Symbolic play and language acquisition: effects on early phonologicalawareness
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64747/7zb19s45Keywords:
phonological awareness, symbolic play, intercultural bilingual education, open data, early childhood educationAbstract
This study investigated, among 4–6‑year‑old children from Ecuador’s Central Andean highlands (Chimborazo, Imbabura) and Amazonia (Pastaza, Morona Santiago), the association between symbolic play quality and phonological awareness (PA) across Spanish‑medium and Intercultural Bilingual Education (EIB) classrooms. We used an explanatory sequential mixed‑methods design (QUAN→qual), combining primary data with open‑data layers (H3 geospatial tiling, OSM road network, WorldPop density, VIIRS night‑lights, and school records) under FAIR principles. The sample comprised n = 948 students from 48 schools. Exposure was operationalized through a four‑domain Symbolic Play Index (SPI) (frequency, role/plot richness, teacher scaffolding, child participation); PA was assessed with rhyme/alliteration, syllable segmentation, and phoneme manipulation subscales, showing metric invariance between EIB and non‑EIB groups. Multilevel models (three levels) adjusted for age, receptive vocabulary, sex, and context covariates derived from open data. The SPI was positively associated with composite PA (β_est = 0.28; p < .001), with stronger effects in EIB settings (SPI×EIB > 0) and rural contexts (SPI×rurality > 0). The largest slopes emerged for syllable segmentation and phoneme manipulation. In domain‑simultaneous models, teacher scaffolding and role/plot richness retained independent associations. Robustness checks (HC3, Bayesian) and multiple imputation supported these findings. Qualitative analyses illuminated mechanisms via prosodic highlighting, metalinguistic‑demanding scripts, and situated translanguaging. We conclude that not all play yields equal gains: scaffolding quality and script richness are pivotal, particularly in EIB and rural schools. The open‑data strategy and reproducible pipeline enable auditing and scaling. We recommend institutionalizing hybrid sequences (play + explicit phonological instruction), strengthening teacher training in prosodic highlighting, and developing equivalent Spanish–Kichwa bilingual resources.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Gabriela Raquel Rivera Toro, Anita María González-Yagual (Autor/a)
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