5/21/14
Let’s Pretend: Teaching and
Supporting Pretend Play with
Young Children in Inclusive
Classrooms
Erin E. Barton, PhD, BCBA-D
erin.e.barton@vanderbilt.edu
Vanderbilt University
Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is PLAY?
•  Operationalize play in 2 – 3 sentences.
•  Provide 3 – 4 examples
•  Share with the person next to you
•  Discuss
What is play?
Why pretend play is important
How to assess children’s play
How to teach pretend play
How to embed instruction into playbased contexts
What is PLAY?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
No specific form
Contextually relevant
Flexible
Voluntary
Symbolic
Influenced by environmental variables
A functional goal
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What is play?
What is play???
Play is complex
•  Play with toys
–  Frequency
–  Duration
–  Conditions
–  Complexity
–  Related behaviors
•  Play with Others
–  Adults
–  Peers
Play is active engagement with objects,
activities, or persons that appears to be
motivating, can be spontaneously
performed, flexible
Play Taxonomies
•  Provide general definitions about the types
of play
•  Provides examples of types
•  Social and Cognitive
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Social Play
Parten (1932)
1.  Unoccupied
2.  Solitary
3.  Onlooker
4.  Parallel
5.  Associative
6.  Cooperative
Social Play
Solitary
Onlooker
Parallel
COMPLEXITY
Associative
Cooperative
Social Play in Preschool
Cognitive Play
Sherrat & Peter (2002)
Chance (1979)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sensorimotor
Relational
Functional
Symbolic
Themed Fantasy
Physical
Manipulative
Symbolic
Games
Cognitive Play
Sensorybased
Motorbased
Fitting
objects
together
Using
objects as
they were
intended
COMPLEXITY
Symbolic
and
pretending
Games
with rules
Cognitive Play in Preschool
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5/21/14
Defining Pretend Play
Inconsistencies in definitions of pretend play:
1.  Functional play was literal or non-literal
2.  Symbolic play sometimes measured separately
3.  Pretend play behaviors sometimes required
confirmatory verbalizations
4.  The definitions of spontaneous or unprompted
pretense behaviors varied
5.  The definitions of sequences varied
6.  Definitions of play complexity varied
What is pretend play?
•  Define pretend play
•  List examples supported by your
definition(s)
•  Share with the person next to you
(Barton, 2010; Barton & Wolery, 2010; Barton & Wolery, 2008)
What is pretend play?
1.  Functional use of objects while
pretending
What is pretend play?
1.  Functional play with pretense
–  Non-literal use of actual or miniature objects in
the manner in which they were intended without
the reality based outcome
2.  Symbolic play – clearly pretending
something is something else, not there,
etc…
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5/21/14
Functional Play with Pretense
What is pretend play?
2.  Symbolic Play
i.
Object substitution
•  Using one objects as if it was a different object
ii.  Imagining Absent Objects
•  Performing an action as if an object was present in the
object’s absence
iii.  Assigning Absent Attributes
•  Assigning roles or emotions to the self, others or
inanimate objects Object Substitution
Imagining Absent Objects
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5/21/14
Assigning Absent Attributes
What type of pretend play?
With the person next to you list 5
examples of each
Why is play important?
1.  Functional Play with Pretense
2.  Symbolic Play
i.
Object substitution
ii.  Imagining Absent Objects
iii.  Assigning Absent Attributes
1. Successful inclusion
2. Context
3. Practical
4. Predictive
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5/21/14
Why is play important?
•  Play increases the likelihood of learning in
inclusive settings (Buysse, Wesley, Keyes, & Bailey, 1996)
•  Play sets the occasion for interactions with
peers (McConnell, 2002)
Why is play important?
•  Appropriate IEP / IFSP objectives for children
with disabilities are behaviors that occupy the
time of their peers
•  A primary level of engagement for preschool
children in classroom environments is
differentiated play with objects (McWilliam, 1998; McWilliam & Bailey,
1992).
–  Synonymous with engagement in preschool
Why is play important?
•  Play is flexible
–  Multiple settings, people, toys, domains
•  Play offers contextually relevant
instructional opportunities for acquiring,
maintaining, and generalizing skills (PrettiFrontczak & Bricker, 2004)
•  Play in general has reinforcing properties for
other skills
(Morrison, Sainato, Benchaaban, & Endo, 2002)
•  Play offers a context for assessing and
practicing skills (Fewell & Kaminski, 1988)
Why is play important?
•  Play offers a context for implementing
evidence-based practices across skill
domains
–  Peer-mediated strategies (Strain, McGee, & Kohler, 2001)
–  Enhanced Milieu Teaching (Hancock & Kaiser, 2006)
–  Embedded learning opportunities (Sandall & Schwarz,
2002)
–  High-probability procedures (Santos, 2001)
–  Time delay procedures (Wolery, 2005)
–  Activity-based interventions (Pretti-Frontczak & Bricker, 2004)
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5/21/14
Why is play important?
•  Frees up time for caregivers
–  Allows families to do other things
•  Promotes meaningful interactions
across contexts and people
–  At home with parents, siblings
•  Precursor to leisure skills
•  Alternative to maladaptive behavior
Why is play important?
•  Play parallels language
–  Both are symbolic
•  Highly correlated to language and cognition
in young children with disabilities
–  (Thiemann-Bourque, Brady, & Fleming, 2012)
•  Pretend play skills are predictors for later
language and social skills in children with
autism
–
Why is pretend play important?
« Children with disabilities play less often
and demonstrate fewer varied pretend
play behaviors (Beckman & Kohl, 1988; Malone & Stoneman,
1995; Malone, 1997)
(e.g., Charman et al., 2003; Toth et al., 2006)
Why is pretend play important?
« Children with autism play with less
variety, complexity, and demonstrate
fewer social interactions (Lewis & Boucher, 1988;
Jarrold et al., 1996)
•  Stable over time despite improvements in
other areas
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5/21/14
What are goals for play?
What are appropriate play
goals?
Goal 1: to increase frequency
or duration of play
What might a goal be?
•  Goal 1: to increase frequency or
duration of play
Complexity
•  Goal 2: to engage in progressively
more complex types of play
•  Goal 3: to increase frequency or
duration of play with others
Goal 2: increase complexity
What might a goal be?
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5/21/14
Types of Toys to Consider
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Contingency toys
Gross motor toys
Closure toys
Complexity
Construction and building toys
Duplicates of reality
Creative expression on toys / materials
Books, computer etc.
Conditions
•
•
•
•
•
•
Home versus School
During free play
Outside time
Classroom versus after care
Sensory table versus carpet
Table versus floor
Complexity of Play Types
•
•
•
•
•
Sensori Motor
Relational
Functional
Functional Play with Pretense
Symbolic Play
–  Object substitution
–  Imagining Absent Object
–  Assignment Absent Attributes
Consider Related Behaviors
•  Adding vocalizations
–  Vocalizations related to the play
–  May indicate pretense
•  Sequential play behaviors
–  Themes, routines
–  Two or more consecutive, related behaviors
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5/21/14
Summary of Cognitive Play
Goals
1.  Frequency/Rate
2.  Number of toys
3.  Duration of play
4.  Types of toys
5.  Complexity of play
6.  Conditions
7.  Vocalizations
8.  Sequences
Pair Activity: Possible Goal?
Cammie
Cammie (3 years) plays with
the puzzles every day. She
puts them together, dumps
them out, then repeats. She
plays with any puzzle her
teacher Anna puts out. She
rarely engages with other toys
in the classroom.
•  What might be an
appropriate goal for
Cammie?
Tristan
Tristan (4 years) plays with
cars and trucks most of the
time. He will play with any
toys with wheels and mostly
moves them back and forth,
up and down.
•  What might be an
appropriate goal for
Tristan?
Assessing Play
Considerations:
•  Context
Play Assessment
–  Size and arrangement
of space
–  Types of materials
–  Amount of materials
–  Availability of peers
–  Duration of sessions
–  Serial versus single
session
•  Assessor
–  Directive
–  Modeling
–  Responsive
–  Passive
•  Measurement type
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5/21/14
Assessing Play
•
•
•
•
Assessing Play
•  Direct observation
Parental or caregiver interviews
Semi structured
Routine based
Anecdotal notes
–  Duration of instances of play (average and range)
–  Momentary time sample, recording toys used serially
•  Toy Inventory (Garfinkle & Neitzel, 2000)
•  Estimated duration of play
–  Event sampling
•  Social interactions
•  Frequency of types, toys, toy types
–  Category Sampling
•  Use taxonomies
Estimated Duration
Estimated Duration
Activity &
Time
Activity
& Time
Behavior:
Minutes
Total:
Arrival
free
play /
dolls
Unprompted 10
Symbolic play
with peers
Center time: Outdoor
water table play
Afternoon
free play
Center
time:
trains
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
9
9
9
9
9
8
8
8
8
8
9
9
9
9
9
7
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
8
6
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
7
5
5
5
5
5
6
6
6
6
6
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
Minutes
1
1
1
1
1
Total:
2
8
0
2
0
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5/21/14
Frequency / Rate
Frequency / Rate
Start Time
Start Time
9:03
Unprompted Pretense
Behaviors
Unprompted Pretense
Behaviors
✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔
End Time
End Time
9:20
Total Time
Total Time
17
Total Behaviors
Total Behaviors
Rate
Rate
1.24 / min
13
5/21/14
Toy Play
Toy Play
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
26
27
28
29
30
Total
Different
Toys
Touched:
Start
Time:
End Time: Date:
Total
Different
Toys
Touched:
Diversity of Play
16
Start
Time:
10:00
End Time: Date:
11:30
4/15
Diversity of Play
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
26
27
28
29
Total Different
Unprompted
Play
Behaviors:
Start Time: End Time:
Date:
Total Different
Unprompted
Pretense
Behaviors:
3
30
Start Time: End Time:
Date:
10:30
5/6
11:00
14
5/21/14
Play Category & Frequency
Start time:
Onlooker
End Time:
Parallel
Associative
Cooperative
Totals
FPP
OS
IAO
AAA
Total
Play Category & Frequency
Start time:
10:35
End Time:
10:50
Associative
Cooperative
Onlooker
Parallel
FPP
111
11111
8
OS
11
1111
6
IAO
0
AAA
Total
Totals
0
5
9
0
0
15
5/21/14
#3#$#Partial#Interval!
Recording!System:!Partial#Interval#!!
Metric:!Duration#Estimate!
Highest Level of Play
Interval
0
FP
Play Level
Support
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Interval#(10s)##
X#if#social#play#
occurred#at#all#
during#the#
interval##
Interval#(10s)!
X#if#social#play#
occurred#at#all#
during#the#
interval!
Peer?
0#$#10#
!
2:30#$#2:40#
!
Yes
10#$20#
#
2:40#$2:50#
!
20#$30#
#
2:50#$3:00#
!
30#40#
#
3#$#3:10#
!
40#$50#
#
3:10#$3:20#
!
1
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
2
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
3
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
50#$1:00#
#
3:20$#3:30#
!
4
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
1:00#$1:10#
#
3:30#$3:40#
!
5
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
1:10#$#1:20#
#
3:40$#3:50#
!
6
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
1:20#$1:30#
#
3:50$#4:00#
!
7
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
1:30#$1:40#
#
4$#4:10#
!
1:40#$1:50#
#
4:10$#4:20#
!
8
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
1:50$#2:00#
#
4:20$#4:30#
!
9
FP
FPP SYM
CH MO FP
Yes
2#$2:10#
#
4:30$#4:40#
!
2:10#$#2:20#
#
4:40$#4:50#
!
2:20#$#2:30#
#
4:50#$#5:00#
!
Total!Intervals!with!social!play:!___________________________________!
Partial Interval
Interval 30 s
Social Play?
Interval 30 s
Partial Interval
Social Play?
Interval 30 s
Social Play?
Interval 30 s
Social Play?
0-0:30
5:30 - 6
0-0:30
✖
5:30 - 6
✖
0:31-1
6-6:30
0:31-1
1– 1:30
6:30 - 7
1– 1:30
1:30 – 2
7-7:30
1:30 – 2
2-2:30
7:30 - 8
2-2:30
2:30 - 3
8- 8:30
2:30 - 3
3-3:30
8:30 - 9
3-3:30
3:30 - 4
9 – 9:30
3:30 - 4
4-4:30
9:30 - 10
4-4:30
9:30 - 10
✖
4:30 - 5
Total Intervals:
4:30 - 5
Total Intervals:
7
5-5:30
%
5-5:30
%
35%
6-6:30
6:30 - 7
✖
7-7:30
7:30 - 8
✖
✖
8- 8:30
8:30 - 9
✖
9 – 9:30
16
5/21/14
#4#–#Whole#Interval#
Recording*System:*Whole#Interval#**
Metric:*Duration#Estimate*
Whole Interval
Interval#(10s)##
X#if#social#play#
occurred#for#the#
WHOLE#interval##
Interval#(10s)*
X#if#social#play#
occurred#for#the#
WHOLE#interval*
0#C#10#
!
2:30#C#2:40#
*
10#C20#
#
2:40#C2:50#
*
Interval 30 s
20#C30#
#
2:50#C3:00#
*
0-0:30
5:30 - 6
30#40#
#
3#C#3:10#
*
40#C50#
#
3:10#C3:20#
*
0:31-1
6-6:30
50#C1:00#
#
3:20C#3:30#
*
1– 1:30
6:30 - 7
1:00#C1:10#
#
3:30#C3:40#
*
1:30 – 2
7-7:30
1:10#C#1:20#
#
3:40C#3:50#
*
2-2:30
7:30 - 8
1:20#C1:30#
#
3:50C#4:00#
*
2:30 - 3
8- 8:30
1:30#C1:40#
#
4C#4:10#
*
3-3:30
8:30 - 9
1:40#C1:50#
#
4:10C#4:20#
*
1:50C#2:00#
#
4:20C#4:30#
*
3:30 - 4
9 – 9:30
2#C2:10#
#
4:30C#4:40#
*
4-4:30
9:30 - 10
2:10#C#2:20#
#
4:40C#4:50#
*
4:30 - 5
Total Intervals:
2:20#C#2:30#
#
4:50#C#5:00#
*
5-5:30
%
Peer Proximity
Interval 30 s
Peer Proximity
Total*Intervals*with*vocalizations:*___________________________________*
%*intervals:*________________________________________*
Whole Interval
Interval 30 s
Peer Proximity
0-0:30
0:31-1
Pair Activity: Assessing Play?
Interval 30 s
Peer Proximity
5:30 - 6
✗
6-6:30
✗
1– 1:30
✗
6:30 - 7
1:30 – 2
✗
7-7:30
✗
7:30 - 8
✗
2-2:30
2:30 - 3
✗
8- 8:30
✗
3-3:30
✗
8:30 - 9
✗
3:30 - 4
✗
9 – 9:30
✗
4-4:30
9:30 - 10
✗
4:30 - 5
Total Intervals:
14
%
70%
5-5:30
✗
Cammie
Tristan
Cammie (3 years) plays with
the puzzles every day. She
puts them together, dumps
them out, then repeats. She
plays with any puzzle her
teacher Anna puts out. She
rarely engages with other toys
in the classroom. Teachers
want to assess her diversity
of play (with toys and her play
behaviors).
Tristan (4 years) plays with
cars and trucks most of the
time. He will play with any
toys with wheels and mostly
moves them back and forth,
up and down. Teachers
want to assess his diversity
of play (with toys,
behaviors, and peers).
How might you assess her/his play?
17
5/21/14
Pair Activity: Assessing Play?
Cammie
Cammie’s teachers are
teaching her pretense
behaviors. Create a data
collection tool to measure
her frequency of pretense
behaviors and level of
assistance.
Tristan
Tristan’s teachers are
teacher him to play with a
variety of toys with peers.
Create a data collection tool
to measure his frequency of
pretense behaviors, social
interactions during play, and
level of assistance.
How to teach pretend play?
Theme: Winter Clothes
« Play goals can be embedded into many
activities, themes, routines
!
« When planning to teach think about how to
arrange the classroom (including peers,
adult prompts) to elicit goals
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18
5/21/14
Embedding Activity
•  With your partner chose a classroom
“theme.”
•  List examples of each type of play
behavior (consider cognitive and social
aspects of play) related to the theme?
•  How might you arrange the classroom to
embed instruction targeting each play
type?
–  (i.e., what toys / objects will you include?)
Pair Activity: Embedded
Instruction
Cammie
Tristan
Cammie (3 years) plays with
the puzzles every day. She
puts them together, dumps
them out, then repeats. She
plays with any puzzle her
teacher Anna puts out. She
rarely engages with other
toys in the classroom.
•  When might you embed
instruction?
Tristan ( 4 years) plays with
cars and trucks most of the
time. He will play with any
toys with wheels and mostly
moves them back and forth,
up and down.
•  When might you embed
instruction?
19
5/21/14
Teaching Strategy
System of least prompts
« Transfer stimulus control to the specific toy
sets
« Antecedent based strategy
« Child-focused
« Individualized
« Expands, rather than interrupts the play
interaction
http://www.embeddedinstruction.net/node/20
Copyright 2009 © Embedded Instruction for Early
Learning.
System of least prompts
1.  Initially the child is given an opportunity to respond
without prompts, and the subsequent prompts are
rated from least to most intrusive.
2.  In this manner, the child chooses the level of prompt
they need.
3.  This strategy was chosen because it allows the
children an opportunity to “learn how to learn” (Doyle
et al., 1990).
4.  The goal of the intervention is to transfer stimulus
control from the prompts to the objects. (Barton & Wolery, 2010)
(Barton & Wolery, 2010)
Components of a system of least
prompts
1.  Secure attention
–  Contingent imitation
2.  Individually based prompts
–  Presentation of materials
–  Respond to play or expand play
–  No verbal alone
3.  Contextually relevant targets
–  Different per child
4.  Naturally occurring reinforcement
–  Respond to play behaviors
5.  Monitor to ensure fading over time (Barton & Wolery, 2010)
20
5/21/14
Materials
Contingent Imitation
Yes
FPP
12 - 20 s
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior No
Verbal and physical model
5 s
Yes
FPP
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior No
Full physical prompt and verbal prompt
Yes
5 s
FPP
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior Resist
Prompt
Child
Behavior
Reinforce.
http://www.embeddedinstruction.net/node/20
Copyright 2009 © Embedded Instruction for Early
Learning.
Toys +
Model
Play
Adult
Playing
and
Talking
21
5/21/14
“My doll
is
hungry!
Yumm!”
Child
picks up
doll and
bottle;
feeds
doll.
“My doll
is
hungry!
Yumm!”
Child
picks up
doll and
bottle;
feeds
doll.
“Your doll
is hungry
too!”
“My doll
is
hungry!
Yumm!”
Child
picks up
doll and
bottle;
feeds
doll.
Nice
playing!
“Your doll
is hungry
too!”
Toys +
Choice
Pretend
Play
Adult
Playing
and
Talking
???????
Nice
playing!
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5/21/14
“Doll or
block”
Child
takes
block
and
pushes
on floor.
“Your car
is fast!”
while
pushing
block.
Presence
of toys
Child
takes
block
and
pushes
on floor.
“Your car
is fast!”
while
pushing
block.
“Doll or
block”
Child
takes
block
and
pushes
on floor.
“Your car
is fast!”
while
pushing
block.
Presence
of toys
Child
takes
block
and
pushes
on floor.
Pushes
block
back and
forth.
23
5/21/14
Materials
Yes
SYM
12 - 20 s
Contingent Imitation
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior No
Verbal and physical model
5 s
SYM
Yes
??
??
??
??
??
??
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior No
Full physical prompt and verbal prompt
5 s
SYM
Yes
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior Resist
Materials
IEP
12 - 20 s
Contingent Imitation
Yes
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior No
Verbal and physical model
IEP
5 s
Yes
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior No
Full physical prompt and verbal prompt
Yes
5 s
IEP
Descriptive talk and
related play behavior Resist
24
5/21/14
Instructional Package
Contingent Imitation
What do you notice?
System of Least Prompts
Generalization
Pair Activity: Embedded
Instruction
Cammie
Tristan
Cammie (3 years) plays with
the puzzles every day. She
puts them together, dumps
them out, then repeats. She
plays with any puzzle her
teacher Anna puts out. She
rarely engages with other
toys in the classroom.
•  How will you teach her
play skills?
Tristan (4 years) plays with
cars and trucks most of the
time. He will play with any
toys with wheels and mostly
moves them back and forth,
up and down.
•  How will you teach him
play skills?
25
5/21/14
Naturalistic Teaching
Strategies
How to embed instruction
into play-based contexts?
In View But Out of Reach Silliness Do something that goes against your child’s expectations, so they may comment on it Place a desirable object where your child can see it but cannot reach it, so your child needs to ask for it Add Something New Add something new to a favorite activity or daily routine so you can talk about it Assistance
Create situations in which your child needs to “ask” you for help Piece By Piece Give small portions of preferred objects so that your child needs to ask for more « Enhanced motivation by using child preferences
« Functional behaviors to ask for reinforcers are
targeted
« Program for generalization by embedding into
daily activities and routines
« Securing the child’s attention
« Following the child’s lead to maintain
engagement
Answer instead
of asking
•Give a choice
•Model
•Avoid test questions
•Real questions are ok
Offer your child a choice between two or more objects or activities •Wait for our child to do or say
something and then respond
•Your child might communicate
verbally or nonverbally
Repeat and add
•If your child does or says something,
repeat or imitate it and then say a word
•If your child says 1 word, repeat it and
add a second word
•If your child does something over and
over, imitate it and add something to it,
once you have her attention
Follow her interest
Give Your Child a Choice Wait and respond
•Let your child chose what and how to play
•Follow your child’s attention
•Imitate your child’s actions and gestures
Say what your child
would say
•Talk about what your child is doing using
developmentally appropriate language
•Talk about what you are doing
•When your child communicates nonverbally,
say what she would have said
26
5/21/14
Embedding learning into play
Embedding learning into play
Embedding learning into play
Pair Activity: Embedding
goals into play contexts
What other goals might you embed into a
play context?
List:
•
•
•
•
•
27
5/21/14
Pair Activity: Embedding
goals into play contexts
Cammie
Cammie is learning to play
with other toys, but her parents
and teachers are concerned
about her communication
skills. She primarily uses one
word phrases to communicate
wants and needs.
•  How might you teach
Cammie to use two or three
word phrases to
communicate requests
during play?
Tristan
Tristan is learning to engage
with different toys in new
ways. His parents want to
start playing with him but do
not always know what he is
doing. They want him to
start talking about his play
while he is playing.
•  How might you teach
Tristan to talk about what
he is doing when he is
playing?
Summary
« Play is a necessary, functional goal and
developmental domain for young children
« Intentional teachers systematically teach
play skills
•  Evidence-based practices exist
« Play affords natural, contextually relevant
opportunities for developing social
emotional competence
QUESTIONS???
erin.e.barton@vanderbilt.edu
28