Approaches To

LearningChapter 3

Approaches to LearningOWhen young children are curious,

interested and confident about discovering the answers to their questions, they are best able to benefit from learning opportunities.

OThis involves breaking down a task into its components, organizing a plan of work, and reflecting on the success of one’s endeavors.

Approaches to learning includes:

O Studies show that ratings of children's approaches to learning at school entry predicts their reading and math achievement throughout the primary grades.

O Approaches to learning components includes:OCuriosityOCreativityOConfidenceO IndependenceO InitiativeOPersistence

Teaching and Learning Using Approaches to Learning

O A healthy approach to learning is an important component of school readiness and is enhanced when young children are encouraged to explore the environment and materials, ask questions, and use their imaginations.

O Adults help children develop a positive approach to learning by respecting their individuality and creating an environment that acknowledges their emerging sense of themselves as doers and thinkers.

Styles of LearningO Sensory mode – an environment that is rich in

materials and appeals to all the senses.

O Pacing – young children need time to try new things, solve problems, practice skills, or think about what they are learning. Be patient with children.

O Social context – children should always have the option to play alone or with others. Some children thrive on independent pursuits. Others learn well in group context.

Fitting the Learning Experience to the Learning Objective

OOpenness to experiences describes a child’s initial willingness to explore materials, ideas, people and events.

OMost preschool children eagerly engage with materials, but it takes prompting for them to consider ideas.

OChild-guided experience is especially important for learning.

Openness to Experiences Taking the Initiative - Teaching Strategies

O Some children readily enter into an experience, others approach slowly on their own, and still others needs coax from a peer or an adult.

O Teaching StrategiesO Focus on children’s efforts, not the outcome of their actions.O Encourage – but never force children to explore new

materials, try out their knowledge and skills, or share an idea or opinion.

O Balance freedom and structure in the environment. An overly structured classroom can inhibit children; a disorganized or chaotic setting can be overwhelming.

O During teacher-planned time, give children choices about how to use the materials or carry out their ideas

Openness to Experiences - Engaging with Materials

O Engagement is the action-oriented dimension of approaches to learning.

O Engagement can be self-reinforcing. The more they get involved with materials, the more ideas spring to mind and the more successful they are in pursuing those ideas.

O Teaching strategiesO Provide a variety of materials and activities so each

child can find something to engage their interest every day.

O Give children ample time to carry out their intentions.O Minimize interruptions and transitions.

Openness to Experiences - Planning O Planning is choice with intention. The chooser

begins with a specific goal or purpose in mind that result in the choice

O Many states standards include planning as a measure of program quality and child learning.

O Teaching strategiesO Provide opportunites for children to make intentional

choices throughout the day.O Treat children’s plans with respect. Show interest in

their choices and decisions.O When there are children who are new to English in the

group, learn to ask a general question in the children’s home languages.

Openness to Experiences – Engaging with Ideas

O Preschoolers may not consider how or why something happened unless prompted to do so by adults.

O Adults can encourage them to pay attention to the reasons behind what they observed through scaffolding.

O Scaffolding has two parts:O The first is to support children at their current level of

understandingO The second is to gently extend their learning

Openness to Experiences – Engaging with Ideas

O Teaching strategies:O Describe and encourage children to describe, what

they are doing. Comment on the materials they use, their actions and the effects of their actions.

O Use questions sparingly. Questions can stimulate thoughtful conversation if they are used sparingly, convey genuine interest in what the child is doing, and leave it to the child to respond.

O Invite children to explain their thinking. O Take advantage of opportunities to explain your own

thinking and reasoning.

Processing Experiences – Solving ProblemsO When children have a goal in mind, particularly one

they have set for themselves, they can be quite persistent in achieving it.

O Difference in how children approach problem solving emerge early.

O In addition to individual differences, there are also developmental changes in the way children approach problems.O Younger preschooler do so with enthisausim and self

confidence.O Older preschooler are more persistent and flexible, as well as

somewhat more systematic in their attempts to solve a problem.

Processing Experiences – Solving Problems

O Teaching strategies:O Encourage children to describe problems that arise

during play. By using their own words, preschoolers learn to trust their skills as observes and analyzers.

O Give children time to come up with solutions. Telling the child what he should do would deprive him of an opportunity to learn and develop confidence in his independent problem-solving abilities.

O Call children’s attention to what is and is not working.O Assist children who are frustrated.

Processing Experiences – Using Resources O Children become increasingly adept at identifying and

using resources, including manipulating objects, watching and imitating others, and specifying what kind of help they need.

O Teaching strategies:O Provide open-ended materials that appeal to all the senses.O Some children, particularly dual language leaners in a wait,

watch, and listen phase, may need to see that its okay to explore materials in different ways.

O Talk with children about how they use resources.O Encourage children to use resources to answer their own

questions.

Processing Experiences – Reflecting

OReflection is remembering with analysis.OReflection helps children discover and apply

underlying concepts.OTeaching strategies:

O Make comments and ask open-ended questions that encourage reflection and help children connect current and previous experience.

O Create opportunites for children to describe their actions to peers.

O Use photographs and other mementos to help children remember and reflect on experiences.

Processing Experiences – Following Up

O As preschoolers pursue an interest or a discovery, most do not spontaneously choose to continue doing so in greater depth.

O They tend to lose interest, look to see what others are doing, or simply move on to something else.

O Teaching strategiesO Provide time and materials for children to continue

pursuing their interests.O Provide opportunites for children to elaborate on the

pay themes that interest them.O Share in children’s interests and curiosity.