Play and the Social Context of Development in Early Care and Education

This volume is a collection of papers from a symposium about play held at the Institute of Human Development, University of California, Berkeley, in May 1988. The symposium brought together researchers in the field of child development and practitioners in early childhood education and care. Considering play as the focus of the child's social world, the contributors offer keen insights into the important role of play in a number of relevant areas including language and literacy, cognitive development, and socialization. Distinguished scholars with backgrounds in sociolinguistics, psychology, sociology, and education present evidence to show that play facilitates and advances children's learning in each of these domains. The editors address assumptions underlying both practice and theory, demonstrating how researchers and practitioners can achieve a constructive dialogue.