Learning through Play, Socio-Emotional Development, and Interactive Reading – Pillars of Initial Teacher Training
Between August 21–23, 2025, in Chișinău, UNICEF, in partnership with the Step by Step Educational Program and the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, organized a national seminar entitled:
“Harnessing Innovative Practices in Initial Teacher Training for Early Childhood Education: Learning through Play, Socio-Emotional Development, Interactive Reading.”
The event brought together university lecturers and teacher trainers from pedagogical colleges across the country, with the goal of building a shared, modern vision of child-centered education.
Objectives and Context
The seminar aimed to:
- promote learning through play as a natural method of fostering the child’s holistic development;
- integrate socio-emotional competencies into pedagogical practice;
- encourage the use of interactive reading as a strategy to develop language and critical thinking;
- strengthen partnerships between universities, pedagogical colleges, and families.
Seminar Program
Day I – August 21
- Paradigm shifts in education: redefining child-centered education and the role of play.
- What play means for the child: the joy of discovery and its transfer into adult learning.
- Typology and structure of play: from exploration to the development of autonomy.
- Play as a stimulus for agency: building subjectivity and personal responsibility.
Day II – August 22
- Play as natural development and a support for well-being: scientific arguments and benefits.
- Interactive reading in early education: strategies for emergent literacy.
- Socio-emotional aspects: recognizing each child’s uniqueness, respect for diversity, and the Socio-Emotional Development (SED) Program through the Think Equal set.
- Practical workshop: algorithm for working with SED materials, applied exercises.
- Training session with an international guest: Georgiana Filimon, trainer from Iași, Romania, delivered a workshop dedicated to literacy, offering participants practical methods and tools for developing children’s reading and writing skills.
Day III – August 23
- Interactive reading workshops with books from the SED set (The Anteater’s Tale, The Boy with the Heavy Heart, The Story of Tomorrow, Rory the Angry Dinosaur). Key themes: diversity, self-control, ecology, empathy, and friendship.
- Engaging parents in socio-emotional education: activities with educational kits for home and preschool, fostering authentic school–family partnerships.
- 25 competencies for a dynamic future: reflective exercises on empathy, critical thinking, resilience, creativity, inclusion, and global citizenship.
- Reflections and evaluation: participants shared how they will integrate the modules and resources into their own university and college courses.
Results and Impact
- Creation of a community of practice between universities and pedagogical colleges.
- Development of plans to integrate play and interactive reading into initial teacher training.
- Strengthening the role of parents as partners in early childhood education through educational kits.
- Validation of 25 essential competencies for both future teachers and children.
- Emphasis that a holistic, child-centered approach must become a key reference point in initial teacher training.
Messages from the Seminar
“Play is the natural language of the child. It brings joy, development, and autonomy – and teachers must learn how to use this language professionally.”
“Interactive reading is not just a classroom activity, but a transformative tool for children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development.”
Acknowledgment
Special thanks go to the trainers, who facilitated the workshops and shared valuable expertise, and to the participants, who – through their reflections, ideas, and commitments – contributed to shaping clear directions for strengthening the initial training of future teachers.
