Examines connections between children's social pretend play and their improvised classroom drama. Describes similarities and differences between language used to frame social pretend play and language used by teachers and students to frame the imaginary worlds of drama. (MM)

Summarizes the author's dissertation following a group of bilingual first graders as they created an opera with their teacher and an artist-in-residence. Summarizes the opera process using the libretto format. Discusses the setting, perspectives of all of the collaborators, what was learned, and the educational implications. (SR)

A first-grade teacher's classroom investigations support earlier research findings that when dramatic play is presented in a thematic context and related literacy props are provided, the children will use literacy behavior as part of their play. The teacher's research also indicated that adult intervention, guidance, and modeling of literacy…