Café Drama Center
Developing Language and Vocabulary Through Play (Virtual Tour)
Stage of Literacy Development:
Stage 1: Beginning LiteracyAges:
4-6
Grade Range:
PreK K 1stFood Groups:
Primary: Oral Language & ELL, Vocabulary Secondary: Concepts of Print, Letter-Sounds & Phonics
Transcript
Every month we try to switch the dramatic play center so that the children have different opportunities for play, and gives the kids opportunities to use different kinds of words and to role play in different situations. And they're building their vocabulary by dramatizing different situations. Before we decided to open our café I thought it was important to brainstorm with the children to get their ideas for what we should see in the café. And so we came up with this list, and I thought it was important to draw little pictures to help them read that list, and it was also good for them for developing their vocabulary before they even started to play in the café. Giving the children a purpose for their writing is really important to me and so in various places in the classroom we've given them some motivation to write. In our café for example, the children have created the menus that are being used. So in Ava's menu we know that her donut costs 31¢ and we can see that she has chocolate milk on the menu for just 1¢.
Activity Objective
The goal of Café Drama Center: Developing Language and Vocabulary Through Play (Virtual Tour) is to create activities and purposes for students to use complex oral language structures.
Quick Tips
Additional Comments:
- Visual cues and pictures engage all students in the activity. - Provide opportunities for authentic writing tasks in the classroom, such as writing menus.
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