Teachers’ perceptions of their roles in promoting literacy in the context of play in a Spanish-speaking kindergarten

摘要

This study focuses on the roles teachers undertake to promote literacy in a kindergarten classroom of Spanish-speaking children. Five early childhood teachers and their children participated in this study. Data were collected through teachers’ interviews and systematic videotaped observations during the children’s play periods. Inductive content analysis was the method used to analyze the data. The results define and describe the (1) teachers’ philosophy about reading, (2) teachers’ philosophy about play, and (3) teachers’ roles that they assumed in what they perceived to be the context of play. They also (1) identify the roles that teachers assume to promote literacy in what they perceived to be the context of play and (2) describe how these roles promote children’s literacy in a kindergarten classroom of Spanish-speaking children. Teacher roles supporting literacy in children’s play were identified and described as monitoring, facilitating, interacting, inquiring about, initiating, and extending children’s play as well as engaging children in discussion and making decisions during play.