Leveraging the Power of Play in Rehearsals: Supporting Complex Practice in Literacy Teacher Education

Context There is an ever-growing body of work continuing the argument for play as a pedagogical resource that supports learning youngest learners; despite this, there continues to be little evidence has been considered such in teacher education. Research Focus The study sought understand role and playful pedagogies school-based literacy education course within educator program. Setting was conducted housed urban school Midwest. Participants Preservice teachers enrolled coursework at midsized institution Design Data utilized this comes from multiple case using practitioner inquiry lens. Collection Analysis collection occurred over five semesters (Spring 2016-Spring 2018). Types data included mid- end-of-semester interviews, audio video recordings rehearsals, recording enactments, variety artifacts produced by preservice course. Findings Play, context course, promoted development complexity tolerance: ability entertain variables may impact their teaching, even those they had not thought of. Recommendations This tolerance supported being able respond student moment, deviate instructional planning when necessary, interrogate own educational histories. It powerful tool support intentionally invoked coursework.