# Using PlayWorld to Promote Narrative Development: Evidence from a Double-blind Control Experiment

## TL;DR

A study found that using a structured pretend play method called PlayWorld helps preschool children improve their storytelling skills more effectively than free play.

## Contribution

This study demonstrates that structured pretend play with cultural narratives and adult guidance enhances narrative development in preschoolers.

## Key findings

- PlayWorld significantly improved both macro- and microstructure of children's narratives.
- Free pretend play only improved macrostructure, while the control group showed a decline.
- Adult involvement and cultural texts enhance the effectiveness of pretend play for narrative development.

## Abstract

Recent data indicate an increase in speech difficulties and a decline in narrative competence among today’s preschool children. Therefore, identifying effective methods to support the development of narrative competence is a pressing and relevant challenge.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using PlayWorld1 interventions in fostering narrative competence in preschool children.

The study involved 90 children aged 5–6 years and compared: (1) Play-World— a form of joint child-adult pretend play based on a fairy tale plot, (2) free pretend play, and (3) a control group. The research employed a randomised controlled trial design. Children’s narratives were assessed using the “MAIN: Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives”, focusing on word count, speech rate, and both macrostructure (semantic level) and microstructure (lexical-grammatical level) of narrative production.

The results revealed that children receiving PlayWorld interventions significantly improved their macro- and microstructure of narratives, whereas in free pretend play children improved only the macrostructure of narratives. Children in the control group showed significant decline of scores for the macrostructure of narratives.

The findings revealed that PlayWorld interventios are an effective approach for developing narrative competence. The use of cultural texts and adult involvement in pretend play are important complementary factors that enhance the developmental impact of pretend play. The findings contribute to a more precise understanding of how pretend play supports narrative development and may have both theoretical and practical implications for future research and educational practice.