, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
TABLE OF CONTENT
Topic 1 - Exploring the role of play-based learning in enhancing early literacy Page 3
development among Grade R learners in public schools
Topic 2 - Evaluating the effectiveness of work-integrated learning in equipping Page 13
Early Childhood Studies (ECS) student teachers to manage classroom
challenges
Topic 3 - Investigating how teacher-child interactions influence the social and Page 21
emotional development of children aged 3 to 6 years
, EXPLORING THE ROLE OF PLAY-BASED LEARNING IN ENHANCING EARLY
LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AMONG GRADE R LEARNERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1) Introduction
Early literacy development, encompassing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that precede
conventional reading and writing, is widely recognised as a critical foundation for later academic
success. The period from birth to age six represents a sensitive window for language and literacy
development, during which children's brains are exceptionally responsive to environmental input
(National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). In South Africa, Grade R (the reception year for children
turning five or six) was formally incorporated into compulsory basic education and is mandated to
implement play-based learning as the primary pedagogical approach (Department of Basic Education,
2011). However, the gap between policy and practice is substantial, with many Grade R teachers
implementing didactic, worksheet-based instruction rather than play-based learning (Bipath & Nkosi,
2019). The central research question guiding this study is: What is the role of play-based learning in
enhancing early literacy development among Grade R learners in public schools? This question is
examined through three sub-questions: (1) What is the prevalence and nature of play-based learning
practices across South African public school Grade R classrooms? (2) What is the association
between classroom play-based learning practices and measured early literacy outcomes in Grade R
learners? and (3) What teacher and classroom factors predict higher-quality implementation of
play-based learning for literacy development?
This literature review provides a comprehensive synthesis of existing scholarship on play-based
learning, early literacy development, and Grade R pedagogy in South African and international
contexts. The review is organised thematically around the research questions. The first theme
explores the theoretical foundations of play-based learning, drawing on the work of Piaget, Vygotsky,
and contemporary theorists (Piaget, 1962; Vygotsky, 1978; Weisberg, Hirsh-Pasek, & Golinkoff,
2013). The second theme examines the relationship between play and early literacy development,
including the pathways through which play supports oral language, phonological awareness, print
awareness, and emergent writing (Dickinson & Tabors, 2001; Neuman & Roskos, 2005; Roskos &
Christie, 2001). The third theme investigates the South African Grade R context, including policy
mandates, implementation challenges, and the gap between policy and practice (Department of Basic
Education, 2011; Bipath & Nkosi, 2019; Ebersöhn, Loots, Eloff, & Ferreira, 2015). The fourth theme
examines factors that enable or inhibit effective play-based literacy instruction, including teacher
training, beliefs, class size, and resources (Modise, 2019; Steyn, 2015). The fifth theme explores the
evidence base for play-based literacy interventions and identifies gaps in the literature. The review
concludes by positioning the current study within the scholarly conversation and identifying its
contribution to the field.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Topic 1 - Exploring the role of play-based learning in enhancing early literacy Page 3
development among Grade R learners in public schools
Topic 2 - Evaluating the effectiveness of work-integrated learning in equipping Page 13
Early Childhood Studies (ECS) student teachers to manage classroom
challenges
Topic 3 - Investigating how teacher-child interactions influence the social and Page 21
emotional development of children aged 3 to 6 years
, EXPLORING THE ROLE OF PLAY-BASED LEARNING IN ENHANCING EARLY
LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AMONG GRADE R LEARNERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1) Introduction
Early literacy development, encompassing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that precede
conventional reading and writing, is widely recognised as a critical foundation for later academic
success. The period from birth to age six represents a sensitive window for language and literacy
development, during which children's brains are exceptionally responsive to environmental input
(National Early Literacy Panel, 2008). In South Africa, Grade R (the reception year for children
turning five or six) was formally incorporated into compulsory basic education and is mandated to
implement play-based learning as the primary pedagogical approach (Department of Basic Education,
2011). However, the gap between policy and practice is substantial, with many Grade R teachers
implementing didactic, worksheet-based instruction rather than play-based learning (Bipath & Nkosi,
2019). The central research question guiding this study is: What is the role of play-based learning in
enhancing early literacy development among Grade R learners in public schools? This question is
examined through three sub-questions: (1) What is the prevalence and nature of play-based learning
practices across South African public school Grade R classrooms? (2) What is the association
between classroom play-based learning practices and measured early literacy outcomes in Grade R
learners? and (3) What teacher and classroom factors predict higher-quality implementation of
play-based learning for literacy development?
This literature review provides a comprehensive synthesis of existing scholarship on play-based
learning, early literacy development, and Grade R pedagogy in South African and international
contexts. The review is organised thematically around the research questions. The first theme
explores the theoretical foundations of play-based learning, drawing on the work of Piaget, Vygotsky,
and contemporary theorists (Piaget, 1962; Vygotsky, 1978; Weisberg, Hirsh-Pasek, & Golinkoff,
2013). The second theme examines the relationship between play and early literacy development,
including the pathways through which play supports oral language, phonological awareness, print
awareness, and emergent writing (Dickinson & Tabors, 2001; Neuman & Roskos, 2005; Roskos &
Christie, 2001). The third theme investigates the South African Grade R context, including policy
mandates, implementation challenges, and the gap between policy and practice (Department of Basic
Education, 2011; Bipath & Nkosi, 2019; Ebersöhn, Loots, Eloff, & Ferreira, 2015). The fourth theme
examines factors that enable or inhibit effective play-based literacy instruction, including teacher
training, beliefs, class size, and resources (Modise, 2019; Steyn, 2015). The fifth theme explores the
evidence base for play-based literacy interventions and identifies gaps in the literature. The review
concludes by positioning the current study within the scholarly conversation and identifying its
contribution to the field.
