Play with homeless and low-income preschoolers

University Student Experiences With Service Learning

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5084959
AutoresEvangeline E Nwokah (Our Lady of the Lake University, autor correspondente), Stefanie Becerril (University of Louisiana at Lafayette), Weldon Paul Hardee (Our Lady of the Lake University), Evelyn Brito (Jewish Home)
Ano2017
Volume6
Fascículo1
Páginas53-77
Data de publicação2017-01-02
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoInternational Journal of Play (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2159-4937 • E-ISSN: 2159-4953
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/21594937.2017.1288397
OpenAlexW2591440702
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas43

Play is an integral part of preschool learning experiences and play skills can be impacted by many factors including the child’s family situation and environment, such as homelessness and poverty. This qualitative study explored university students’ reflections through their journal writing while they spent a semester providing play and language support for homeless and low-income children in one of three preschool settings. The data were coded to find themes within the text. Students were challenged by child behaviors they considered inappropriate for a preschool setting, the re-enactment of trauma through pretend play, and the wide variability in teacher support for play. They were impressed by the resiliency shown by some children in their play and the way many children readily connected with them. The study has implications for understanding play among at-risk preschoolers and the challenges of working with homeless and low-income children

Developmental psychology · Early childhood education · Family income · Low income · Pedagogy · Political science · Poverty · Qualitative research · Social science · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Family and Disability Support Research · Homelessness and Social Issues · Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice