Symbolic Development Questionnaire

Part I:  Please complete the following...
Your age    Your gender female male   Where do you live?  
    Not in the US?  In which country do you live?
Your ethnicity (e.g., African American, Latino, European Am.)
What is the highest level of schooling you have achieved?
Please provide the ages (in years) of each of your children.
 
Part II:  Please choose one response per question.
 
1. How often does your child engage in make-believe play?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days  every day
           
2. How often do you help or join in your child’s drawing activities?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days   every day
           
3. How many books and other materials do you provide at home for your child’s reading activities?
  none very little some plenty  a lot
           
4. How important do you think it is for children to engage in make-believe play?
  unimportant somewhat unimportant neutral somewhat important  important
           
5. How often do you encourage your child to draw?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days  every day
           
6. How important do you think it is for children to know how to read?
  unimportant somewhat unimportant neutral somewhat important   important
           
7. To what degree do you think that make-believe play is related to skills necessary later in the life of your child?
  very little a little somewhat a lot   very much
           
8. How important do you think it is for children to know how to draw?
  unimportant somewhat unimportant neutral somewhat important   important
           
9. How often do you help or join in your child’s reading activities?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days   every day
           
10. At what age should children be able to engage in make-believe play?
  0-1 years 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-7 years   8-9 years
           
11. How many crayons and other materials do you provide at home for your child’s drawing activities?
  none very little some plenty   a lot
           
12. To what degree do you think that reading is related to skills necessary later in the life of your child?
  very little a little somewhat a lot   very much
           
13. How often do you help or join in your child’s make-believe play?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days   every day
           
14. To what degree do you think that drawing is related to skills necessary later in the life of your child?
  very little a little somewhat a lot   very much
           
15. How often do you encourage your child to read?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days   every day
           
16. How often do you encourage your child to engage in make-believe play?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days   every day
           
17. How often does your child draw pictures?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days   every day
           
18. At what age should children be able to read?
  0-1 years 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-7 years   8-9 years
           
19. How many toys and other props do you provide at home for your child’s make-believe play?
  none very little some plenty  a lot
           
20. At what age should children be able to draw pictures?
  0-1 years 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-7 years   8-9 years
           
21. How often does your child read?
  never every few months every few weeks every few days  every day
Part III:  How much do you agree with each of the following statements?  Please select one response per statement.
    strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
1. Children figure out how to engage in make-believe play on their own.

2. Children will draw pictures when they reach a certain age.

3. Children are eventually able to read when they are ready.

4. Children don’t learn how to engage in make-believe play without the help of others.

5. Children have a natural ability to draw pictures that emerges over time.

6. Children will read when they reach a certain age.

7. Children are eventually able to engage in make-believe play when they are ready.

8. Children don’t learn how to draw pictures without the help of others.

9. Children realize how to engage in make-believe play by observing and thinking about toys and other objects around them.

10. Children learn to make-believe play by playing with other children.

11. Children learn to draw pictures by drawing with other children.

12. Children realize how to read by observing and thinking about books and other text around them.

13. Children learn to read by reading with other children.

14. Children learn to make-believe play by experimenting with toys and other props.

15. Children learn to read by exploring books and other written materials.

16. Children figure out how to draw pictures on their own.

17. Teachers and parents need to teach children how to draw pictures.

18. Children don’t learn how to read without the help of others.

19. Children have a natural ability to engage in make-believe play that emerges over time.

20. Children are eventually able to draw pictures when they are ready.

21. Teachers and parents need to teach children how to read.

22. Teachers and parents need to teach children how to engage in make-believe play.

23. Children learn to draw pictures by experimenting with crayons, paper and other materials.

24. Children figure out how to read on their own.

25. Children will engage in make-believe play when they reach a certain age.

26. Children realize how to draw by observing and thinking about pictures around them.

27. Children have a natural ability to read that emerges over time.

 

Created by Gregory S. Braswell.
Copyright © 2005 Illinois State University.  All rights reserved.
Revised: 06/14/05