Literacy 4-6

Playful Literacy Activities

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Overview

Playful activities can support the development of learners' Metacognition and also inspire their narratives and writing. A creative task helps students brainstorm and develop their ideas prior to engaging deeply in the writing process, easing the demand on Working Memory.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch as these elementary school students use Legos as to aid in their narrative writing. Students use the Legos to brainstorm, try out different ideas, and add details to their writing. Their delight in play increases Motivation and positive Emotion towards writing.

  • Teachers can support student creativity through guided play. Teachers can provide hands-on materials, like Legos or modeling clay, that capture student Attention and increase Motivation. After creating a scene or story with the materials, students can use these physical objects as inspiration for their writing.

    • Design It into Your Product

    Videos are chosen as examples of strategies in action. These choices are not endorsements of the products or evidence of use of research to develop the feature.

    Learn how Minecraft, an online game, provides blocks that can be used to build anything, from a scene to a full story. Additionally, multiple players can collaborate to construct creative objects or stories, allowing learners to practice Social Awareness & Relationship Skills.

  • Products can incorporate playful activities that can be saved and referred to during the writing process. Including movable, playful elements invites learners to explore and modify ideas.
    • View References

    Resources

    Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

    Academic Emotions

    Subtopic that includes research on students' emotions related to learning on Digital Promise's Research Map

    Bringing Play into the Classroom

    Ways to connect play and learning with older students

    Identity, Behavior, and Relationships

    Topic that includes research on the development of social and emotional skills on Digital Promise's Research Map

    PLaNS Handbook

    Detailed lesson plan for guided play and narrative writing

    Teaching for Collaboration & Creativity

    Subtopic that includes research on instructional approaches to encourage collective problem-solving on Digital Promise's Research Map

    Why Playful Learning

    The benefits of including play in the classroom for all ages

    Factors Supported by this Strategy

    Literacy
    Foundational Writing Skills
    Morphological Knowledge
    Syntax
    Verbal Reasoning
    Vocabulary
    Cognition
    Attention
    Inhibition & Self-regulation
    Long-term Memory
    Metacognition
    Sensory Integration
    Short-term Memory
    Speed of Processing
    Social and Emotional Learning
    Emotion
    Motivation
    Social Awareness & Relationship Skills
    Student Background
    Adverse Experiences
    Literacy Environment
    Physical Well-being
    Primary Language
    Safety
    Sleep
    Socioeconomic Status

    More Active Learning Strategies

    Acting/Role Play

    Physically acting out a text enhances reading comprehension.

    Composition Projects: Multimodal

    Expressing ideas through visuals and audio, and understanding others' ideas in these forms, is as critical in today's world as traditional reading and writing.

    Creating Visuals

    Students activate more cognitive processes by exploring and representing their understandings in visual form.

    Field Trips

    Visiting places connected to classroom learning provides opportunities to deepen understanding through firsthand experiences.

    Response Devices

    Response devices boost engagement by encouraging all students to answer every question.

    Think-alouds

    When students explain their thinking process aloud, they recognize the strategies they use and solidify their understanding.

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