The Heart of Play

Developing Research Questions

This term, I had the opportunity to work at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo Care for Newcomer Children. This centre caters to the children of parents taking English classes through Conestoga’s LINC program. As registered students, parents’ drop-off their kids for childminding from infant to pre-school age. The caveat is that the parents must be on premises while the child is in the care program.

The parents and children bring their unique cultures, languages, and traditions to the program. As English is a language they are still acquiring, communication is a challenge with both parents and the children in the program. Parents are often hesitant and shy or may not have enough language skills to communicate with educators at drop-off or pick-up times. The children in the program also struggle with verbal communication as many of them are from different countries and do not have a common home language. Over the course of the term, I have had to enhance and build my non-verbal communication skills to interact and engage with the children in the preschool room. My experience with these newcomer children and families over the last fourteen weeks has percolated the following wanderings and questions. The research questions were refined with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot (an AI companion), through interactive dialogue on November 27, 2025.

Family Engagement & Communication

What strategies can early childhood educators use to effectively communicate and build trust with newcomer families who have minimal English proficiency, to encourage active participation in preschool programs?

Focus: Practical communication tools (visual aids, translation apps, bilingual staff, peer support).

Relevance: Builds family-school partnerships and reduces barriers to participation.

Research: Can be studied through case studies, interviews, or program evaluations.

Inclusive Pedagogy & Cultural Diversity

How can culturally responsive practices in early childhood classrooms support newcomer preschool children’s sense of belonging and identity while promoting inclusive participation?

Focus: Classroom routines, materials, celebrations, and representation of diverse cultures.

Relevance: Honours diversity and prevents assimilation pressures.

Research: Can be explored through curriculum analysis, observation, or teacher reflections.

Language Development & Play-Based Learning

What role does play-based learning have in supporting language acquisition and social integration for newcomer preschool children with minimal English skills?

Focus: Play as a universal language, peer interactions, scaffolding by educators.

Relevance: Play bridges communication gaps and fosters both language and social-emotional growth.

Research: Can be studied through classroom observations, language progress tracking, or intervention studies.

References

Microsoft. (2025). Copilot [Large language model]. https://copilot.microsoft.com/