Intellectual Disability in kindergarten: Possibilities of Development through Pretend Play

P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 A ailable online a www.sciencedi ec .com ScienceDi ec 1877-0428 © 2016 Published by Else ie L d. This is an open access a icle unde he CC BY-NC-ND license (h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Pee - e iew unde esponsibili y o Fu u e Academy® Cogni i e T ading doi: 10.1016/j.sbsp o.2016.02.024 Fu u e Academy®’s Mul idisciplina y Con e ence In ellec ual disabili y in kinde ga en: possibili ies o de elopmen h ough p e end play Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei aa*, Ma i a Mäkinenb , Ká ia de Souza Amo ima aUni e sidade de São Paulo, A enida Bandei an es, Ribei ão P e o, B azil bUni e si y o Tampe e, Ake lundinka u 5, Tampe e 33014, Finland Abs ac In his s udy, we explo ed how child en wi h in ellec ual disabili ies engage in ac i i ies wi h pee s h ough p e end play, and he e ec s o his on hei de elopmen . We analysed ideo eco dings o in e ac ional momen s o play ac i i ies, aiming o iden i y how egula ions and (co) egula ions o beha iou a e cons uc ed and ca ied ou be ween pee s wi h signi ican de elopmen al di e ences. Ou me hodology was based on he Ne wo k o Meanings heo e ical amewo k and mic o-gene ic analysis. The esul s e ealed h ee impo an elemen s: (1) ecip oci y in he dynamics o egula ing beha iou ; (2) imp o emen in he s uc u e and de elopmen o play h ough in e ac ion wi h o he s; and (3) he possibili y o he child wi h he in ellec ual disabili y o lead he play, showing ha cogni i e aspec s a e no he main e e ence poin s o child en o engage in join a en ion collec i e ac i i ies. © 2016 The Au ho s. Published by Else ie L d. Pee - e iew unde esponsibili y o Fu u e Academy® Cogni i e T ading. Keywo ds: In ellec ual disabili y, Pee in e ac ion, P e end play 1. In oduc ion S udies in human de elopmen psychology ha e been, o he pas cen u y, an impo an guide o di e en a eas o knowledge. These s udies ha e based p o essional p ac ices in educa ion, heal h, and social sphe es o e he wo ld, se ing guidelines o he cons uc ion o p ac ices and in e en ions. The ele ance ole o play, especially p e end * Co esponding au ho . Tel.: +358 44 9779956. E-mail add ess: [email p o ec ed]i / [email p o ec ed] / [email p o ec ed] © 2016 Published by Else ie L d. This is an open access a icle unde he CC BY-NC-ND license (h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Pee - e iew unde esponsibili y o Fu u e Academy® Cogni i e T ading 488 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 play, is one o he coun less explo ed opics ega ding he p ocess o de elopmen o young child en. Play has been iden i ied as one o he mos impo an ac i i ies o childhood (e.g. Kishimo o, 2002; 2012; Kishimo o & Vec o e, 2002) and has been conside ed a sine qua non condi ion o human de elopmen (Ginsbu g, he Commi ee in Communica ions & he Commi ee on Psychosocial Aspec s o Child and Family Heal h, 2007). The knowledge abou play base p ac ices in kinde ga en, p eschool, and ea ly yea s o elemen a y school, and a e pa o he daily ou ine o child en in school (Zigle & Bishop-Jose , 2004). Due o he impo ance o p e end play, i was one o he oci o ou esea ch. In his sub-s udy, we a e in e es ed in he in e ac ion be ween child en when one o he child en had an in ellec ual disabili y. In pa icula , he si ua ions o p e end play we e signi ican momen s ha led us o discuss human de elopmen and pee in e ac ion in kinde ga en. In ellec ual disabili y is usually ecognized as one o he mos di icul challenges o o e come in he implemen a ion o an e ec i e inclusi e p ac ice (e.g. Plesch, 2010). I could demand cu iculum edesign, di e en p ac ices, specialized in e en ion and, abo e all, a dis inc comp ehension o human de elopmen . E en wi h all he ad ances in he a ea and he knowledge accumula ed o e he pas wen y yea s, he e is s ill he need o explo e he p ocess h ough which child en cons uc hei cul u e and engage in social in e ac ion. Mo eo e , we conside i impo an o look in o how child en cons uc a p e ence and how, e en wi h such signi ican di e ences in de elopmen , hey sha e meanings in kinde ga en, since play is a cen al elemen in he cu iculum. The e o e, conside ing he challenge o inclusi e educa ion and he need o deepen ou unde s anding on he opic, he aim is o discuss he possibili ies o engagemen and de elopmen o child en wi h such disabili y in a mains eam con ex . To achie e ou pu poses, h ee issues a e discussed. The i s is ela ed o he challenge o unde s anding he p ocess o imagina ion, abs ac ion, and p e ence o child en wi h in ellec ual disabili y. Fo his, we b ing ou he necessi y o o e uling he unde s anding ha imagina ion is an isola ed cogni i e abili y. We b ing da a ha can help us look in o he p ocess o in e ac ion whe e he play is cons uc ed, and we a gue ha he emphasis on he dicho omy be ween cogni ion and emo ions can no longe be applied. The second poin ela es o he p ocess o in e ac ion i sel and he a o dances ha ‘o he s’ (pee s) could p o ide o he de elopmen o p e ence in he se ing o in e ac ion. In ha sense, we conside how non-indi idualis ic pe spec i es o , o he in wo ds, an Enac i e Accoun (Rucinska & Reijme s, 2014; Rucinska, 2015) o a Social Subjec i i y iew (González-Rey, 2015) allow new comp ehensions o he phenomenon. The hi d elemen pe ains o ou conce ns ega ding he unila e al iew ha dismisses he possibili ies ha child en wi h in ellec ual disabili y can engage in and lead collec i e p e end play, due o a possible lack o speci ic cogni i e and social esou ces among hem. We belie e ha child en wi h in ellec ual disabili y do no jus pa icipa e, engage in, and cons uc meaning in p e end play, bu also a e able o lead he ac i i y, e en conside ing he in ellec ual de ici s ha a e p esen in hei condi ion. Fo he cons uc ion o hese a gumen s, we will s a p esen ing, b ie ly, ou heo e ical pa h. Jus a e , in a p oceeding sec ion, we will p esen he me hods used o he cons uc ion o he esea ch co pus and he me hodology o he analysis. This will be ollowed by he ‘Findings and Discussion’ sec ion, whe ein we will p esen he da a and emphasize he con ibu ions o he new app oaches. To conclude, we will acknowledge he limi s o ou a emp s and no e ou inal conside a ions on he opic o u u e in es iga ions. 489 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 1.1 Imagina ion, p e ence and in ellec ual disabili y When Vygo sky (2004; 2014) desc ibed he ways in which child en de elop hei abili y o c ea e, o imagine, and, he e o e, o abs ac he wo ld, he emphasized he necessi y o using p e iew elemen s (signs o expe iences) o compose he beha io o idea ha was being c ea ed. The abili y o ela e di e en elemen s is cons uc ed and de eloped du ing his p ocess and is s imula ed acco ding o he social si ua ions he indi idual is in ol ed in. The e o e, he de ini ion p o ided by Vygo sky is well accep ed by many o he scien is s ha we e conce ned abou his ma e . Howe e , when discussing he concep o imagina ion unde he opic o p e ence, speci ically p e end play, i is no possible o iden i y he ma e ializa ion o he imagina i e p ocess explained by Vygo sky in his wo ks. The dialec ic and insepa able ela ionship be ween he indi idual and he social componen s ha ma k Vygo sky’s a gumen s a e eplaced by mo e in ellec ualis ic iews on how p e ence is o igina ed and de eloped, in oking men al ep esen a ion o explain p e ence. To make his poin mo e clea , we need o conside Piage ’s (2014) de ini ion o p e ence as he capaci y o ep esen an objec symbolically. The e o e, by unde s anding p e ence objec s and ac ions as symbolic objec s and ac ions, we can conside he o igins o he men al ep esen a ional p ocess as belonging o he indi idual. In o he wo ds, hese symbolic objec s and ac ions a e one’s own capaci y o explo e and o ganize he wo ld. E en knowing ha Piage (1967) ecognized and emphasized he impo ance o in e ac ion o he de elopmen al p ocess, his heo ies explain pu ely how cogni i e abili ies could be cons uc ed, dismissing he ole o emo ions and media ion o he p ocess. His pe spec i e ma ks he equi emen o ce ain neu ological achie emen s o lea ning possibili ies, meaning ha cogni i e de elopmen comes i s , making he child a ailable o lea ning in he p ocess. Howe e , wha happens when he child does no ollow he same pa h o cogni i e de elopmen as he o he s? Would i mean ha his child is no ye eady o explo e he possibili ies in he en i onmen ha equi es such abili ies? Wha happens when he child has no ye achie ed he s age we e symbolic games a e a eali y when playing by onesel ? Keeping hese ques ions in mind, we p oceeded o ecen s udies and e lec ions on he de elopmen o p e ence o ge a g asp o wha heo e ical e lec ions could ell us abou p e ence. In ha ield, as poin ed ou by Rucinska (2015), we ind di e en men al app oaches o he o igin o p e ence. Nichols and S ich (2000; 2003) con i med ha p e ence is guided by men al con en s, and ha child en ha e o ga he as many men al models as possible o ensu e app op ia e beha io , and ha in p e ence, hey exe cise hose men al p oposi ions. Fo ha p ocess o happen, a complex s uc u e o obse ed elemen s, belie s, and capaci y o plan ha e o be accoun ed o . The limi a ions o his explana ion pe ain o i s own complex and in lexible way o elabo a ing he p ocess (Rucinska, 2015). Mo ing o a less in ellec ualis ic comp ehension, Van Leeuwen (2011) cons uc ed he idea o guide o p e ence based on a model accoun (men al ep esen a ions guided by imaginings o di e en o ms) ha de ends he o igins o p e ence h ough he exis ence o a pe cep ual inpu (in e nal ep esen a ion o mo o commands) and he combina ion o a ious o ms o imaginings, ins ead o men al ep esen a ions. The c ux o his heo y is ha p e ence equi es he in eg a ion o men al bu also pe cep ual ep esen a ions ( ep esen a ions bodily mo emen s) o esul in he imagina ions ha guide he p e ence play. The p e ence, in his wo ds, is an imi a ion o he men al images o o he imagined con en s (Van Leeuwen; 2011). Based on his pe spec i e, p e ending canno be unde s ood only as imi a ing, as con i med by Rucinska (2015). E en hough Van Leeuwen b ings a comple ely new pe spec i e o he subjec , his is no enough o help us un eil he ways in which he elabo a ion o p e ence happens in i s ull combina ion. 490 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 The men al ep esen a ion model assumes ha cogni i e abili ies, in one way o he o he , a e he guides o p e ence, and ha p e ence is a he an imi a ion o he li e ha canno be li ed a he momen . The e is, howe e , a dis ega d owa ds non- e bal communica ion, body exp essions, and emo ional connec ions. All hese elemen s ha would jus i y ei he ou belie s o he mo o scheme a e p esen in he expe iences ha we cons uc wi hin he en i onmen in he i s place. Ne e heless, wha we will see is a no ma i e idea ha imagina ion, as an abili y p esen in he p ocess o p e ence, has i s o igins in and by he indi idual. In o he wo ds, o he indi idual o be able o engage in he ac i i y o p e ence, he has o ha e al eady de eloped he demanded abili y. The cha ac e is ics o ha abili y and he elabo a ion o i s complexi y can be iden i ied h oughou he de elopmen o he child, aking as a e e ence hei beha io and esponse o he p e ence in ac ion. These assump ions ha e in common ha he de elopmen o esees he lea ning si ua ion (in his case he play i sel , in a collec i e o in an indi idual way). The child has i s o p esen he cogni i e esou ce o be able o pe o m he ac ion. Wha happens when hose cogni i e abili ies a e no iden i ied in he child when she/he is playing by he sel /himsel , bu is mani es ed in join ac i i ies wi h o he s? When conside ing p e end play by child en wi h in ellec ual disabili ies, we no ed a lack o li e a u e ha could help us unde s and he dynamics o he de elopmen o such indi iduals. Mo eo e , he p esen explana ions o how p e end play is s uc u ed ha a e ela ed o human de elopmen (Funkhouse and Spaulding, 2009; Van Leeuwen, 2011; Nichols & S ich, 2003) do no seem o o e sus ainabili y o discuss he beha iou s and he p ocess ha we obse e among child en. Nowadays, one o he mos challenging si ua ions in he educa ional scena io is he s uc u ing o pedagogical p ac ices ha o e s possibili ies o child en wi h disabili ies o de elop and be e ec i ely included in mains eam schools. Conside ing ha play is a cons an pa o child en’s ou ine and acknowledging he ele ance o his ac ion o human de elopmen , we belie e ha o be able o achie e such high goals, i is mos necessa y o deeply in es iga e how he p ocess o p e ence is cons uc ed. We also belie e ha such a p ocess elies on mo e han cogni i e abili ies – i equi es and is pushed by emo ions, cons uc ion o sha ed meanings, and non- e bal esponses ha a e p esen in communica ion be ween child en. When coming back o Vygo sky (2014), we see ha ‘ he de elopmen o imagina ion and in elligence a e di e en om each o he in childhood’ (pp. 38), implying ha unde s anding he p ocess o imagina ion should no be loca ed side by side o he discussion on isola ed cogni i e abili ies. In psychology, s udies ha ocus on he in es iga ion o de elopmen and in ellec ual disabili y a e o en conduc ed wi hin ha agmen ed pe spec i e (P ei e , Pacciulio, San os, San os, & S agni i, 2011). In his case, nei he philosophical no psychological app oaches o e us he answe s ha we ha e been sea ching o , e en i he indings a e ele an , such as in he cause o P ei e ’s e al. (2011), which showed ha he e we e signi ican nega i e co ela ions be ween child en’s mo o se e i y le els and hei elabo a eness o play, indica ing ha child en wi h g ea e mo o limi a ions ha e diminished play abili y. Howe e , his s ill does no explain how p e ence occu s. F om ou iewpoin , o he educa ional ield, p io i ized knowledge is knowledge ha can lead o changes in pedagogical p ac ices. I is uly impo an ha ‘how’ and ‘when’ a e p io i ized o e ‘why’ and ‘whe e’ in esea ch on he opic. The e o e, conside ing ha he abo e issues and he necessi y o inc ease s a egies can enable he de elopmen o child en wi h in ellec ual disabili y in mains eam educa ional and social con ex s, his wo k is jus i ied. 491 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 The aim o his s udy was o explo e he p ocess h ough which p e ence is cons uc ed and o analyse he pa icipan s and he mo emen s ha cons ain he phenomenon. I is hoped ha he da a will no only e eal new pe spec i es bu also con ibu e o he elabo a ion o u he p ac ices. 2. Me hods The me hod has i s basis in he Ne wo k o Meanings – o he RedSig (Rosse i-Fe ei a, Amo im, Sil a & Ca alho, 2004) heo e ical and me hodological pe spec i e. To explain b ie ly, RedSig is a heo e ical pa h owa ds he unde s anding o human de elopmen in di e en con ex s. I s key elemen is he conside a ion o he complex way in which cul u al elemen s, social p ac ices, and indi iduals a e assembled, esul ing in di e se possible pa hs o cons uc meaning and, he e o e, in di e en p ocesses o de elopmen . RedSig has i s o igins in an in es iga i e p ocess om 1994 ha ocused on he p ocess o adap a ion o babies in day-ca e cen es. The complexi y p esen ed du ing he in es iga i e p ocess led a g oup o esea che s o ind hei own way h ough di e en heo ies, by assembling in o a social-his o ical base (Vygo sky, 1991; 1993; Wallon, 1986) o he pe spec i es and discussions (Rosse i-Fe ei a, 2004). In acco dance wi h RedSig, he assump ion is ha human de elopmen happens in a signi ica ion ne wo k in o which indi iduals a e inse ed (and which indi iduals, a he same ime, cons i u e). This ne wo k, which is s uc u ed by in e ac ions be ween he indi idual wi h o he s, is imme sed in social-his o ical and cul u al elemen s, linked be ween hem. (--) he human de elopmen happens h ough complex p ocesses, imme sed in a mesh o semio ic na u e elemen s. (--) people a e ound imme sed in, cons i u ed by and submi ed o his mesh and, a he same ime, ac i ely cons i u ing i , con ibu ing o ci cumsc ip ion o possible ajec o ies, o his de elopmen , o o he people de elopmen and si ua ion hey a e pa icipa ing in. (Rosse i-Fe ei a, Amo im & Sil a, 2004, 23) F om his pe spec i e, i is he composi ion o all hese ac o s ha will de ine he pa h o de elopmen . In ha sense, he e is ne e only one possibili y o way o de elopmen o happen, and he e a e no ules ha p edispose he u u e indi idual. Ra he , de elopmen has mul iple pa hs, and o each indi idual a ne wo k o i s own exis s. To unde s and his de elopmen , one needs o conside he complexi y o human subjec i i y wi hin and a he same ime conside he mul iple social/cul u al possibili ies ha compose he phenomenon. The e o e, in ega d speci ically o he me hodological con ibu ions ha guided he me hodology o his s udy, he RedSig highligh s h ee impo an me hodological elemen s in he in es iga ion o human de elopmen phenomena: (1) a s udy design ha allows he comp ehension o de elopmen as a esul o mul iple ac o s. The da a collec ion p ocess has o conside ha he esea ch will ha e o app ehend as much as i is possible om he ield, in many cases ha ing o combine di e en esou ces o cons uc he co pus; (2) he esea che s’ pos u e as a oolmake . The p e-s uc u ed me hods es ic he esea che s’ possibili ies o imme sion in he phenomena; he e o e, hey ha e o ind hei own ways o cons uc he co pus and o e eal i s elemen s; (3) he da a analysis p ocess made in a ela ional way. The ecognized complexi y ha composes he phenomena has o be conside ed du ing he analysis. The con adic ions and he unexpec ed elemen s need o appea and o ha , all he ac s, in o ma ion, and e idence, needs o be discussed in a ela ional dialec ic dynamic. In ha sense, he ocus o da a collec ion, analysis, and esul s is on in e ac ions. Depending on he ques ions o he esea ch and he objec i es o he esea che , he in e ac ions a e accessed h ough di e en pe spec i es (i.e. be ween child en, be ween child en and objec s, be ween child en and adul s, be ween babies). In he case o his 492 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 s udy, he ocus is on he in e ac ions be ween child en, conside ing ha one o hem ( he ocus child) has in ellec ual disabili ies. Ano he a ea ha is ocused on is he in e ac ions in speci ic momen s o p e end play. 2.1 The RedSig Analysis Fo he analysis o da a, he Ne wo k o Meanings (RedSig) sugges s a ca e ul iew o he in e ac i e p ocess ha can be done h ough a quali a i e hick desc ip ion o scenes o a mo e delica e p ocedu e ha in ol es mic o- gene ic analysis (Góes, 2000). In his s udy, since a p elimina y quali a i e desc ip ion o he da a was done, he speci ic analysis p ocedu es we e aken di ec ly wi h he mic o-gene ic analysis app oach. Speci ic eco dings ha allowed us o discuss he opic o p e end play we e selec ed o u he analysis. By obse ing small child en play, especially wi hou any adul s uc u ed guide, i was possible o ecognize how hey c ea ed hei own se o social ules; wha he elemen s we e ha a o ded he in e ac ions o happen; how hey communica ed hei hough s and wishes; and when he cons uc ion o meaning could be iden i ied. In his speci ic si ua ion, he obse a ion o how child en o e come disabili ies and o he signi ican cogni i e di e ences in join ac i i ies ha , in heo y, demand simila in ellec ual capaci ies was he cen e o ou conce n. The analysis p ocess can be desc ibed as a ca e ul and me iculous look in o e e y mo emen , ac ion, eac ion, ges u es and sound o he sho scene selec ed (Goés, 2000). Each o he scenes chosen om he ideo desc ip ions passed h ough a h ee-s ep p ocedu e. Fi s , iden i ica ion o he ini ial momen o he scene; second, isola ion o he elemen s men ioned abo e (mo emen , ac ion, eac ion, ges u es and sounds); and hi d, ca ego iza ion o possible meanings due o he combina ion o all hose elemen s. 2.2 The pa icipan s The pa icipan s o his s udy we e one child wi h an in ellec ual disabili y (Down synd ome), named Ignacio (age: i e yea s) and his pee s in kinde ga en. The o he pa icipan s we e s uden s om a public educa ional ins i u ions loca ed in a middle-size ci y o he S a e o Minas Ge ais, B azil. I is impo an o highligh ha in he o iginal esea ch whe e his da a we e selec ed om, he e we e h ee ocus pa icipan s ( h ee child en wi h in ellec ual disabili y). Ignacio’s da a composi ion was andomly selec ed be ween he subjec s. 2.3 The da a The da a comp ised a po ion o app oxima ely 75 hou s o ideo eco dings o in e ac i e momen s be ween child en in kinde ga en. Each o he ocus pa icipan s had app oxima ely 25 hou s o ideo ha we e aken du ing one en i e school yea (2014) in B azil. The speci ic scenes ha we e used in his wo k we e selec ed om he p e iew da a analysis o his o al amoun o ideo eco ds. The analysis o e ed a hick desc ip ion o he main opic o in e ac ion. P e end play was conside ed an impo an elemen o be explo ed and he e o e o be included in his u he analysis. 2.4 E hical issues I is ele an o men ion ha all e hical measu es we e aken be o e and du ing he da a collec ion. The esea ch was app o ed by he Na ional Comi y o E hics in Resea ch wi h Human Beings, h ough he Uni e si y o São Paulo. All e hical p ocedu es we e espec ed and he amilies we e awa e o and in ag eemen wi h he use o he in o ma ion p esen ed he ein. To gua an ee ha all pa icipan s in ol ed di ec ly o indi ec ly in he esea ch we e in ag eemen wi h he me hodological p ocedu e, e ms o ee and enligh ened pe mission we e used and he esea ch was conduc ed a no cos o he pa icipan s. Rega ding possible bene i s, a he end o he esea ch, we will p o ide pa icipan s’ amilies wi h eedback on he main indings o he s udy, and deli e a copy o he same. All pa icipan s’ nominal iden i ica ion da a will be made anonymous. The ideo- eco ding da a bank will s ay a chi ed in CINDEDI, ensu ing he con iden iali y o in o ma ion ha could, o some eason, expose pa icipan s’ iden i y. 493 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 3. Findings and discussions Conside ing he limi s and pu poses o his pape , an episode wi h ou speci ic scenes was selec ed om he da a composi ion o o m he basis o discussions. Recalling ha he o iginal da a a e ideo eco dings, he e o e, selec ed momen s we e ans o med in o pic u es aiming o epo he essence o he analysis. The igu es p esen ed he e had a speci ic il e added, enabling he iden i y o he child en o be kep sec e . In he selec ed episode, Ignacio is playing wi h plas e inside he class oom and his p e end play in okes di e en beha iou s in o he s. Th oughou he ac i i y, di e en dynamics a e es ablished and an inc ease in he play’s complexi y is e ealed. 3.1 The episode Episode - Da e: 21 May 2014, eco ding n.3 a 8’50’ Con ex : Child en we e doing a ee ac i i y wi h plas e . This ac i i y ook place a he same ime as he pedagogical diagnos ic p ocess ha he eache was engaged in indi idually wi h he child en. Ignacio walked a ound and be ween many g oups du ing his ac i i y execu ion, and because o he di icul ies he aced in p oducing hings wi h plas e , he was acknowledged by he eache and ecei ed a en ion om he class moni o (Alessand a) a he beginning o he p ocess. This kind o ac i i y is e y equen in his class oom’s ou ine, and i is seems o be one ha Ignacio eally likes. Desc ip ion o scene A: Ignacio is p essing a piece o plas e o e he able. The moni o comes o his side and encou ages him o make a bi hday cake while eminding him o he ac i i y o he p e ious day. Ignacio looks owa ds he and immedia ely pu a wood s ick o e he plas e model. The moni o looks a Ignacio wi h open eyes and smiles, and, while holding he hands oge he in a clapping posi ion, she asks wha he wooden s icks a e. Ignacio looks back a he and claps his hands, whispe ing some hing incomp ehensible (he is s a ing a p e end bi hday pa y si ua ion). The moni o says ha he should blow he candle. Ignacio s eps back and claps his hand again, p e ending o sing happy bi hday ( ollowing his own ules o he dynamics o he p e ence). A he same ime, he wo o he child en ha sha e he able wi h Ignacio also engage in he play. The child (Gab iela) sea ed in on o Ignacio places a small s ick in he plas e ball ha she was making, and he s uden by his side (A u o) ocuses on Gab iela’s ac i i y and hums he happy bi hday song along wi h Ignacio. Regina, who is si ing a he able behind Ignacio’s, s a es a he dynamics ini ia ed by Ignacio, ollowing hem wi h he look and laughing a wha happens. The moni o asks Ignacio o cu ou a piece o he , bu he mo es away om he able and claps his hands again, now accompanied by o he child en. Ignacio hen e u ns o he plas e , blows a he s ick ( ep esen ing he candle), and smiles a he came a, his classma es, and he moni o . He hen cu s ou a piece o he plas e and b ings i owa ds moni o ’s mou h. Regina smiles a Ignacio. The child en obse e all his. A u o claps his hand, sings happy bi hday, and places wo s icks in he plas e in on o him. Ignacio obse es he in e ac ions be ween his classma es while he olls he plas e piece wi h his hands, making a bi hday cake again (9’34’’). 494 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 Fig. 1. Momen a which Ignacio claps his hands and s ages a bi hday pa y a ac ing his classma e’s a en ion. The s a o he p ocess. Scene A. In his scene, Ignacio’s ac ions d ew he a en ion o Regina, who was si ing a he able behind him. She paid a en ion o his mo emen s wi hou being awa e o any in en ions on Ignacio’s pa o include his classma es in his ac i i ies. This beha io egula ion s a ed wha ga e ise o a sequence o (co) egula ions along wi h almos o y minu es o in e ac ion, showing how he elemen s o one momen con inue o a ec he g oup along wi h he whole ac i i y. Wha in e es ed us he e is how ha p ocess happened. The abo e scene shows he momen a which Ignacio’s imagina i e ac ion caused egula ion o beha iou s, gene a ing collec i e c ea i e p ocesses and he engagemen o o he subjec s in he p e end play s a ed by him. Ignacio s a ed wi h wha we could unde s and was a ep esen a ion o a cake. The moni o sugges ed ha he make a cake ( he sc ip was o e ed by an adul ), and Ignacio c ea ed a ep esen a ion o one (using a ep oduc i e di ec ion o human imagina ion: memo y; Vygo sky, 2014). We we e able cha ac e ize he p oduced objec as a cake due o he wooden s icks ha we e used as candles and Ignacio’s mo emen owa ds hese objec s. A his poin , we can say ha he p e ence s a ed wi h a men al ep esen a ion, bu i is he con inui y o he scene ha pa icula ly conce ns us. Ignacio placed he wooden s ick in he plas e and looked di ec ly a Alessand a as he s a ed he p e ence o a bi hday pa y, clapping his hands and (quie ly) singing. The impo an elemen he e ha we would like o poin ou is he exp essions and beha io o he moni o . She did no indica e in he speech he se ing o a bi hday pa y, bu he non- e bal elemen s could ha e lead Ignacio o engage in such a p e ence. A he same ime ha he was o ally being in luenced by Alessand a, he also seemed o be ollowing his own sense o hy hm. He did no blow ou he ‘candles’ and seemed a bi los abou wha he had o do (he began looking a ound as i sea ching o some hing). He e, we canno ye see many di e en elemen s o he p e ence. The epe oi e is qui e sho . Howe e , he beha io o sea ching, and he apid momen s o exchange o eye con ac and acial exp essions leads us o belie e ha Ignacio was coun ing on o he s o build up he mo emen . We unde s and hese agmen s o in e ac ions as e idence o wha Gonzalez-Rey (2015) desc ibed as non- e bal communica ion elemen s ha su ound he social en i onmen s and c ea e he possibili y o social subjec i i ies o open a space o cons uc ion o meanings. Fig. 2. The child en nea Ignacio s a pa icipa ing in he p e ence. This can be obse ed u he on in he analysis o he pa o he scene whe e Regina, like he classma es Gab iela and A u o, egula ed hei beha iou s due o Ignacio’s p e ence. F om his momen , we can iden i y how a single idea, exp essed mo e in mo emen s and ges u es han in objec s i sel , allows he cons uc ion and exchange o symbolic elemen s. A social p ocess is hus ma e ialized. Di e en subjec i i ies now ely on he same elemen s o build he p e end play. The sequence o (co) egula ed beha io eeds he imagina i e p ocess o all he child en ha 495 Juliene Madu ei a Fe ei a e al. / P ocedia - Social and Beha io al Sciences 217 ( 2016 ) 487 – 500 a e in he p e end ac i i y, e en hough hey a e no ye awa e o his and a e no cons uc ing i join ly and in en ionally. The acial exp essions, he mo emen s, and he objec s (cakes) become mo e elabo a e, eeding back he whole p ocess and g adually ans o ming he men ally ep esen ed objec (cake) in o a p e end bi hday pa y scene. Wa ching he dynamics o he scene, i is possible o conclude ha o Ignacio, he esponses o his classma es o he ac ions and he scena io ha he was c ea ing was he cen al elemen o he con inui y o his u he ac ions. The child en paid a en ion (looking owa ds, esponding o) o his ges u es, body mo emen , and acial exp essions much mo e han hey did o he physical ep esen a ion o he cake ha he made wi h he plas e . The expe ience ha Ignacio was ep esen ing is wha was aking he es o he child en o engage in he ac i i y, p o iding eedback o new cons uc ions/c ea ions. In his sense, we belie e ha Rucinska’s (2014) in e ac i e app oach o he unde s anding o p e ence is mo e adequa e o ansla e he p ocess ha we see happening: “The immedia e p esence, a en ion and eac ions o o he pa icipan s (as well as spec a o s) a ec and shape he ype o pe o mance ( ype o ‘ ea pa y’ played) one is engaged in.’ (p.14). Acco ding o he In e ac ionis Accoun , ‘p e ence is guided di ec ly by wo ldly a o dances and in e subjec i e engagemen s, wi hou models o p emises playing a media ing ole” (p.12). Fig. 3. Ignacio o e s a piece o he cake o he moni o , in ol ing he in he scene once again. Desc ip ion o scene B: Regina olls he plas e and places wo s icks on i (making a cake) and, looking di ec ly a Ignacio, s a s o clap he hands and sing ‘Happy bi hday o you.’ Ignacio answe s by looking back a Regina and smiling, and Regina smiles back and con inues o sing. Fig. 4. Momen when Regina con inues he p e ence and wai s o Ignacio’s a en ion o p oceed wi h he ac ion. Scene B.