How do we teach in a way that engages a child’s natural desire to learn?
Children are naturally curious. They explore, experiment, touch, ask questions and are motivated to learn. For them everything is a game and they do not need adults to praise them for their efforts.
Wondering how you can help children succeed? Consider the following features of how they learn to help you teach in ways that improve their ability to make sense of new concepts.
1. Young children learn when subjects are integrated
Give kids content-rich thematic units and they’ll be interested and motivated, especially if you can bring real things to touch and explore that relate to the topic.
Basic literacy and math concepts can be taught and reviewed as topic content is shared. A “winter” theme offers many opportunities to teach the letter W, count and record the number of mittens on snowmen built in an art lesson, or create patterns for paper scarves.
A child learning about the life cycle of a butterfly can act it out with creative movement and poetry, paint the process on large paper, and paint, illustrate, and label the stages in science and literacy lessons, and listen to related stories and songs. Avoid following a topic if the children have lost interest. Ask yourself if you are presenting enough “real objects”. New topics motivate and excite everyone.
2. Children learn in many different ways.
Visual learners watch closely when you demonstrate an activity and like to draw and play with shapes and puzzles. Auditory learners understand ideas and concepts because they remember information they have heard, follow spoken directions well, and recall songs with ease.
Although all children learn through touch, some learn better by combining touch and movement (tactile/kinetic learners). Some children like structure, while others learn more easily in an unstructured environment.
If you want busy, happy, and focused kids, offer them a variety of lessons that meet the needs of different learning styles.
3. Children often don’t have the vocabulary to express themselves
Inexperienced teachers sometimes misinterpret a child’s unwillingness to participate as stubbornness or misbehavior when in reality, the child may lack self-explanatory skills. Use reflective listening to help children communicate why they are upset.
Children sometimes work well in groups, learning to share and develop ideas. At other times, they just need to be alone with enough time to figure things out for themselves.
Don’t expect perfection. Relax and have fun with your students!
4. Children progress when concepts are taught in a structured, step-by-step manner.
When concepts are presented in a structured step-by-step process and each step builds on prior knowledge, children learn with less effort.
For example, expecting a young child to understand the concept of a food chain without prior experiences and vocabulary about chains and links is assuming too much.
5. Children’s abilities to observe and process information develop at variable rates
Some four-year-olds have excellent small motor coordination and draw and cut beautifully, but have delayed speech patterns. Other children may be verbally eloquent but physically uncoordinated or in a scribbling stage of drawing.
Just as children develop physically at different rates, they also progress academically, socially, emotionally, and artistically at different rates. Effective teaching occurs when teachers remember that learning is a developmental process.
Offer open-ended activities to meet the developmental stages of all students. An open-ended activity engages children at a wide range of developmental levels. Children are less frustrated working at their own level and don’t have to compare their results with a set of identical worksheets.
6. Children learn better when they are given things, objects and material to explore
When teaching young children, always use concrete materials, as children need sensory experiences when learning new ideas and concepts.
Take advantage of the many educational learning materials available to teach geometry, number sense, pattern skills, symmetry, classification, and other math concepts.
Use science materials such as magnets, light paddles, scales, weights, and bird’s nest collections, as well as toys and book character puppets to enhance literacy.
7. Children need instruction, practice, and time to learn new skills and concepts.
A child doesn’t learn to ride a bike just by looking at the bike and exploring its properties, they also need time to practice and guided instruction.
Practicing concepts and skills doesn’t have to be boring and repetitive. Don’t automatically think of “worksheet” when you think of skill practice. There are many ways to practice skills using puzzles, games, diagrams, art, and more.
8. Children will not learn if they are too tired, hungry, upset or worried.
Be flexible and understanding with young children. Check if the children are hungry. It is easier to let a child eat part of his lunch early than to try to get a hungry child to focus on a task.
Sometimes a child needs to be alone and creating a little retreat space in the classroom can help students who are too overwhelmed by home or other circumstances to cope with their peers or teachers.
9. Motivated kids pay attention
Young children are generally motivated to learn about everything. Unless they have often been teased when researching or presenting their knowledge, they have a strong desire to find out and share information.
Reinforce thought processes instead of praying to the child. Saying “That’s an interesting way you arranged your blocks. Tell me what you were thinking” instead of “Samuel is so smart” will focus children’s attention on exploring the blocks. Making too much of a fuss over any one child can result in a competitive atmosphere.
10. Children learn by teaching others
When children have the opportunity to communicate their new knowledge to adults or other children, it helps solidify concepts. Some children need more time to find the right words to explain what they are thinking, so patience is needed.
To help children share their knowledge, use descriptive words as they play or work and they will copy your vocabulary.
11. Kids need to be active
If the kids have been sitting too long, they’ll tell you it’s time to move. Even the best, well-planned, and engaging lessons fail if kids need a break.
Take lots of breaks to move around, walk around the school, march around the classroom, or jump up and down! You will have more alert and focused students.
Summary
As the children experience your love and acceptance and realize that you are willing to help them, they relax and learn. Maintain a sense of excitement, wonder, and curiosity about the world around you, and your students will mimic your behavior. Your classroom may be one of the few places where your opinions and ideas are valued.