Charles H. Wolfgang

Block Play Performance Among Preschoolers As a Predictor of Later School Achievement in Mathematics

Abstract In 1982, an intact group of 37 preschoolers (age 4) attending a play-oriented preschool were tested using the Lunzer Five Point Play Scale (1955) to obtain a block performance measure. To statistically control for social economic status (SES), IQ and gender, the McCarty Scales of Childrens Abilities (1972) were given, the gender determined, and an SES score obtained (Hollingshead & Redlick, 1958). In 1998, after these same participants had completed high school, their records were obtained. Outcome measures for the 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades included standardized tests and report card grades in mathematics. High school achievement was determined by using 1) number of courses, 2) number of honors courses, 3) advanced math courses taken, and 4) grades. While controlling for IQ and gender, the block performance measure was correlated and regressed against these outcome variables. No significance was found at the 3rd- and 5th-grade levels by evaluating report card grades and standardized math scores. At 7th-grade, there was a significant correlation between blocks and standardized math scores, but not report card grades. At the high school level, there was a positive correlation with all high school outcome variables. There was no correlation between block performance and standardized math tests or grades at the elementary school levels. However, at the beginning of middle school, 7th grade, and in the high school grades, a positive correlation between preschool block performance and math achievement was demonstrated.

Sociodramatic Play as a Method for Enhancing the Language Performance of Kindergarten Age Students.

Abstract Are necessary skills, such as language, best taught to young children in structured kindergarten classroom environments, or are they best developed through practice and stimulation in freer child-centered activities? To assist in the resolution of this ongoing debate, this study tested the proposition that children of kindergarten age who had planned opportunities for enriched sociodramatic play would demonstrate increased levels of language performance. A single case repeated measures multiple-baseline design across subjects was used to experimentally determine that a functional relationship exists between enriched sociodramatic play and an increase in levels of language performance.

A Longitudinal Study of the Predictive Relations Among Construction Play and Mathematical Achievement

This longitudinal study began in 1982 with 37 four year old children who attended the same child care center for at least one year. The participants were assessed on their construction play products of blocks, Legos, and carpentry using the Lunzer Five Point Play Scale. An IQ score was obtained using The McCarthy Scales of Childrens Mental Abilities. Gender was also used as a control variable. In 1998, 27 of these participants were found and standardized test scores in mathematics for grades 3, 5, 7, and high school were correlated with play scores. The California Acheivement Test as well as high school higher mathematics classes and honors format classes were noted. Results showed that grades 3 and 5 had little significance found between a participants play performance and mathematical achievement. At grade 7 and in high school each area of construction play and standardized test scores were found to be significant.

An Exploration of Toy Content of Preschool Children's Home Environments as a Predictor of Cognitive Development.

A content analysis of toys and materials found in the homes of preschool age children was done to determine what items were most predictive of various cognitive abilities. The home items were classified on the play categories of physical, microsymbolic, macrosymbolic, structured, and fluids and then scaled. Using play‐material scales, SES, age, sex as predictor variables, regression was performed against the subvariables of the McCarthy Scales of Childrens Abilities of verbal, perceptual‐performance, quantitative, memory, and motor abilities. Structured was most predictive of verbal; structured, fluids, and microsymbolic predictive of perceptual‐performance; structured for quantitative; macrosymbolic, microsymbolic, and structured for memory; and physical for motor abilities. SES was predictive of verbal, quantitative, memory, and motor while age was predictive of perceptual‐performance.

Another View on “Reinforcement in Developmentally Appropriate Early Childhood Classrooms”

I n the Summer 2000 issue of Childhood Education, the article written by Tashawna Duncan, Kristen Kemple, and Tina Smith supports reinforcement as a developmentally appropriate practice (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997). In the present article, the author contrasts the Duncan-Kemple-Smith position with another view: How to use developmental theory to inform us of appropriate strategies for dealing with young children in the classroom. The use of behavioral techniques such as reinforcers often can produce desired behavior changes. Behavior modification through the use of reinforcers, however, is a superficial effort to lead the child down the road of development without using the road map of developmental theory, which views the child’s actions with regard to developmental constructs. Let’s take the Duncan-Kemple-Smith example. ”Five-year-old Rodney has recently joined Mr. Romero’s kindergarten class. On hisfirst day in his new class, Rodney punched a classmate and usurped the tricycle the other boy was riding. On Rodney‘s second day in the class, he shoved a child on a swing and dumped another out ofher chair at the snack table“ (Duncan, Kemple, & Smith, 2000, p. 194). In essence, the authors support behavioral theory and advocate addressing Rodney’s negative actions through the use of social reinforcers (e.g., praise, and similar teacher attention), activity reinforcers (e.g., earning use of a toy such as a tricycle with ”good” behavior), and tangible reinforcers ( e g , stickers). Unfortunately, applying reinforcers to extinguish Rodney‘s ”aggression” overlooks the context of how children develop. The developmentalist, by contrast, would attempt to change Rodney’s antisocial behaviors by trying to understand his developmental needsspecifically, what may be causing such behaviors in the first place. As this is Rodney’s first day in his new class, the first question for the developmentalist, knowing the literature on attachment and separation fears (Mahler, 1970, 1975; Speers, 1970a, 1970b), would be: Did the teacher help Rodney make a gradual transition from home to school, and allow time for him to bond with his new teacher and become comfortable in this strange new world of the kindergarten classroom? The developmentalists may use supportive actions to help the child make a successful transition (Jervis, 1999). In Rodney’s case, the teacher could have made home visits, giving Rodney a chance to meet his teacher on his own “turf”; permitted Rodney to bring a ”transitional Behavior modification

A Study of Play as a Predictor of Social-Emotional Development.

Wolfgang, Charles H. A study of Play as a Predictor of Social-Emotional Development, 1983. In order to determine what forms of Piaget play forms and play materials best predicted social-emotional development, preschool-aged children (ages 3#fr1/2> to 5#fr1/2>) were rated in play performance on macrosymbolic play (socio-dramatic), construction-fluids (sand, easel painting, clay and drawing), construction-structured (carpentry, blocks. Lego and puzzles), gross motor and motor skill with the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, and, finally, scored on the Devereux Child Behavior (DCB) Rating Scale. The DCB was factored, giving Factor 1, Social Aggression; Factor 2, Physical-Clumsiness, Fear-fulness and Dependence; and Factor 3, Withdrawn Perceptually and Socially Isolated. The play categories, along with the demographics of age, sex, and SES were regressed against these factors. Significant demographics were Sex, 24 percent, and SES, 11 percent, as explained variance, with no play variable being si...