Play indisputably can have an impact on children's learning and development and teacher's involvement is crucial in supporting children’s play skills (Bodrova & Leong, 2003; Einarsdottir, 2012; Fromberg, 2002; Gmitrova, 2013; Jung, 2013; Lohmander & Samuelsson, 2022; Miller & Almon, 2009; Wood & Attfield, 2005). To appropriately participate in and support children's play, teachers need to have the necessary knowledge and develop their own play skills (Avgitidou, 2022; Loizou &Trawick-Smith, 2022; Trawick-Smith & Loizou, 2022). Specifically, teachers’ involvement in children’s’ play is supported by Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), since their involvement can enhance children’s play (Bodrova,2008). Teachers’ involvement in play can take different forms; such  as direct and indirect involvement (e.g. giving children the play theme for direct involvement, and offering role choices for indirect) (Trawick-Smith & Dziurgot, 2010; 2011). Other studies indicate characteristics of teachers’ involvement  such as role participation, dialogic interactions of the characters, dramatic tension  (Bredikyte & Hakkarainen, 2011).

Drama and specifically improvisation fall within the ZPD (Graue, Whyte &Delaney,2014) and Profession Development Programs (PDPs) that use drama develop teachers’ skills (Lobman,2005). There are common features between drama skills and children’s sociodramatic and imaginative play skills. These include roles, tension in play, scenario, verbal and non-verbal communication, language and use of props. It is evident that drama and play have an undeniable connection (Dunn & Stinson,2012) and research suggests drama as a means to support children’s and teachers’ play skills (Lobman,2005). Teacher’s professional development studies have used drama as a means to support teachers play skills and showed positive outcomes (Lee, Cawthon & Dawson, 2013; Lobman, 2005; Raphael & O’Mara, 2002; Stinson, 2009).

This study is part of a doctoral thesis that examined the development of teachers’ play skills through the implementation of a drama PDP focusing on teachers’ socio-dramatic and imaginary play skills. In this study we respond to the following research questions: 1) Which drama techniques can be employed in designing an educational drama program that supports early childhood teachers' (ECTs) social-dramatic and imaginative play skills? and 2) Which drama techniques do early childhood teachers' (ECTs ) use during their involvement in play and how do these techniques relate to their socio-dramatic and imaginative play skills?

This study is part of a doctoral thesis. Data collection methods comprised of drama literature, through which drama techniques were identified and related to the socio-dramatic and imaginative play skills. Based on the results a PDP focusing on ECTs’ socio-dramatic and imaginative play skills using drama techniques was designed and implemented. Furthermore, interviews before and at the end of the program were conducted, as well as video recordings of teachers involved in a socio-dramatic or imaginary play area before, during and at the end of the program. The video recordings took place during free or/and structure time, 7:45am to 9:05am and had a duration of about eighty minutes. Also, the participants kept a reflective journal and field observations were taken by the researcher. The participants of the larger study were thirteen in-service ECTs but four provided the data for this study. All participants were in service teachers working either in the public or private kindergarten. Additionally, their classrooms comprised of children of ages 4-6 years old. Consent forms were given to all parties involved in the research, specifically to the in-service ECT participants, the principal and the classroom assistants. Regarding the children’s assent their parents/guardians gave permission to take part in the study. All necessary permissions were obtained by the Centre of Educational Research and Evaluation. All of the participants had the option to withdraw from the research at any given time. Also, the use of pseudonyms, offered anonymity and confidentiality.

The present study is part of a doctoral thesis. Through a literature review we were able to determine the ECTs’ socio-dramatic and imaginative play skills. These were: the Role Enactment skill, the Interactive Dialogue skill, and the Interactive dialogue with Role enactment skill. Furthermore, the results of this study revealed a connection between drama techniques and the three socio-dramatic and imaginative play skills that ECTs must have to effectively participate in children's play. By comparing the content of the drama techniques with the characteristics of each of the three skills it was found that there was a connection between the two. Specifically, there were drama techniques that were best related to one skill while other techniques that were associated with more than one skill’s characteristics. The participants during their involvement in children’s play on several occasions implemented the drama techniques: teacher in role, telephone conversations, hot sitting, and reportage. Through using these drama techniques, the characteristics of the three skills were implemented. For instance, in the case of the drama technique of telephone conversations the participants exemplified the characteristics of receiving and accepting of ideas/suggestions. The conclusions of this study refer to the ECTs Zone of Proximal Active Involvement in which the three skills relate to the ECTs’ general teaching skills while unfolding the principles of improvisation. This study supports ECTsin implementing play pedagogy and provides innovative and new suggestions for developing teachers’ play skills.

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