Play-Based Learning and Oral Communication of Preschool Children

Abstract

Oral communication is an essential component of preschool children's development and provides a foundation for learning, social interaction, and future academic achievement. Play-based learning provides young children with meaningful opportunities to communicate, interact with peers and teachers, practice vocabulary, and express their ideas in natural and engaging situations. The present study examined the role of play-based learning in developing the oral communication skills of preschool children, particularly receptive language, expressive language, vocabulary development, sentence structure and grammar, and conversational skills. A quantitative pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with 29 preschool children selected from preschools and daycare centres in Lahore, Pakistan. Data were collected through an observational checklist covering five dimensions of oral communication. The children participated in 20 play-based learning sessions, with each session lasting approximately 40 minutes over a period of about 1.5 months. Pre- and post-observation scores were compared using a paired-samples t-test. The findings showed significant improvement in receptive language, expressive language, vocabulary development, and sentence structure and grammar. Conversational skills also showed an increase in mean scores from pre- to post-observation. Overall, the study indicates that play-based learning provides a meaningful and engaging approach for supporting oral communication development among preschool children. The study recommends integrating purposeful play activities, storytelling, role play, peer interaction, and language-rich learning environments into preschool education. Future research should use larger samples, control or comparison groups, standardized assessment tools, and longer intervention periods.