Guided pretend play intervention effects on self-regulation and language skills in preschool English Language Learners from families with low incomes

The study examines the efficacy of a guided pretend play intervention on the self-regulation and language skills of children from families with low incomes who are English Language Learners (Mage = 63.54 months, SDage = 3.7 months). Data on ethnicity were not collected. The sample (N = 151, 77 boys) was randomized into two groups: (a) Pretend play; (b) Art activities. The 30-minute intervention included 16 sessions based on shared storybook reading and role-playing with props. During storybook reading explicit phonological awareness and vocabulary instruction were provided for the target words. The findings showed that children in the intervention group had significantly higher post-test phonological awareness scores than children in the typical curriculum group (β = -21.95, p = .001).