Effect of school pretend play on preschoolers' social competence in peer interactions: Gender as a potential moderator

Effect of school pretend play on preschoolers' social competence in peer interactions: Gender as a potential moderator

• Fung, Wing Kai The Hong Kong Institute of Education
• Cheng, Rebecca The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(1), 35-42, 2017

Springer Netherlands

2017

• A Human Growth & Development
  • AJ Sexual Difference, Bisexual Educational Difference, Sexism in Education
• F Learning & Teaching
  • FA General Teaching Strategies, Different Instructional Methods
• Q Philosophy of Education, Educational System & School At Different Levels
  • QB Pre-school Education, Child Caring Facilities, Maternal & Infantile Health Facilities

Imaginative Play Symbolic Play Preschool Children Preschool Education Social Interaction

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

This study investigated the moderating effect of gender on the causal relationships between different school play activities (pretend and non-pretend play) and social competence in peer interactions among a sample of Hong Kong children. Participants were 60 Hong Kong preschoolers (mean age = 5.44, 36.67 % female). Children with matched home pretend play time period were randomly assigned to pretend or non-pretend play groups to take part in pretend or non-pretend play activities respectively in the 1-month kindergarten play training. Children's pre- and post-training social competences were assessed by their teachers. Results revealed a trend that girls who participated in school pretend play tended to be less disruptive during peer interactions after the training than those who participated in non-pretend play, while boys were similarly benefited from the two play activities. The implications for play-related research and children's social competence development are discussed.

• English

Journal Articles

• 10823301

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/e8c4a9bc

2017-10-09