FINGER PAINTS AND PHONEMES: REWIRING LANGUAGE ACQUISITION THROUGH ARTISTIC PLAY IN PRIMARY CLASSROOMS
Keywords:
Early language learning, finger painting, phoneme awareness, artistic play,EFL young learners,multisensory learning, communicative competence, neuroeducation, constructivist pedagogy, creative language instruction In the evolving field of early language education, researchers and practitioners are increasingly exploring multisensory, play-based approaches to promote deeper learning outcomes.Abstract
This article explores the intersection of artistic play and early English language acquisition, focusing on the use of finger painting and other tactile creative activities in primary classrooms. Drawing on constructivist theory, neuroeducation, and phonological development research, the study argues that integrating art into English lessons rewires traditional language learning pathways. Through multisensory engagement—visual, tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic—young learners build stronger connections to phonemes, vocabulary, and sentence structures. A qualitative case study involving 30 EFL learners aged 6–7 revealed that art-based activities increased phonological awareness, emotional engagement, and verbal output, especially among shy or struggling students. The findings suggest that artistic play not only enhances communicative competence but also creates inclusive, low-anxiety learning environments. The article advocates for the incorporation of creative, arts-based strategies into mainstream EFL instruction as both a scientifically supported and pedagogically effective method.
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