RUNNING HEADER: SCAFFOLDING FUNCTIONAL PLAY 1

Scaffolding functional play in pre-kindergarten aged children

Mary Janae Walker

Louisiana State University

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 2

Structured Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study was initiated because the ability to engage in toy play with

nonliteral use of objects without reality based outcomes is a critical objective in early learning

standards. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to increase functional play in pre-

kindergarten aged children. The intervention focused on modifications to teacher behavior to

measure the outcome on functional play. METHOD: Specifically, scaffolding was used

systematically to increase children’s ability to maintain functional play with the teacher using

prompts such as the presentation of toys, verbal prompts, model prompts, physical prompts, and

praise. The focus of the scaffolding techniques was based on the information located in the study

Mothers’ Scaffolding Techniques (Pierucci, 2015). Targeted children were identified based on

teacher nomination, focusing on children with low levels of maintaining functional play. Data

was collected on targeted children during previously-identified activities within each classroom

where deficits in children’s maintaining of functional play had been observed by the classroom

teacher. Researchers stood in an unobtrusive area of the classroom where they were able to both

see and hear the targeted child. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the effectiveness of

scaffolding techniques with pre-kindergarten aged children.

Introduction

Within the pre-kindergarten classroom, John (pseudonym) has difficulty maintaining

functional play during times of child-directed play within the classroom schedule. Previous

research suggests that scaffolding intervention has been effective to increase functional play in

children with atypical development (Pierucci, 2015). This study hopes to prove that scaffolding
FUNCTIONAL PLAY 3

intervention can help to increase functional play within a typically developing classroom of pre-

kindergarten aged children.

Method

Setting

This research project took place within the Early Childhood Laboratory Preschool which

is a Reggio Emilia inspired school located in Baton Rouge on the LSU campus. There are 15

classes serving children six weeks to age four. The room in which the research took place was

the preschool II classroom. There are eleven students in the preschool II classroom, seven boys

and five girls. There are five children who speak English as a second language. Of those five,

two of the children are bilingual in Chinese, two in Spanish, and one in Arabic.

Participants

Participants included one typically developing male child, aged four. The child did not

have a preexisting IEP or behavior plan. This child was selected for the present study by teacher

nomination because he had difficulty engaging in functional play during unstructured child lead

activities. Toddler inclusion criteria were as follows: children enrolled in kindergarten

classrooms who are functioning within normal limits for their age

Behavior definitions

When observing the child’s toy play, functional play was defined as nonliteral use of

actual or miniature objects in the manner in which they were intended without the reality-based

outcome. Non-Functional play was defined as the act of throwing an object or engaging in

actions with other students where the child was aware the action would create physical harm. No

Response was defined as the child not having any response to the presentation of a toy.
FUNCTIONAL PLAY 4

Experimental conditions

Baseline. During baseline data gathering, the child would typically choose to play at the

blocks center during child lead free time. While at this center the child would begin with

functional play, i.e. stacking blocks, creating tracks, and rolling the wooden balls. However, as

time progressed the child would begin to engage in non-functional play activities with the

materials like throwing the balls around the classroom, pushing down block towers onto peers, or

throwing blocks at peers. The teacher would step in after a peer was hurt or after witnessing a

ball being thrown and would speak to the student about how he was allowed not throw items or

hurt his peers.

Intervention. During the month that I began observations for my baseline data, a new

assistant teacher was hired for the preschool two classroom. This teacher began to implement my

intervention of her own accord before I spoke to her about it. As my intervention is simple

teaching strategies, this makes sense. My intervention was based upon ideas in the Scaffolding

study done by Jillian M. Pierucci. Their study is based upon the mother using scaffolding

techniques with their autistic child to increase functional play. They highlighted a study done by

Wooley and Tullos (2008) where they identified 3 specific scaffolding techniques that parents

often use in the context of play with toddlers: (1) using comments, (2) adding requests, and (3)

prompting. Woolley and Tullos (2008) stated that these types of scaffolding techniques serve two

purposes to either maintain play (e.g., if play is not complete, how parent continues with play

scenario) or enhance play (e.g., parent enriches what toddler does). For the current study, the

third of Woolley’s and Tullos’ three scaffolding techniques (i.e., prompts) and its purposes (i.e.,

maintenance, enhancement) were further examined in the context of teachers scaffolding play
FUNCTIONAL PLAY 5

with students who had difficulty maintaining functional play. (Scaffolding, 2015). (Pierucci,

2015).

Data collection

Data was collected using interval recording with 30 second intervals. Child toy play was

observed for functional or nonfunctional toy play on a partial interval while no response was

observed using whole interval recording. The teacher prompting variations consisted of physical

prompting, presentation of toy, praise, model prompting, & verbal prompting and was scored on

partial interval, while no response was recorded with whole interval recording

Observation procedure

Prior to the commencement of the project, a guardian of the child and the teacher

voluntarily signed a consent form. Thereafter, baseline observation began. During baseline

sessions, both teachers and children enrolled in the preschool two classroom were observed

during the child-directed play part of their regularly-scheduled classroom activities to measure

the child’s level of functional play. During intervention sessions, the teacher was informed of

five different prompts they could use to enhance the child’s play and then implemented these

techniques during the child directed play. The researcher stood in an unobtrusive area of the

classroom where they were able to both see and hear the targeted child.

The teacher and child participated in ten minute sessions a total of ten times, five before

intervention and five after. Reliability data was collected on 20% of observed sessions across

both the baseline and intervention conditions.

Reliability

Reliability data was collected on 20% of observed sessions across both the baseline and

intervention conditions. The reliability tester for this research was a peer within the LSU early
FUNCTIONAL PLAY 6

childhood education program They were trained through a 5-minute practice session. The

reliability was calculated using point-by-point bases.

Findings

The percentage of observed intervals where functional play was observed is charted

above. During baseline, the child exhibited 54% (range, 40-70%) functional play. During the

scaffolding intervention, the child exhibited 90% (range, 85-95%) functional play. After the

scaffolding intervention, functional play increased 36 percentage points. (See appendices A for

data sheets.)

Discussion

The child seemed to benefit from the scaffolding techniques. Verbal prompting and

Model prompting had the most effect on him. These scaffolding techniques were not only
FUNCTIONAL PLAY 7

helping to maintain his functional play but they also helped to enhance it. The research suggests

that prompting techniques can help to enhance and maintain functional play. The research

showed that for this particular child, the prompting techniques helped to successfully maintain

the functional play and in some cases helped to enhanced his functional play.

Conclusion

The implications for this study confirm previous ideas that scaffolding can have a

positive effect on the increase of functional play. To continue research as part of a teachers daily

teaching practices, educators can incorporate scaffolding interventions into the daily classroom

by offering various prompts during child-lead free play time. Future research could determine if

a critical window exists for fine maximizing functional play; is there a point where a functional

play deficit cannot be remedied through scaffolding intervention?

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 8

References

Barton, E. E. (2015). Teaching generalized pretend play and related behaviors to young children

with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 81(4), 489-506.

Pierucci, J. M. (2016). Mothers’ scaffolding techniques used during play in toddlers with autism

spectrum disorder. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 28(2), 217-235.

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 9

Appendix A: Data Sheets

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 10

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 11

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 12

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 13

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 14

FUNCTIONAL PLAY 15

Reflection

At First

I was nervous to begin my time within the program. I did not know if I was ready to

begin this journey. My mentor teacher and I got along well. We both noticed a student was

having difficulty during child chosen activities. I did not know how to approach the child and

therefore my teacher initially began handling the situation alone. I felt somewhat comfortable in

the classroom but in the beginning, I mostly stuck to handling the simple issues within the class

and mainly assisting the teacher in paper work. I wasn’t sure how I would go forward with my

research project, and I was very confused as to how I would implement my strategies in order to

have the best outcome. I also had concerns that I would not be able to interpret the data gathered

since I felt intimidated by the unknown.

And Then

As the semester progressed, I began to feel a little more comfortable with the process of

developing and gathering the research that would be needed in order to complete the project.

Each lesson that went more in-depth, I felt better prepared to evaluate the information I was

gathering. My confidence began to grow and I started to feel competent in my endeavor. I

collaborated well with my teacher, our relationship was strong and therefore we both felt

comfortable sharing ideas on how it would be best to implement the intervention for the research

project. I feel the one thing I would change would be the ability to implement the research

projects at an earlier time within the semester, allowing for a more through project.
FUNCTIONAL PLAY 16

And Now

Over the course of the semester, I have felt that I gained a lot of confidence in my

communication skillsets. I feel that being around my mentor teacher enabled me to gain a

confidence in using the terminology that comes along with being an educator. I noticed that as

the cohort matured though our experiences that we were all better equip to support each other,

teacher each other, and learn from each other. My experience gained through my mentor teacher

along with the support from the cohort were what I found to be the most valuable assets to my

education this semester.