Improvised Musical Play: A Strategy for Fostering Social Play Between Developmentally Delayed and Nondelayed

This study examined the effectiveness of Improvised Musical Play (IMP), an intervention technique using improvisedmusic and lyrics to facilitate social play between developmentally delayed and nondelayed children in mainstreamed settings. Ten videotaped episodes of IMP were conducted with 12 developmentally delayed and nondelayed children ages 3 to 5. It was hypothesized that episodes of IMP evolved through a four-phase progression, and that IMP would sustain epi sodes of social play between these children beyond durations predicted in the literature. Analysis of videotaped episodes indicated that each episode conformed to the hypothesized instructional sequence, and that IMP typically sustained so cial play episodes lasting more than three times the expected duration. Qualitative differences in the play of develop mentally delayed and nondelayed children were obtained through microanalysis of selected taped segments. The ele ments of IMP most responsible for its effectiveness as an intervention technique are discussed in light of the reported lack of teacher involvement in children’s play. A pervasive problem faced by teachers of young children, especially teachers in mainstreamed settings, is the need to create a classroom environment that fosters social learning. Fa cilitating play that promotes this kind of learning is an important but difficult task for preschool teachers. Research has found that developmentally delayed young children broaden their play repertoires and increase their social competence as a result o