There is previous research about play in preschool teaching (Pramling et.al, 2019). However, in the preschool class (6-years) this is a new research field. The purpose of the study is to contribute with knowledge about strategies for incorporating play in teaching when to learn written language. With increased focus on knowledge in early childhood education, there is a risk that play and creativity is neglected and that the gap between play and teaching increases in the preschool class. A crucial question for preschool class teachers is what children’s play means for learning and teaching, a question that is of international interest. Theoretically, the study builds on Play-Responsive Early Childhood Education and Care (PRECEC). Central to PRECEC is communicative patterns where children and teachers shift between culturally established knowledge (as is) and fantasy (as if).

The study is a combined research and development project. Teachers in two preschool classes together with a researcher, work on developing strategies for incorporating play in teaching. The empirical data consist of video observations which were generated by the teachers themselves with focus on literacy activities. Interaction analysis has been used to clarify the communicative patterns between children and teachers. The study has been ethically reviewed by the Ethics Review Authority and follows prevailing research ethics principles (Vetenskapsrådet, 2017).

The results show how children in the teaching activities not only engage in as-if and as-is thinking, but also in what-if thinking. The results clarify how the pupils are engaged in the literacy activity through imaginatively playing with how it could have been different (what if it were…). By using what-if thinking the teachers support the pupils to elaborate questions and play with ideas to develop problem solving abilities, which is important for children appropriating the cultural tools of written language.