Date of Award
7-7-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
Program
Education with Emphasis in English as a Second Language
Capstone Instructor
Meagan Reissy
Second Reader
Theresa Marty
Keywords
academic vocabulary, developmental play, early elementary, emergent multilingual learners, ESL instruction, guided play, language acquisition
Abstract
As the population of English learners in the United States grew, there was a greater need for linguistically and developmentally appropriate instructional approaches for young learners. The question that guided this research on appropriate instructional approaches was: How does developmental play support the acquisition of academic vocabulary among early-emergent multilingual students in kindergarten and first grade? The research review examined peer-reviewed research across three interconnected bodies of literature: play-based learning, interactions in developmental play, and vocabulary instruction. The findings indicated that purposeful, guided play strengthened executive function, expressive language, and academic growth. In addition, collaborative practices such as translanguaging supported authentic vocabulary development. Overall, the evidence suggested that developmental play created the cognitive, social, and linguistic conditions necessary for early-emergent multilingual students to acquire academic vocabulary.
Recommended Citation
Storlie, A. (2026). Vocabulary Acquisition Through Developmental Play (Thesis, Concordia University, St. Paul). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/teacher-education_masters/177Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons