Language is the foundation of learning. It shapes how children communicate, think, and make sense of the world. Yet for many children—especially those growing up in multilingual environments or from communities with fewer resources—developing strong language skills can be a challenge.
Recent research from the University of Oxford and the University of Helsinki demonstrates that play-based pedagogy is one of the most powerful approaches to supporting children’s language growth. These findings are highly relevant for early education leaders, principals, and curriculum designers who seek evidence-based methods to strengthen children’s communication skills.
In one of the largest randomized controlled trials in early education, researchers at the University of Oxford tested a 20-week enrichment program called NELI Preschool. The program combined guided play activities with shared book reading in nurseries across the UK.
The results were striking: children who had guided-play lessons made almost 1.5 times the progress in language development compared to their peers, gaining about 7–8 months of growth in just 20 weeks. These gains are particularly significant in the early years, when language skills are the foundation for literacy, social interaction, and long-term learning success.
This evidence confirms what many educators see daily in their classrooms: when play is purposeful and guided, it creates a rich environment for language practice, vocabulary growth, and meaningful conversations.
Research from the University of Helsinki further underscores the role of play in language learning, especially in diverse classrooms. In studies of Finnish early childhood education settings, researchers found that teachers who deliberately integrated playful teaching and playful language created more inclusive environments where children were motivated to communicate and participate.
This was particularly powerful in multilingual classrooms, where children often come with varying levels of language proficiency. In multilingual classrooms, children may be fluent in their home language but still learning the school’s instructional language. The University of Helsinki found that playful teaching strategies help bridge this gap—supporting communication, inclusion, and faster language growth.
In other words, play is not only a teaching method—it is a social equalizer that ensures every child has a voice in the classroom, which is the perfect recipe for multilingual learning environments.
For principals, curriculum leaders, and policymakers, the evidences are clear: Play is not “extra,” it is essential. Both large-scale trials and classroom-based studies show that language skills develop more effectively through play-based approaches than through direct instruction alone.
Play creates an environment. In multilingual and diverse learning environments, playful pedagogy helps ensure all children can participate and grow.
Play links to long-term outcomes. Early gains in oral language set the stage for stronger literacy, academic achievement, and social-emotional development later on.
At HEI Schools, we believe in combining research insights with practical pedagogy. The evidence from UK and Finland reaffirms our commitment to playful learning as the foundation of early education.
To learn more, please visit: https://www.heischools.com/happy-lingo-english-program
University of Oxford (NELI Preschool study): Full report (PDF)
University of Helsinki (Inclusive Play study): Full article (PDF)