。此外，那些被老师报告为具有社交能力的孩子有更高的 FO。最后，被课堂观察员评为在情感社交游戏、同伴对话和身体活动方面表现出色的儿童，其 FO 更高。因此，在多个受访者中，FO 和富有想象力的游戏水平高的儿童在课堂上表现出更高的认知和社交技能。实践或政策：这些研究结果表明，与同龄人相比，FO 高的儿童可能在与积极的学术技能相关的技能方面有优势。课程应继续检查想象力游戏作为支持认知和社会情感发展的背景的效用。