Commentary Analysis: Adrian Pretense's Symbolic Play - Case Study Example

? Commentary Analysis 02-29 Commentary Analysis: Adrian Pretence Symbolic Play. The four-year-nine-months-old child observed for children’s pretend play, Adrian, made use of pretence game or act to make nonsense speech. Adrian, with some help of his parents created a game of rescuing his cat by taking it to the hospital. From home, he invites his parents to join him in his nonsense car and then takes them along as the car driver. Along the way, he sees many interesting features such as many cars and ambulance that is thought to be coming to his rescue. This play shows his creativity as he remembers rules of road crossing as taught by his mother. But throughout the conversation, his focus on cat rescue remains his major objective. Theoretical background To a large extent, verbal communication especially pretence play and other forms of expression encompass a similar beginning (Loizou 2005). Although they constitute modes of communication, resultant meanings could be diverse but comprise of important aspects of important communication. The above case is an example of understanding language development in children undergoing the pre-operational stage. In Piaget’s cognitive development theory, early education that entails the use of the use of appropriate vocabulary to create sense constitutes a series of word plays which begin with nonsensical initiations. As evident from the play, some words Adrian uses in the play appear to be newly learnt and thus he struggles to create meaning with them. These words then form a foundation of basic vocabulary that constitutes his ability to use appropriate words to create interpersonal communication skills. Since language is pivotal in a child’s communication, unique language behaviour from parents has varied influences on their children’s verbal skills (Brown, Donelan & Dunn 2009). Among them are variations in pronunciation. As evident from the play, Adrian struggles to get the word ‘ambu- lance’ right since his verbal communication skills are still youthful and dependent on parental influence. Accompanying such tonal variations include pitch variations. As Adrian struggles to get some words right, his pitch also changes staggeringly in attempts to get the right pronunciation. These, according to Piaget’s cognitive development theory, are normal occurrences in children at Adrian’s age. As the game progresses, Adrian’s cognitive skills can be seen as concrete. At his age, according to Piaget’s cognitive theory, children at the ages of four to five exhibit strong memories, mental clarities and use complex language to supplement their narratives (Terzi 2010). Throughout the play, Adrian does not falter to show drifting away from the play. He keeps within it and completes his mission as commenced. Although he involves many characters within it, he never loses track of his mission. This is an indication that children have adopted clear mental abilities and their cognitive abilities are able to store memories for a sustained period of time (Brown, Donelan & Dunn 2009). Parental role in supporting children is thinking. Uses of varying situations within pretence plays make the languages applied highly dynamic (Clough & Corbett 2000). Adrian’s parents use different situations which includes their demand to know where he is heading to, what is along the way and what else he can see as questioned in numbers, 4,7,10 and 12 which make language highly dynamic. Maintaining the same language for children in Adrian’s age creates complexities for them. In order to create a lasting play and sustain the child’s interest in the play, the parent should involve lively language. Adrian in this case is given the same approach when his parents keep changing his language through choice of events and thus choice of words. The play becomes livelier from engagement of questions in the play all along while he keeps driving his parents and his cat to the hospital. The ability to improvement language communication in children especially as word fluency is concerned using complex confronting situations makes children free their minds and apply cognitive skills (Alcock & Cullen 2008). Introduction of new scenarios that had been earlier taught enables the child to open up his mind and try to remember those situations. Adrian in this situation applies cognitive skills when asked if he was to go to Tesco. After consenting, he describes the steps of road-crossing he learnt from Miss and does state when safe to cross the road. The symbolic play in which Adrian assumes the role of a driver who is on a mission to rescue his cat by taking it to the hospital gives him a chance to explore available roles that people on road journeys encounter. As a driver, he must ensure that he uses clear lanes, which he observes, see what is on the roads and obviously observe if emergency rescues could be on the approach. He notes that the approaching ambulance could be of great help in rescuing his cat although he expresses uncertainty that the help is coming for them. The role of parents in pretend and play games demonstrate that repetitive behaviour helps in improving children’s learning abilities on situation handling (Hannikainen 2001). To begin with, he demonstrates that he must carry someone extra to offer him help should he need one. Secondly, his parents question him on what is on the road. Thirdly, Adrian’s parents probe his skill on road safety by asking him questions as he progresses. After recalling road signs, the child remembers road crossing safety precautions and contends that he had to stop and only cross when safe to do so, something of which they becomes extremely happy about (Alcock 2008). One of the most interesting features of pretend play in children involves their spontaneous association of meanings from words. As he progresses on the road, he comes with new words like the hospital Tesco- across the road, which lead to his identification of rules road crossing. Spontaneity is also evident when asked on what he could see. He recalls that ambulances are rescue operation vehicles that help individuals in critical conditions. These spontaneous associations help strengthen his cognitive abilities (Hannikainen 2001). Siblings play a crucial role child mental development skills (Brown et al. 1996). From the play, it is evident that Adrian is only taken care of by his parents and has no siblings. This deficit, however, is compensated by the presence of his parent’s active participation in the play. This type of participation does not only result acquisition of excellent social skills relevant for child in excelling both socially and academically, but also gives them an ability to be emotionally responsible. For instance, the emotional response of the decision to take his cat to the hospital must involve some emotion since it is out of emotion that he would decide to make a decision of taking it to the hospital. Symbolic pretence play also creates a sense of closeness and cohesion whereby children learn to be around with people who are close to them (Garvey 1991). In the above case, Adrian invites his parents into his symbolic car and carries them on his way to hospital. This results in creating a binding relationship between children and people who are closer to them. While almost nearing the hospital, Adrian recalls that the cat must be hungry and makes a decision to buy some food so that it could get energetic and play with him. All these are implicative of closeness and a great sense of cohesion. Implications for practice Symbolic pretence plays involve much creativity (Trevarthen 2002). After assuming the roles of a driver, his parents question his destination as a driver. Since a driver must have a destination and a task to complete in his course, Adrian became challenged to become creative in identifying his role. Children should thus be challenged to define and stick to their roles. After identification, he must be creative in identifying objects on the road, which he does. Throughout the process, he maintains creation and sustenance of fluent speech which attest to high levels of creativity. In this case, Adrian becomes positively responding to immediate challenges inquiring his levels of creativity. Symbolic pretence plays result in creation of direct relationships in resultant words as evident in Adrian’s case. While on course to the hospital, he creates relationship of ambulance to rescue operation, which in turn leads to his conclusion that the ambulance could be coming to his rescue as indicated in number 9. This clearly points out, as argued by Bruner (1984) that language becomes brave and intricate when used directly in a play. Adrian’s uses of ambulance and Tesco in play produce absolute evidence of this stipulation. They enable him to become highly practical in situations that might demand physical involvements. This way, he becomes much more realistic. Although word-meanings do not arise spontaneously, the power of using responsibility in pretence plays is immeasurable (Evans 2007). It triggers creativities, creates relationships and sustains interests in such situations. Without basic understanding of some words resulting from responsibility, the play could not be as interesting as possible. But since all words used do not seem to confuse Adrian, in identifying appropriate responsibilities through usages and thus meanings, increases his communication patterns remain constant and fluent (Hannikainen 2001). Children from the ages of three to five draw problems from situation that they encounter (Ainscow 2006). In Adrian’s case, the thought of the cat with tooth problems simply arises from the fact that he may have experienced some tooth problems in his tender age. Creations of relations o such problems to external situations are evident that the only problems that do exist out there include the only problems they have encountered (Vygotsky1986). Although cats rarely do encounter such problems, Adrian’s thought of his cat with tooth problems attest that children in his age memorize the challenges they encounter and apply them to people and animals around them. This makes them aware that problem health and other problems exist outside their world and as a result, he becomes creative in identifying his cat’s problem and troubleshooting of its solution. References Ainscow, M. (2006) Improving Schools, Developing Inclusion. London: Routledge. Alcock, S & Cullen, J, 2008, Pretence play: young children learning literacy while awareness’, In MacDonald, R, Hargreaves, D & Miell, D, (Eds.), Musical identities (pp. 21-38). Oxford University Press, Oxford Brown, J.R., Donelan, M, N, & Dunn, J. 2009. Why talk about mental states? The significance of children's conversations with friends, siblings, and mothers. Austin, USA: University of Texas Bruner, J 1984, ‘Language, mind and reading’, In Goelman, H, Oberg, A, & Smith, F, (Eds.), Awakening to literacy, Heinemann, Exeter. Clough, P and Corbett J, 2000, Theories of Inclusive Education: a Student’s Guide. 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