The Impact of Play-Based Learning on Developing Language Skills among Kindergarten Children from the Perspective of Female Teachers in Palestine 1948

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of play-based learning on developing language skills among kindergarten children from the perspective of kindergarten teachers in Palestine 1948, by exploring its effect on receptive language skills represented in listening and comprehension, expressive language skills related to speaking and communication, and emergent literacy skills, in addition to examining the reality of implementing play-based language strategies in the kindergarten environment. The researcher adopted a descriptive analytical approach and utilized a questionnaire consisting of (40) items distributed across four main domains, which was administered to a simple random sample of (79) female teachers from a total study population of (220) female teachers in the Northern region during the academic year 2024/2025. The findings revealed that receptive language skills received the highest rating from teachers with a mean of (4.06) at a high level, followed by expressive skills with a mean of (3.93) at a high level, then emergent literacy skills with a mean of (3.83) at a high level, while the domain of play-based language strategies and environment recorded the lowest level with a mean of (3.09) at a moderate level. The results also showed no statistically significant differences at the significance level (α ≤ 0.05) in teachers' perceptions attributable to academic qualification level or years of experience, suggesting homogeneity in awareness of the importance of play across different categories. The study recommends the necessity of enhancing continuous and specialized training programs for teachers, improving kindergarten infrastructure and providing rich and stimulating play environments, and building effective partnerships with families to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice and ensure comprehensive and integrated development of children's language skills.