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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-06, Section: A, page: 2049. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-180).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Julie A. Hubbard, Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D)--UCLA, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 201-210).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / The date on cover and spine was mis-printed as "1995." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-173).

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Glasgow, 1995. / Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Glasgow. Includes bibliographical references (p. 318-343). Print version also available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wyoming, 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Dec. 9, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 332-350).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / The date on cover and spine was mis-printed as "1995". Includes bibliographical references (leave 146-173). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-179).

In this study, various communicative strategies that young children employed to create and develop pretend play with peers in the block center were examined. Two preschools, one in Korea and the other in the United States, were selected. Subjects were children in the 4-year-old classroom in each school. The average age of the children at the time of the investigation was 59 months. For data collection, videotaping, audiotaping, field-note taking, interviews with teachers, and school enrollment records were used. During pretend block play, children created talk and actions in order to deal with challenges related to various aspects of play (e.g., accessory play materials, construction, plot, and enactment). Accordingly, children's communicative strategies were categorized as follows: (a) material communication, (b) construction communication, (c) plot communication, and (d) enactment. Also, subcategories under each category were developed. It was found that, in different phases of play in which they faced different types of challenges, children used certain strategies more often (communication about material selection and construction definition were most frequently used in the initiation phase of play). In terms of cultural aspects of the pretend play, in the Korean setting, the following were noticed: (a) a rigidly formed participant structure in which several positions were available, (b) the use of various comparison strategies, and (c) an overwhelmingly prevalent play theme: "The good guys winning over the bad guys." In the American setting, the following aspects were common: (a) frequent calling for the teachers when conflicts involving the ownership issue arose, (b) negotiable play atmosphere, and (c) consequent ample negotiation. Implications for educators as to how to encourage children to participate more in pretend play with peers in the block center were provided. Recommendations for further research pertained to the following: (a) methodological progress in studying children's play, (b) use of categories developed in this study, and (c) detecting individual differences that could shed light on optimal assistance of child development.