early literacy, early childhood education, playful learning, emergent literacy, educational innovation.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/26b40j88Keywords:
Impact of play-based learning strategies on the development of literacy in early childhood education.Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the impact of playful-pedagogical strategies on the development of early literacy skills in early childhood education. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach with a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design and a non-equivalent control group. The sample consisted of 205 children aged 4 to 5 years from public and private educational institutions in the provinces of Tungurahua, Cotopaxi, and Carchi (Ecuador), distributed into an experimental group (n=103) and a control group (n=102). The intervention lasted ten weeks and included structured playful activities such as dialogic reading, phonological games, dramatization, and emergent writing. Quantitative results revealed statistically significant differences between groups (p < .001), with a large effect size, confirming the effectiveness of playful-pedagogical strategies in enhancing emergent literacy skills. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between children's active participation and their literacy performance. Qualitative findings supported these results, showing improvements in motivation, oral interaction, narrative comprehension, and functional use of written language. The study concludes that playful-pedagogical strategies significantly enhance early literacy development when supported by intentional teacher mediation. These findings contribute to educational innovation and highlight the importance of integrating active methodologies into early childhood curricula. Future research should focus on longitudinal designs to examine long-term effects.
Downloads
References
Bautista, G. F., Ghesquière, P., & Torbeyns, J. (2024). Stimulating preschoolers’ early literacy development using educational technology: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 39, 100620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2023.100620
Bernal Párraga, A. P., Armijos Minuche, A. de L., Granda Floril, S. C., Belduma Bravo, J. del C., Quiroz Ponce, K. G., & Aguirre Zambrano, J. A. (2025). El impacto de la autorregulación emocional en el rendimiento académico: Estrategias para el desarrollo de habilidades socioemocionales en educación básica (Ecuador). O Universo Observável, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.69720/29660599.2025.00053
Bernal Párraga, A. P., Jaramillo Rodriguez, V. A., Correa Pardo, Y. C., Andrade Aviles, W. A., Cruz Gaibor, W. A., & Constante Olmedo, D. F. (2024). Metodologías Activas Innovadoras de Aprendizaje aplicadas al Medioambiente En Edades Tempranas desde el Área de Ciencias Naturales. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(4), 2892-2916. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i4.12536
Bernal Párraga, A. P., Rodríguez Cajas, G. A., & Ramírez Campoverde, E. A. (2026). Impacto de las metodologías activas y tecnologías emergentes en el desarrollo de la comprensión lectora y la escritura creativa en Lengua y Literatura en educación básica. Educaf5-Berit, 1(01), 147–157. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18210399
Bernal PárragaA., Alvarez SantosA., & Mite CisnerosM. (2025). Formación docente: enfoques pedagógicos innovadores para el fortalecimiento de competencias profesionales en el siglo XXI. Varona, (84). Recuperado a partir de http://revistas.ucpejv.edu.cu/index.php/rVar/article/view/2981
Bertram, T., Pascal, C., Holt, N., & Jones, C. (2025). EECERA ethical code for early childhood researchers. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 33(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2024.2445361
Boysen, M. S. W., Sørensen, M. C., Jensen, H., Von Seelen, J., & Skovbjerg, H.-M. (2022). Playful learning designs in teacher education and early childhood teacher education: A scoping review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 120, 103884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103884
Breeze, R., & Halbach, A. (2024). Families, language, and equal opportunities: Identifying good practices in family literacy projects. Early Childhood Education Journal, 52(4), 693–703. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01469-9
Bustamante Mora , F. F., Troya Santillán, B. N., Barboto Sanabria, C. M., Hernández Centeno, J. A., Martínez Oviedo, M. Y., Valencia Trujillo, G. D., & Bernal Párraga, A. P. (2024). El Impacto del Juego en el Desarrollo Cognitivo y Socioemocional en la Educación Inicial Estrategias Pedagógicas para Fomentar el Aprendizaje. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(5), 4201-4217. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i5.13886
Cabell, S. Q., Zucker, T. A., DeCoster, J., & Forston, L. D. (2020). The impact of teacher–child interactions on early literacy development. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 50, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2018.09.001
Castillo Baño , C. P., Cruz Gaibor, W. A., Bravo Jacome, R. E., Sandoval Lloacana, C. F., Guishca Ayala, L. M., Campaña Nieto, R. A., Yepez Mogro, T. C., & Bernal Párraga, A. P. (2024). Uso de Tecnologías Digitales en la Educación para la Ciudadanía. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(4), 5388-5407. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i4.12756
Chu, C., Paatsch, L., Kervin, L., & Edwards, S. (2024). Digital play in the early years: A systematic review. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 40, 100652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2024.100652
Cusiter, J., Short, K., Webb, A., & Munro, N. (2025). Combined language and code emergent literacy intervention for at-risk preschool children: A systematic meta-analytic review. Child Development, 96(4), 1519–1545. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14252
Dong, Y., Chow, B. W.-Y., Mo, J., Miao, X., & Zheng, H. (2024). Effects of dialogic reading elements on children’s language development. Journal of Research in Reading, 47(2), 181–200. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12447
Fajardo Lopez , C. E., Yagual Cedeño, L. L., Quezada Sanchez, C. F., Toapanta Guanoquiza, M. J., Moreira Velez, K. L., Sandra Veronica, L. P., & Bernal Párraga , A. P. (2024). El Papel de los Padres en la Educación Inicial": Estrategias Innovadoras para la Participación Familiar. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(4), 9881-9900. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i4.13139
Goldfeld, S., Beatson, R., Watts, A., Snow, P., Gold, L., Le, H. N. D., Edwards, S., Connell, J., Stark, H., Shingles, B., Barnett, T., Quach, J., & Eadie, P. (2022). Tier 2 oral language and early reading interventions for preschool to grade 2 children: A restricted systematic review. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, 27(1), 65–113. https://doi.org/10.1080/19404158.2021.2011754
Hadley, E. B., Dickinson, D. K., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., & Nesbitt, K. T. (2022). Examining the acquisition of vocabulary through play. Developmental Psychology, 58(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001274
Jara Chiriboga, S. P., Valverde Alvarez, J. H., Moreira Pozo, D. A., Toscano Caisalitin, J. A., Yaule Chingo, M. B., Catota Quinaucho, C. V., & Bernal Párraga, A. P. (2025). Gamification and English Learning: Innovative Strategies to Motivate Students in the Classroom . Revista Científica De Salud Y Desarrollo Humano , 6(1), 1609–1633. https://doi.org/10.61368/r.s.d.h.v6i1.549
Kelly, M. P., Lundy, L., Dyer, M., & Brown, K. (2025). The pathways to assent in early childhood research. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2025.2511823
Liu, S., Reynolds, B. L., Thomas, N., & Soyoof, A. (2024). The use of digital technologies to develop young children’s language and literacy skills: A systematic review. SAGE Open, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241230850
Madrid Toapanta , A. L., Véliz Cedeño, M. C., Bernal Párraga, A. P., Toapanta Cadena, S. J., Abad Troya, L., Atarihuana Eras, M. L., & Macias Garcia, S. V. (2024). Estrategias Activas para Mejorar las Competencias Lectoras en Edades Tempranas. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(4), 10646-10664. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i4.13205
Maina, M., & Papalini, V. (2023). Potencialidades del uso de actividades lúdico-literarias en la comprensión lectora inicial. Pensamiento Educativo, 60(1), 00102. https://doi.org/10.7764/pel.60.1.2023.2
Mirabella, A. M., Pyle, A., & DeLuca, C. (2025). Implementing ethical practices for young children’s assent in research. Education Sciences, 15(5), 571. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15050571
Molano, A., Torrado, O., & Rodríguez, C. (2021). Prácticas pedagógicas y comprensión lectora inicial. Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, 19(2), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.11600/rlcsnj.19.2.4498
Mora Villamar, F. M., Bernal Párraga, A. P., Molina Ayala, E. T., Salazar Veliz, E. T., Padilla Chicaiza, V. A., & Zambrano Lamilla, L. M. (2024). Innovaciones en la didáctica de la lengua y literatura: estrategias del siglo XXI. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(3), 3852-3879. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i3.11595
Nikolopoulou, K. (2022). Digital learning in early childhood education. Education and Information Technologies, 27, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10700-8
Orellana, P., Cockerill, M., Valenzuela, M. F., Villalón, M., De la Maza, C., & Inostroza, P. (2025). The influence of home language and literacy environment and parental self-efficacy on Chilean preschoolers’ early literacy outcomes. Education Sciences, 15(6), 668. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060668
Pillinger, C., & Vardy, E. J. (2022). The story so far: A systematic review of the dialogic reading literature. Journal of Research in Reading, 45(4), 533–548. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12407
Pyle, A., DeLuca, C., & Danniels, E. (2020). A scoping review of play-based learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00967-3
Riad, R., Westling Allodi, M., Siljehag, E., & Bölte, S. (2025). Dialogic reading in preschool: A pragmatic randomized trial enrolling additional language learners. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 69(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2024.2348473
Rüdisüli, C., Duss, I., Sticca, F., & Perren, S. (2024). Relations between teacher–child interaction quality and children’s playfulness. Early Child Development and Care, 194(7–8), 883–897. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2024.2356242
Sarango Lucas, K. P., Villacis Lalangui, C. V., Díaz Tapia, A. V., Codena Cantuña, N. P., Bonete Leon, C. L., & Bernal Párraga, A. P. (2025). El uso del storytelling digital como estrategia didáctica para fortalecer la comprensión lectora en estudiantes de educación básica. Revista Veritas De Difusão Científica, 6(2), 713–737. https://doi.org/10.61616/rvdc.v6i2.656
Scharnagl, V., & Smidt, W. (2025). Parental support of emergent literacy in the final preschool year in Austria during COVID-19-induced lockdowns. International Journal of Early Years Education, 33(1), 197–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2024.2322935
Skene, K., O’Farrelly, C., Byrne, D., & Kirby, N. (2022). Can guidance during play improve learning outcomes? Review of Educational Research, 92(4), 1–38. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543221084474
Strasser, K., Balladares, J., Grau, V., Marín, A., Preiss, D. D., & Jadue, D. (2024). Playfulness and the quality of classroom interactions in preschool. Learning and Instruction, 93, 101941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.101941
Torres Illescas, V., Villacrés Prieto, P., Román Cabrera, J., Bernal Párraga, A. (2024). Charting the Path of Reading Development: A Study on the Importance and Effective Strategies for Reading in Early Ages Based on Technology. In: Gervasi, O., Murgante, B., Garau, C., Taniar, D., C. Rocha, A.M.A., Faginas Lago, M.N. (eds) Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2024 Workshops. ICCSA 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14820. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65285-1_2
Troya Santilán, B. N., Garcia Sosa, S. M., Medina Marino, P. A., Campoverde Duran, V. D. R., & Bernal Párraga, A. P. (2024). Diseño e Implementación del Gamming Impulsados por IA para Mejorar el Aprendizaje. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(3), 4051-4071. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i3.11611
Troya Santillán, C. M., Bernal Párraga, A. P., Guaman Santillan , R. Y., Guzmán Quiña , M. de los A., & Castillo Alvare, M. A. (2024). Formación Docente en el Uso de Herramientas Tecnológicas para el Apo-yo a las Necesidades Educativas Especiales en el Aula. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(3), 3768-3797. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i3.11588
Valcárcel Jiménez, M., Yumus, M., Schiele, T., Mues, A., & Niklas, F. (2024). Preschool emergent literacy skills as predictors of reading and spelling in Grade 2 and the role of migration background in Germany. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 245, 105927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105927
Villacreses Sarzoza, E. G., Nancy Maribel, M. C., Calderón Quezada, J. E., Víctor Gregory, T. V., Iza Chungandro, M. F., Tandazo Sarango, F. E., & Bernal Párraga, A. P. (2025). Inteligencia Artificial: Transformando la Escritura Académica y Creativa en la Era del Aprendizaje Significativo. Revista Científica De Salud Y Desarrollo Humano , 6(1), 1427–1451. https://doi.org/10.61368/r.s.d.h.v6i1.533
Weadman, T., Serry, T., & Snow, P. C. (2022). The development and psychometric properties of a shared book reading observational tool: The Emergent Literacy and Language Early Childhood Checklist for Teachers (ELLECCT). First Language, 42(4), 490–512. https://doi.org/10.1177/01427237211056735
Weadman, T., Serry, T., & Snow, P. C. (2023). Oral language and emergent literacy strategies used by Australian early childhood teachers during shared book reading. Early Childhood Education Journal, 51, 1335–1348. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01381-8
Weisberg, D. S., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2023). Guided play: Where curricular goals meet playful pedagogy. Mind, Brain, and Education, 17(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12342
Xiao, M., Amzah, F., Khalid, N. A. M., & Rong, W. (2023). Global trends in preschool literacy (PL) based on bibliometric analysis: Progress and prospects. Sustainability, 15(11), 8936. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118936
Zambrano Vergara, B. J., Bernal Párraga, A. P., Nivela Cedeño, A. N., Garcia Jimenez , D. I., Guevara Guevara, N. P., & Bravo Alcívar, G. M. (2024). Estrategias de Gestión de Aula para Fomentar el Aprendizaje Autónomo en la Educación Inicial. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(3), 5379-5406. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i3.11745
Zosh, J. M., Hopkins, E. J., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Neale, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Whitebread, D. (2022). Learning through play: A review of the evidence. Cambridge Journal of Education, 52(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2021.1953391
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Tania Rebeca Mera Badillo, Elena Marisol Ortiz Andrade, Nelba Mayela Robayo Andrade, Rocio Elizabeth Ortiz Andrade, Neyda Elvira Vasconez Villacres (Autor/a)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Eres libre de:
- Compartir : copiar y redistribuir el material en cualquier medio o formato
- Adaptar : remezclar, transformar y desarrollar el material
- El licenciante no puede revocar estas libertades siempre y cuando usted cumpla con los términos de la licencia.
En los siguientes términos:
-
- Atribución : Debe otorgar el crédito correspondiente , proporcionar un enlace a la licencia e indicar si se realizaron cambios . Puede hacerlo de cualquier manera razonable, pero no de ninguna manera que sugiera que el licenciante lo respalda a usted o a su uso.
- No comercial : no puede utilizar el material con fines comerciales .
- CompartirIgual — Si remezcla, transforma o construye sobre el material, debe distribuir sus contribuciones bajo la misma licencia que el original.
- Sin restricciones adicionales : no puede aplicar términos legales ni medidas tecnológicas que restrinjan legalmente a otros hacer algo que la licencia permite.
